New Lasting Impressions exhibition featuring work of Dr. Abdul Karim Al Sayed opens in Sharjah

Sharjah Art Museum today launches retrospective exhibition of one of Palestine and Sharjah’s most revered artists.  

Sharjah, UAE, November 1, 2016:  Sharjah Art Museum launched On Sunday an exhibition that honours the lifetime career of Dr. Abdul Karim Al Sayed, one of Palestine and Sharjah’s most celebrated artists.

The exhibition was officially inaugurated by Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qasimi Chairman of Sharjah Sports Council. The exhibition was attended by H.E Abdallah Al Owais, President of the Department of Culture and Information, H.E Manal Ataya, Director General of Sharjah Museums Department, Rihab Saidam, the late artist’s wife, and Alya Al Mulla, Curator of Sharjah Art Museum.  

Entitled Lasting Impressions: Abdul Karim Al Sayed, the collection features over 92 pieces that represent the long and varied artistic practice of Al Sayed before his passing last year.  

Al Sayed played a prominent role in the development of the UAE’s art scene from the 1970s onwards as an influential artist, published author and art critic.
The exhibition, which runs until December 17, provides a comprehensive insight into the different phases of Al Sayed’s artistic practice. The pieces vary from brooding interpretations of the Intifada uprising against the Israeli occupation of his Palestinian homeland, to elegant landscapes of life in Sharjah, and to heartfelt portraits of his wife. 

Visitors will be able to appreciate the diversity of techniques and artistic moods of one of the most unique and distinguished artists of the region, as well as take a step into life in Sharjah decades ago.

Manal Ataya, Director General of Sharjah Museums Department, said: “We are very proud to present an exhibition that has great significance for art enthusiasts in the UAE. Dr. Abdul Karim Al Sayed was a prominent figure in the local art scene for many decades as an artist, a writer, a critic and driving force behind several important art institutions that flourish to this day.”

Lasting Impressions: Abdul Karim Al Sayed is a collaboration between Sharjah Museums Department and the Sharjah Department of Culture and Information, with the support of the Emirates Fine Arts Society. 

It focuses on the lifetime career of Al Sayed, who held his first solo exhibition at the Emirates Fine Arts Society in Sharjah in 1987 and went on to become a founding member of both the Emirates Fine Arts Society and Al Jidar Group. He was also a jury member at many local and Arab events and the writer of numerous art analysis essays and critiques for magazines and newspapers, as well as the author of four books on the UAE art scene. 

The exhibition is divided into sections, each focusing on a different phase of Al Sayed’s artistic practice. 

The first section displays sketches - often made on prescription papers - that connect his profession as a doctor and his life-long engagement with artistic practice from the early 1970s. Dr Al Sayed graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Baghdad in 1973 and went on to obtain a Radiology Diploma from the University of Vienna in 1982. 

The focus turns to his interpretations of the Intifada uprising against the Israeli occupation of his Palestinian homeland, as well as the wider Palestinian political and social cause. It was a period in which he developed his trademark technique of using a palette knife to create bright flashes of light that contrasted sharply with dark backgrounds. During this time, he also explored subjects that are rooted in the human condition. 

Al Sayed favoured lighter colour tones in the 1990s. Inspired by his Sharjah surroundings - a place he called his second home - the With Love to Sharjah series includes serene watercolour landscapes of old buildings and the coastline life. His focus on symbols, including the palm tree, was influenced by both Sharjah and his time in Iraq. 

Al Sayed continued to be committed to the Palestinian cause in this decade and throughout his career. He reflected on the politics of the Palestinian cause, from the Intifada to the peace agreements, through paintings entitled Gaza/Jericho. His series entitled Nature Metamorphosis was born from an attempt to seek relief from political struggles and disappointments. The series Outside the Square displays his shift from the dark colours of the 70s and 80s to a limited selection of lighter tones.  

This section is split into five series of works. Highlights including Palestinian Cities, which portrays peaceful scenes in cities including Gaza, Jericho, Akka, and Tabariya. City of Dream shows Dr Al Sayad’s focus on lines as a key element, with white becoming the dominant colour. This phase was a representation of the political and social situation in the region in general and Palestine in specific, including the demolition of houses in occupied territories. The city scene shown in the paintings can be interpreted as gravestones and existence fading away.

This decade is divided into seven sections. Notables series include Rihab, My Love, a collection of portraits of his wife, artist Rihab Saidam. Spring of My Homeland is a continuation of City of Dream, but is a more hopeful portrayal of Palestine with greater use of colour and the poppy flower representing hope for the future. The series Falstenyat depicts the culture and heritage of his homeland. 

“Our annual Lasting Impressions series celebrates artists who were influential in the development of art in the region. There are few more deserving of this spotlight than the work of Dr Abdul Karim Al Sayed,” said Ms Ataya.

“We look forward to welcoming our first visitors today and introducing them to the distinct styles and techniques used by this unique artist, as well as gaining an understanding of his life and the inspiration behind his work.”