Filed under: Cut & Paste, old new, Rants & Raves, Watercolor | Tags: ash, collage, ink, Kuwait, new, old, pen, rapidograph, tracing paper, volcanic, watercolor
When I work, I sometimes like to fantasize that the piece I’m drawing, painting or collaging was somehow found during an archeological dig or the excavation of a thousand year old church or accidentally under a mound of volcanic ash. I don’t know why I’m so obsessed with antiquities and all things with a history. Maybe it’s because I live in a region devoid of a material, tactile history where it’s out with the old and in with the new and shiny. Everything’s plastic and dispensable and I find myself creating new olds.
Filed under: Rants & Raves, The Surfer Chick Episodes, Watercolor | Tags: Kuwait, overkill, play, pod, postcard, watercolor, work
Sometimes we’re on a roll. But we wreck it by doing too much for too long, whether it’s work or play. I have found myself not being able to stop painting, drawing, or doodling. These past three days have been crazy and I find it hard to stop. I’m working on a video, large acrylic, small oil painting and these little postcard watercolors. I need to do the dishes, take a shower, water my plants and visit my brother in hospital. Instead, I’m here playworking, caught in the pod.
Filed under: Moving Pictures, Rants & Raves, Video | Tags: crazy, Kuwait, loony, rant, video, woman
Filed under: A Portrait of Yasmine Alkandari, Rants & Raves, Step By Step | Tags: anger, broken, camera, frustration, Kuwait, yasmine alkandari
It looks much more like her now.
I totally fucked her up. And I broke my camera. And I’m feeling shitty with the world. Sorry, Yasmine. (more…)
Filed under: Rants & Raves, The Book of Traffic Lights & Other Observations | Tags: Kuwait, men, notes, observations, rant, rave, traffic
To all of this, my mom’s repeated words to me, “Just let it go! Ish3alaich minhum?” What? Just let men stare at me because they feel it’s their divine right? And it’s not as if they find me attractive because my looks don’t appeal to the Kuwaiti, Middle Eastern, Indian, or Philipino (actually they don’t stare at all) man. I want to ask them, “Are you staring because you find me beautiful, or are you just attracted to all bipedal creatures with boobs?” Really, and I want to take notes when he’s answering my question, which he will initially regard as rhetorical but will realize that I’m waiting for an answer, pen in hand, to record his reply.
Mom, I’m starting to do some crazy shit. I’ve given back glares, stopped to ask if there was anything on me that wasn’t supposed to be, and done the ‘hmmm? did you say something?’ act. These men are really shameless and have no idea. So sorry, I can’t just let it go.
Filed under: Rants & Raves, The Book of Traffic Lights & Other Observations | Tags: diary, ink, Kuwait, notes, observations, sketch, traffic
click on ‘more’ for previous pages (more…)
Filed under: Rants & Raves, Sketchbook | Tags: fruitcake, ink, Kuwait, pen, sketch
forbidden fruitcake
Why do we accept fruitcakes? Well, it’s not my tradition to receive a fruitcake once a year but there was once an attempt at gifting me one and I refused politely. I matter-of-factly stated that neither I nor my children will eat it and it will go to waste.
When did we, as humans, learn to accept behavior unacceptable to us? Why can’t we just be honest about stuff that shouldn’t even get us in trouble in the first place. If I don’t want a cookie I should be able to say no and the offerer should be able to process that ‘no’ is a refusal and not a stab at coyness.
If I don’t like someone, I should be able to tell them and it shouldn’t provoke offense. I’d want someone to tell me that they don’t like me (they’d have to actually not like me). Not out of the blue, but if I’m pushing to be their friend and they don’t really want it, they should tell me. No offense would be taken. And why do we insist on taking someone’s number when we meet them. I stopped taking numbers, unless I genuinely want to call. I have become almost rude about it.
So try not to be a fruitcake. Be with people you like, eat what you like, sleep when you want (and you can), and do whatever you wish without hurting others. Merry Christmas in October!
