Plastic artist kicks off Sa’eed Foundation cultural activities [Archives:2006/996/Local News]
TAIZ, Nov. 1 ) The Saeed Foundation for Culture and Science has inaugurated its two-month cultural activities with an exhibition by German plastic artist Berno Heitmann, whose paintings attempt to illustrate the relationship between the Creator and creation.
“I want to say in my paintings that God loves us; however, He wraths once we sin,” Heitmann explained.
Born in Hamburg in 1969, Heitmann is a German lawyer, however, he's now a representative for a non-governmental organization in Yemen, where he's lived in Hajja for the past year.
Heitmann has participated in several exhibitions, including ones in Berlin, Germany in 2000; Hanover, Germany in 2003; Amman, Jordan in 2004 and in Sana'a and Hajja in 2006.
“I draw my paintings simply with oil colors, but they're profound and expressive as well. The message I want to convey is to create a balance between the spiritual and materialistic aspects of human lives. I'd also like to encourage meditation on nature because it affects man,” said Heitmann, who tried, through his paintings to illustrate the idea of the relationship between Allah (God) and creation.
“I've painted a picture about Jesus and how he wants to open a door to Heaven for people. As a Christian, I paint to say that Allah loves us, but at the same time, He wraths once we sin,” he said
Heitmann considered plastic art as a common language for all people of different nationalities and religions. Yemenis understand my paintings as well as Germans, Americans, Chinese and Indians. Plastic art simply comes to create a common language for all people to be able to communicate with each other.
The school that influences Heitmann is the Expressive, which is a modern school dependant upon symbolism and color. He wrote an Arabic statement under each painting to convey the message of his works. He studied Arabic in Jordan for two years as well as studying Kufic, Diwani and Persian handwritings.
Kufic handwriting is an ancient form related to Kufa in Iraq and both Persian and Diwani are modern handwritings.
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