Picturesque Display by International Women’s Association [Archives:2000/24/Last Page]

Under the auspices of the International Women’s Association, the second International Women’s Art Exhibition was held on Thursday. A number of female artists from different countries participated in the exhibition with a brilliant display of their paintings. Yemen Times attended the exhibition and held the following interviews:
Amna Al-Nassiri, teacher at the Philosophy Department, Sana’a University, critic and painter, said “Recently, I have started using the graphic technique, that is, painting through colors. These pictures constitute a special stage in my artistic career, that of using colors.
The theme of my paintings has two aspects; the first is the content in which I sometimes focus on contemporary social issues. The second is the form in which I try to apply the modern techniques in art.
This exhibition has projected the talents of many new Yemeni painters which is a positive phenomenon. Some of the obstacles facing women preventing them from nourishing their talents, in general, are social constraints, economic problems, the way the Yemeni society views women, and the like. I wish the Yemeni female painters to go out of their self exile.

Andrea Cohen is from USA. She has been in Yemen for 2 years. The work she has done is very much influenced by her stay here in Yemen. She said “I spent a lot of time in several markets in Bab Al-Yemen, for example. I think one of the things that makes Yemen very special is that the tradition is still alive here. I went to visit Dubai and Oman, but these places are very modern where you can’t find the traditions any more. I think it is wonderful that these things are still alive in Yemen.
The Yemeni female painters are a very energetic and talented group of people and it is wonderful that they have the freedom to express themselves. I think the biggest obstacle for them is the lack of opportunity to exhibit their work, because it seems obvious that they are free to practice it and sell it, but I wish that there were more opportunities in Yemen for local work to be exhibited.”
Born in India, Fatema is married to a Yemeni. She has been in Yemen since 1972. She had no training in painting which has been her hobby since her childhood. Her famous painting is about the three symbols of Islam; Ka’abah.
She said “I like to show more life and action in paintings. I always show a person doing something. I love Yemen, especially its tradition. There is some good potential in the Yemeni artists and what they need is support and encouragement.”
Chiu Wai lan is from Hong Kong. She has been doing paintings for the past 14 years. She learned painting in Africa when she was in Zambia. She is interested in painting using wax and dye. Talking about her paintings, she said “We painted on 100% cotton. It is a very primitive art. You need a lot of experience to master this art.
I think the difficulties facing Yemeni painters are to find enough opportunities to see different kinds of art to inspire them.”
Tawfeek Al-Shara’abi
Yemen Times

——
[archive-e:24-v:2000-y:2000-d:2000-06-12-p:./2000/iss24/lastpage.htm]