Nader proves his power, prowess as an artist

‘Diary of PoWs’ captures life of men in captivity

This is the last in a series of articles on Nader Abdul Hameed Saleh Mohammed Al Faras, an aeronautic engineer and retired colonel in the Kuwait Airforce and a gifted painter.

— Editor

One of the paintings by Nader Al Faras (inset)

exhibition representing the environment of Kuwait, in it he captured the essence and soul of the desert landscape and of the sea, revealing their secret moods and mysteries in a conveyance of feelings evoked in him by some earlier memories.

In the atmospheric variations, in the shifting and blending of colors interwoven with his own ideas and feeling, Nader was able to project into the natural form an optical effect with a breath and dignity that reflects his calm, sensitive mind, revealing through his works the soul of a true artist under obligation to his most cherished experiences.

Still experimenting with the magic of colors Nader held his third personal in 1999, in which he mainly featured still life.

Before engaging in this project he spent two months studying the works of the masters, delving into their technique of skillfully meddling with light and shades.The work he produced were canvasses richly balanced and cautiously thought out, beautiful works to behold for the skill of execution.

To afford lasting satisfaction a work of art must not only record a simple impression, most importantly it must have the resolved and deliberated statement of a consistent point of view.

Greater power in Nader’s works rests in those works executed with freedom and spontaneity of feeling, in which the harmony of color, of shades and lights play upon one’s emotion, experienced in the soothing, almost tender communication of his feeling.

In his development Nader reached a degree of eminence, expressive of his own individuality, which makes him among the most accomplished artists in Kuwait.

Character

Incidentally individuality in a work of art is not a formal piece of artifact, but it is the emanation from the artist essential character and part of his emotional life.

The value of a true work of art rests on the communication of feeling, which in the last resort is simply the love of the artist for his theme. Hence the delight we experience in capturing the portent of an art work.

Besides engaging in personal exhibitions, Nadertook part in scores of collectives in Kuwait and abroad, during which he received several awards.

His first prize was a Gold Medal he received from the Youth Center exhibition in 1973, when he was still a teenager dreaming of becoming an artist of repute one day.

His second prize was the shield he received for his exhibition “Diary of POWs” in 1992. His third prize was a gold medal from the International Art Festival at Mehris in Tunis in 1995.

For their beauty and human portent Nader’s works enjoy a wide distribution in Kuwait, in spite art is not yet held in serious consideration.

The entire collection “Diary of POWs” exhibited in 1992, was bought by the National Committee in charge of the POWs; numerous other works are in private and government collections.

Incidentally, after proving his power and portent as an artist, Nader Al Faras suddenly disappeared from the arena in which he made his unique stand.

Apparently, satisfied with what he achieved in art, he turned his attention to more prosaic pursuits, as other artists disillusioned with the growing indifference to higher culture in general in his country have done before him.

Concluded