SPEAKING THROUGH EMPTY SPACES ON CANVAS
Saleem Sakhi speaks through the empty spaces on his canvas
Empty spaces are important; more so in the times that we live in. Life is very complicated now Saleem Sakhi
The starkness and simplicity in Saleem Sakhi’s art compels viewers to stop in their tracks and step closer for a detailed look. Rendered in broad strokes in striking colour gradients, overlaid with motifs or etchings, the compositions are minimalistic. The style is understated, the message loud and clear.
Opened on Monday, the exhibition titled Identity in Crowne Plaza Muscat runs till December 23. Featuring 28 pieces of acrylic on canvas varying from 40cm X 50cm to 100cm X 100cm in size, Sakhi’s persistent focus on keeping things simple is reflected in the titles of the exhibits too. Every single one of the 28-piece collection is titled Identity.
The oryx has been central to Sakhi’s art for over 20 years and remains so in Identity. It has inspired him since he first saw a documentary on TV about a government programme to set up a reserved area for the antelopes when he was in an impressionable age. “This was before it was fashionable to talk about the environment and conservation efforts,” he noted.
In the early years of his art, there was realism in his portrayal of the antelope, but eventually the oryx took on geometric and abstract forms to appear alongside iconic Omani elements like deserts and dunes. In Iden
tity, however, the oryx shares canvas space mostly with the kummah. But Sakhi’s kummahs aren’t threedimensional. He depicts them folded as they are displayed in shops. “An artist sees things differently.”
While most kummahs in the exhibition have motifs – not traditional designs but random patterns, he pointed out – some have the perspective of archways through which the viewer can see oryx. “For this show, I have tried to juxtapose the oryx and the kummah, Omani wildlife and tradition, in the context of our art and architecture,” Sakhi explained.
A notable feature of Sakhi’s art is the colours on his canvas – soft and muted, even faded. “I don’t apply any paint directly from a tube on the canvas. I create my own colours. Also, the colour that appears on the canvas is a reflection of my frame of mind,” he said. Aggression, anger and boldness tend to translate into bright colours on his canvas. “In any case, abstract art needs boldness and bravery,” he observed.
Speaking of his decision to hold the exhibition in a hotel rather than an art gallery, he said he opted for the latter in an effort to have new viewers. “By exhibiting in a hotel, we have taken art to the people rather than the other way around. Besides, it’s the same set of people you see at every exhibition opening in every art gallery in town.”
In Sakhi’s scheme of things, the number or venue of exhibitions are of little relevance and don’t count as career highlights. A cartoonist, graphics designer, installation artist and sculptor, Sakhi went abroad for a degree in interior designing. “In our time, if you wanted to pursue a career in arts, there was no option to learn here. Now they teach art in colleges. When I am invited to art programmes and see students trying to paint like me, in my style, I consider that as my biggest recognition.”
Sakhi speaks through the wide blank spaces on his canvas. “Empty spaces are important; more so in the times that we live in. Life is very complicated now.”