new painting } eves at the forum
Eves at the Forum, 2016, acrylic on canvas, 250 x 150 cm
I started this painting in late July, and until I finished it two days ago, it had been driving me mad. For the longest time I kept denying that the painting felt wrong, that I even hated it. I put it away for weeks, in avoidance and resentment for the subjects it portrayed. It’s the worst feeling ever, painting-wise. When I brought it back out and looked at it hard and strong-and admitted that some of the faces had to go-I got both a feeling of relief and an overwhelming sense that there was a lot of work to be done. And so many problems to solve. I worked so long on this painting that not only did I pose once with it for Instagram, not twice, but four times! We did end things on good terms and all is fantastic in the world again. Read More
new painting } eve to eve
Eve to Eve, 2016, acrylic on canvas, 150 x 230 cm
I started this painting before my trip to London beginning of this month and let it marinate for a while until two days ago. I have made a promise to never end a painting until I love it, and I’m crazy about this one. Read More
the reincarnation of eve
I have been following Laura Bevan on Instagram for a while now. As I do with many artist friends I’ve ‘met’ on Instagram, I like a lot of her posts/artwork. But it’s her dolls I fell in love with. Because I’m always up for a collaboration, I asked her if she would create an Eve for me, in a larger size. She agreed and a few weeks later I am now united with my FolkyFlo Eve. And because I happen to be in London, I picked her up personally from Laura, who I feel like I’ve known all my life. Read More
new painting } comet
Comet, 2016, acrylic on canvas. Sorry about the quality of this photo. I’m getting these paintings professionally photographed for CAP in November.
new painting for august
I started this painting a couple of weeks ago. It’s large and physically taxing. Mentally too. I’ve worked on paintings of this scale and larger. I don’t know why this one is being so difficult.
your stories needed!
Ladies, lend me your voices! As many of you know, I have an exhibition coming up in January, and for this I would like your stories. These stories will be played audibly as a ‘soundtrack’ to the exhibition, so please don’t send anything you feel uncomfortable about sharing. I won’t be editing or censoring anything. All you have to do is record yourself talking and send it to my email address: galkandari@gmail.com.
I recently put together two little videos to demonstrate what I’m looking for. Basically, it’s anything that comes to your mind. I want to thank these ladies for sending me their voices:
Guidelines:
Your recordings should be in Wav/MP3/MP4 format (this may be the default setting on devices, I don’t know). I have received some Quicktime files, those don’t work.
Length should be between a few seconds and ten minutes, although ideally one or two minutes should do.
Content can be anything you like. You can tell me a childhood story, share your musings, or maybe read a poem you like or one you’ve written. I love to hear ghost stories. The possibilities are many.
Stories can be in any language you like. I’ve received both English and Arabic files but would also love to hear from my Chinese, Swedish, Russian, Welsh, Japanese, Norwegian, French friends, to name a few. And you can be anywhere in the world to submit it.
My male friends, if you feel there’s a woman inside you wanting to express herself, feel free to send me a recording.
Please let me know if you want to remain anonymous as I do intend to credit my Eve ‘sisters’.
Deadline is December 31, 2016.
Please spread the word! Ask your mom, best friend, sister, daughter, grandma, aunty…the more stories the richer this project will be.
*Thank you, Zainab, for being so patient with me and these Eves! And for taking the photos x Read More
square portraits } 14 to 21
They may not be impressive individually, but as a flock they soar. Read More
little cardboard paintings
I nearly threw this origami packaging cardboard into the recycling basket. I’m glad I didn’t. Read More
my green & stone sketchbook } four sketches on a hot, steamy day
back when you and i danced in the early 1920s
Back When You and I Danced in the Early 1920s
Music is What Are You Fighting For by Tindersticks.
from yesterday to today, one thing leads to another
How’s this for a chain reaction: two nights ago I invited some friends over to watch the Iceland vs. France match with me. That night one of those people, my dear friend Lubna, returned my ring after generously getting it all polished and new for me. The next day, yesterday, I felt it imperative that I photograph that ring for Instagram (of course!). But (of course again) I needed a complementary backdrop, so I started a watercolor just for it.
This is my ring: ‘Ghain’ by architect and calligrapher Fareed Abdal. It’s the letter my name starts with in Arabic. I left the painting abstract because I liked it the way it was and started another.
discommon } my unexpected date with a straight razor
My family and I love fine things: my son’s Royal typewriter, Ahmed’s slide rule, aka a slipstick (wink, wink), my Muji notebooks and the star of this post, a Discommon titanium straight razor. Makes a girl wish, for once, that she were a man.
My brother Ahmed recently bought a razor. He didn’t just get it from the Mishref Coop behind my parents’ house. It’s a serious work of art. And he asked me to take it home and photograph it.
I am terrified of any sort of blade. I have a phobia (this is grotesque and very specific) of someone slicing my throat with a knife as I enter a dark room. So you can imagine my nervousness at handling such a sharp object. But soon its beauty overshadowed its potential damage (especially in the hands of a klutz like me).
new painting } island girl
Island Girl, 2016, acrylic on canvas, 35 x 45cm
For the past couple of days I’ve had a nagging itch for being on an island. For now, I’ll just fantasize about it. Read More
