17 Bahraini artists unveil their works at British Victoria and Albert Museum

BAAB London 2016 – Kaneka Subberwal and Artists

Under the Patronage of Bahrain’s Ambassador for the United Kingdom His Excellency Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, the inaugural BAAB exhibition 2016 kicked off in the heart of London in the presence of RT Hon John Whittingdale, Mr. Fahad Albinali, Deputy Head of Mission and Tamkeen’s Chief Executive Dr. Ebrahim Mohammed Janahi, with 40 unique artworks unveiled during a private launch reception held at the highly-reputed Victoria and Albert Museum. Celebrating Bahrain’s topography, rich culture and traditions, the London collection has been inspired by the first batch of 17 artists of the Bahrain Art Across Borders (BAAB) initiative.

The event also saw the launch of the art catalogue titled BAAB – Bahrain Art Across Borders, featuring all the artists, their profiles and their respective artworks displayed in London.

Commenting on this exclusive event, Tamkeen’s Chief Executive Dr. Ebrahim Mohammed Janahi, stated: “Art and Culture form the cornerstone of any country’s identity and heritage. It also plays a key role in driving forward economic activity, especially as it is one of the primary gateways for anyone who deals with a country. It not only plays a key role in encouraging tourism, but also assists in enhancing a country’s visibility and reach to a wider global audience. As such, Tamkeen, which is a semi-government organisation that seeks to contribute towards making Bahrain’s private sector the key driver of economic growth, is proud to be supporting this initiative which provides a group of hard-working, talented artists, who demonstrated entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to grow and develop, to reach markets beyond Bahrain and showcase their unique art collections to a multinational audience.”

BAAB London 2016 – Faika Al Hassan, Balqees Fakhro, Hamed Al Bosta, Jamal Abdul Rahim works

BAAB’s London portfolio reflects the strength, originality and tradition of the Bahraini identity through various forms of visual art, such as painting, sculpture and photography, and depicts a range of inspirations from the Arabian horse and its historic place in traditional Arab culture, to ultra-sound scans, religious iconography, and the art of tea. The inaugural group of BAAB artists representing the Kingdom in London comprises both established names in the Bahraini art scene as well as emerging talent, with a predominant female presence that throws light on the growing influence of women artists in the Arab world.

The BAAB London 2016 exhibition will be relocated to Gallery 8 from Friday 27th May where it will stay for 9 days, until Saturday 4th June 2016. Gallery 8 is a newly refurbished gallery space housing prominent art talent and is situated in central London, a stone’s throw from international auction houses Christie’s and Sotheby’s and a short walk from both Green Park and Piccadilly Circus tube stations.

BAAB London 2016 – Atrium 2

An extensive program has been developed for the artists during their stay in London giving them full exposure to the capital’s bustling arts scene, with activities including visits to prominent galleries, museums and art centres such as the Barbican Art Centre and Tate Modern; behind-the-scene tours of reputed auction houses in the likes of Christie’s and Sotheby’s; and a public panel discussion on Art and Globalisation at the Arab British Chamber of Commerce chaired by international industry experts with BAAB’s Ghada Kunji, Jamal A Rahim and Ghassan Muhsen as guest speakers.