Arab Times

Yousef, a sensitive young artist with passion for martial arts

‘Corruption’ a clear statement of what he sees around him

- By Lidia Qattan

Today’s article takes a look at Yousef Al Bagshi, a talented young Kuwaiti artist with a passion for marital arts.

– Editor

Born in 1987, Yousef Al Bagshi began practicing art since he could remember; he was at the kindergart­en when his teacher, impressed by his drawing chose him to take part in a children art exhibition.

Since then at the elementary and at the intermedia­te schooling young Yousef attracted the attention of his school mates and teachers alike with his drawings and paintings, entering competitio­ns and gaining prizes.

From the start faces and cartoon characters were his main attraction and favorite expression; he never cared of landscape or anything else than human form.

He started with color pencils, then from the intermedia­te schooling he practiced with various media -- charcoal, pastel, water color and oil color. In higher school he got attracted to digital art, enticed by one of his friends· skills in this Àeld.

At graduation from High School Yousef wanted to study animation, but there was no such subMect at the Kuwait University or at the Institute of Applied Studies in which he enrolled, so he chose stage decoration as the nearest to his true vocation.

At graduation in 2009 with a Bachelor·s degree in Art, Yousef got a Mob at the Ministry of Education working as a stage decorator and taking part in the Art Judging Board for school students.

Yousef Al Bagshi is a highly sensitive young artist in love with animation, a Àeld of expression more congenial to his state of mind and inclinatio­n, as reÁected in his painting “Corruption”; hence, he is far from being satisÀed with ofÀce work that limits his ebullient energy and dampens his creativity.

Indeed his purpose as an artist could be more useful to society in another Àeld that could contribute to the spiritual developmen­t of his community.

Statement

In his painting “Corruption “is a clear statement of what he sees around him; it is a living testimony of an integrated experience, presented in its relation to personal Mudgment and common knowledge, brought forth in symbolic form. The pungency of his metaphors imparts to the work an afÁatus deep in its signiÀcant import.

Incidental­ly it is through his symbols that the observer may gain an insight on the artist‘s conscienti­ous mind, seeking in his surroundin­g his own involvemen­t in order to grasp his relative purpose.

The pitch of its eloquence and spontaneit­y of metaphor is so compelling in their intrinsic message that it is hard for anyone to forget this work once seen.

The versatile expression of Yousef·s artistic involvemen­t in cartoons, digital art and caricature clearly reÁects his mental inclinatio­n in his concern with the world around him.

His artistic involvemen­t would be more satisfying to himself personally if expressed through animation, a form of art more widely appreciate­d by the general public.

In the meantime, inÁuenced by the artist Sami Mohammad, Yousef is trying to concentrat­e on one obMective, one direction – either on convention­al painting, or on digital art, or on animation. Hence he feels incomplete and uncertain till eventually he will emerge with a form of expression congenial to his true mental dispositio­n and establishe­s a visual perspectiv­e and understand­ing of his true role as an artist

Modern technology has vastly expanded the choice of expression to which an artist can apply himself. But what every creative, original artist aspires is working in self-abandon, experienci­ng the Moy of creating in total surrender to the Áow of his imaginatio­n; such a feeling is at once exhilarati­ng and refreshing.

The work the artist produces is then an embodiment of strong, sincere feeling, earnest purpose and unyielding faith in his own purpose.

Incidental­ly the essence of the individual is not to be found in what he does or think, but in what he feels. Feeling is the very essence of selfconsci­ousness, it tests the worth of every experience, it is the entity that reveals the reality that underlies all external phenomena and triggers our emotions, which in turn stimulates our mental faculties and kindles our imaginatio­n.

Feeling, awakened by transcende­nt thought, ennobles and brightens our life. Indeed the essence of art is to delight and enlighten the world, rather than merely express the artist·s feeling.

Those artists whose art survive the test of time have the ability to add inspiratio­n to life.

Indeed the great masters of any age, whose art continues to be a delight to the world, expressed their feelings, their emotions and their ideas with knowledge born of experience and discipline in their medium.

Objective

Yousef·s experiment­ing with different forms of art actually helps him to train his mental faculties and sensitive mind to appreciate that wise balance of forces upon which all true artistic achievemen­ts are based; still, his ultimate obMective to become an animation artist will prove his unyielding faith in his special purpose.

The work he then produces becomes the natural emanation of his souls reaching out for self expression in a form that gives coherence and reality to his feeling and Mudgment.

An inspired musician reaches a point in which he becomes an instrument in the creation of his music; likewise a creative artist becomes an instrument of his own artistic form through which he expresses his message for a better world.

Indeed are the people of faith and imaginatio­n that spur progressiv­e strides against the cohesive resistance of the frightened and people of little faith!

At the same time are the fanatics who awaken the slumbering violence of men and destroy what others built, thereby causing regression.

Besides practicing art, Yousef Al Bagshi is an athlete passionate about martial arts this keeps him Àt in body and alert in mind.

 ??  ?? One of the paintings by Yousef Al Bagshi
One of the paintings by Yousef Al Bagshi
 ??  ?? Yousef Al Bagshi
Yousef Al Bagshi
 ??  ?? Lidia Qattan
Lidia Qattan

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