The Yemeni Artist Amira Al-Ammari to YT: ” The Yemeni Architecture Makes me Really Feel that the Yemeni People are real Artists” [Archives:2000/13/Last Page]
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March 27 2000
By: Mohammed Bin Sallam, Yemen Times
Amira Ali Al-Ammari a Yemeni plastic artist who was born in Addis Ababa. She completed her elementary and secondary study in Saudi Arabia but she did her high school in Ethiopia. In 1998, she graduated from Addis Ababa university plastic arts department. The Yemen Times has interviewed her and asked her about what does plastic art mean to her, what school she belongs to, number of paintings she has made, the reason of her visit to Yemen, does she practice any other job and what does the international day for women mean to her. She answered all these questions by saying,
” In the beginning, before joining the faculty of plastic art, painting was just a hobby but now I have become professional in plastic art. As for what school I belong to, I do not follow the style of any school so I would not have to work within certain limits. When I in the Emirates in 1994 I had participated in an exhibition held in Ethiopia at the French Cultural Council. That was my first successful art show because I had sold all my paintings. Then, I participated in an exhibition in Dubai, UAE in 1999. I have also held an art show in Yemen held on the occasion of the First Conference for Expatriates in 1999 and I was among the expatriates delegation. As regards my paintings, I have completed more than 500 during the 6 years that I have been working as an artist. I have sold some of those paintings to improve my living and kept many others, especially those that have special meaning to me.
By my present visit to Yemen I want to apply for a scholarship from the Ministry of Expatriates. The ministry referred my application to the ministry of planning and by God will the scholarship would be either to France or Italy. In addition to my work in plastic art, I also work as an Advertising Designer in Dubai. My latest art exhibition was held at the Journalists Syndicate Building on the Women’s International Day. As for the Women’s International Day. I do not believe in women’s day or men’s day because marking a woman’s implies her being separated from man. Therefore, why there should be a day confirming women’s segregation from men. Equality with men means to me freedom of opinion in making my decisions of traveling to any place I want. In general, women in the Arab world do not feel independent.
They live all their lives under the protection of men and therefore they cannot make big achievements. Moreover, the Yemeni women suffer more than their fellows in the Gulf countries. In the Gulf states, various luxuries are available for them. I liken the Yemeni woman to the fence of the house that is indispensable. She bears the responsibility of the household and that of economic conditions which are directly reflected on her role. Finally, I would like to say that life in Yemen is beautiful and I hope I do not have to emigrate. I want to talk about the Yemeni architecture. I have noticed the development of Yemeni architecture which can be seen in every street. It makes me feel that the Yemeni people are really artists but there is nobody to appreciate that. I would like to thank the Yemen Times that is really Yemen’s window on the entire world.