Filed under: Contemporary Art Auction 2010, Eventful, Jana & Iber, Rants & Raves | Tags: ahmed alsoudani, ali talib, art, auction, collective, contemporary, farideh lashai, group, jamal abdul rahim, jamm, Kuwait, lamya gargash, mohammad rawas, nabil nahas, reza derakshani, roya farassat, shirin ghandtchi
the question i was asked most was, 'ghadah, where's YOUR work?' it's right here. in the window.
So last night was the big viewing I was looking very forward to. I didn’t want this to be a rant, but. It’s going to be a rant. It started with physical tears upon seeing my beloved painting behind a tinted-blue display window, and mental ones before falling asleep at night. (more…)
Filed under: Fashionistas, Rants & Raves, Sketchbook, Sketchbook Twenty Ten | Tags: fashion, figures, isograph, Kuwait, line drawing, Middle East, pen and ink, sketch
page 25. creepy crawly
Filed under: Cultural Re-Expressions 101, Paintings, Rants & Raves | Tags: acrylic, Kuwait, men, Middle East, painting, qutra, sharbaka, singing
sharbika, 2003, acrylic on canvas, 185x325 cm
I loved painting the qutras (headscarves) on these men. The main character in the white, summer dishdasha is a little like the eating boy. He’s in his own world, sitting on his throne atop a hill, oblivious to all. In fact, it’s funny because this man in all his arrogance was based on someone I know; and who is the father of the boy who inspired boy eating. Again, this painting has little bits here and there that are influenced by my childhood memories of seeing these singers on Kuwait TV. The guy with the glass eye, the tantric state of these men. The painting is very nostalgic and is as much about the ashtray and matchbox as it is about these singing men.
My only regret about this painting (and a few others in the same series) is not stretching it myself.
Added February 4th, 2010: I had an e-mail complaint today that by ‘criticizing’ my painting (re: last line), I have ‘lower[ed] the artistic and physical value of the painting’. In what way is it ‘criticizing’ when I am ruing the fact that I didn’t personally handle the stretching of the painting-which was, incidentally, stretched AFTER completion? It’s such a shame when people read sloppily through my words. I am EXTREMELY fanatic about not only what and how I deliver my thoughts, but about the specific words I use. I write thoughtfully and deliberately. So please use great thought and deliberation when reading what I write. I would appreciate it, and it would save me a lot of trouble and heartache.
Filed under: Fashionistas, Rants & Raves, Sketchbook | Tags: design, fashion, father, friday the 13th, Kuwait, Middle East, pen and ink, show, sketch
What do you do when you’re stuck in a room and a predator comes in and attacks you? You leave the room and design a clothes line. Enjoy the show. (more…)
Filed under: Brown Planning Book, Notes & Doodles, Rants & Raves | Tags: Exhibition, mango yellow, notes, Palestine, pen sketches
I forgot to take my brown planning book with me to the PCC meeting yesterday. A dear friend of mine kindly gave me his arsenal of stationary, including this mango yellow printing paper. For added affect, I folded up my ‘notes’ and put them in the back pocket of my jeans. I love things to look like they have a story, even if that story is staged.
Filed under: Favorites, Rants & Raves, Sketchbook | Tags: endorphins, hurt, medicine balls, months, pain, pleasure, weeks, wind, worry
I had a pretty taxing week, straight off the heels of a few shitty months. It feels like the wind has been blown out of me and replaced with endorphins. Pain is great, if only to make what comes after it much more pleasurable.
Filed under: Experimentation, Favorites, PrettyGreenBullet|The Exhibition, Rants & Raves | Tags: anonymous, art, culture, gig, Kuwait, lime green, magazine, pink, underground
In 2006, I had this idea for an anonymous magazine, giving the writer/artist/photographer not just the freedom to display uncensored work, but the opportunity to be whoever they chose to be. The concept was to go all out, no holds barred. I e-mailed, messaged and called my most opinionated/creative friends and requested (demanded really) submissions. (more…)
