< Previous50 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Art Autumn 2020 The ARTIST decontextualised bodies of objective knowledge. “I used to go into used bookstores on the weekend and sit there and I was mind-blown,” she reveals, “Because we didn’t have that. We don’t have many bookstores in Kuwait. There was a whole section on Islamic spirituality. I started looking at the books and I discovered Ibn Khaldun’s work, I discovered Ibn Arabi and a lot of Islamic scholars combining spirituality and science that I had never heard of and would never be taught about.” The artist also found herself beginning to be able to process the rapid industrialisation, city- building and breaks with tradition that the Gulf region had been experiencing in the 21st century. Her visual resistance against the hyperreal structures that now make up the cityscape is visible in the illustrative ornamentation, traditional regional architectural features, domestic objects and fauna that, referring the overlooked late Algerian modernist pioneer Baya Mahieddine, decorate her idiosyncratic form of autobiographical portraiture. But Alymamah’s work is not merely a nostalgic ode to a bygone era, or an esoteric examination of post-oil condition. Instead, the artist found herself incorporating her own personal female subjectivity and delving into the personal traumas that imprint these various Alymamah Rashed. I Repeat Myself To Catch My Missed Delight #5. 2020. Oil on wax fabric. Courtesy of the artist Alymamah Rashed. Your body is away from me. 2020. Oil on canvas. Courtesy of the artist “ W O M E N DO N O T T A L K A B O U T I T . . . TO B E VU L N E R A B L E A N D O P E N A B O U T T H E PE R S O N A L [ B O D Y ] I S VE R Y N E C E S S A R Y R I GH T N O W . W E N E E D TO A D V O C A T E M O R E FO R I T ” HBA_040_46-53_TheArtist_Alymamah Al Awadhi_11384318.indd 5001/10/2020 05:39:04 PM51 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Art Autumn 2020 Alymamah Rashed. Al Arsh I. 2020. Oil on canvas. Courtesy of the artist HBA_040_46-53_TheArtist_Alymamah Al Awadhi_11384318.indd 5101/10/2020 05:39:12 PM52 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Art Autumn 2020 Alymamah Rashed. Al Arsh II. 2019. Oil on canvas. Courtesy of the artist HBA_040_46-53_TheArtist_Alymamah Al Awadhi_11384318.indd 5201/10/2020 05:39:18 PM53 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Art Autumn 2020 bodies and selves. Drawing on a range of experiences as diverse as aggressive Islamophobic encounters and malaises such as hormonal imbalances, the scars of childhood chickenpox and body dysmorphia. The artist points out, “These are very slight and simple things but they weigh heavily on us, especially if you are a woman. And women do not talk about it! To be vulnerable and open about the personal [body] is very necessary right now. We need to advocate more for it,” she insists. “Specifi cally with what is happening right now in the US and how it is implicating the Gulf and really everywhere in the world.” But she’s also very wary of falling into longstanding tropes or stereotypes – “I hate it when I see certain artists orientalise or exoticise their victimisation!” she adds, making sure to avoid the use of a sensationalising symbology. Thinking beyond identity politics, the artist surveys her fl uid daily movements and the discrepancies between wearing the hijab, thobe and not any cultural markers at all. “With every work, I work rapidly, as I’m not looking for answers but I enjoy asking questions. I want to explore the third body in all its multiplicity,” she concludes. The artist has exhibited in New York and Kuwait, curated multiple shows and now holds a teaching position at Kuwait University. ■ alymamahrashed.com The ARTIST Alymamah Rashed. When I Swam Out Of You. 2019. Watercolour on paper. Courtesy of the artist Alymamah Rashed. I Repeat Myself To Catch My Missed Delight #3. 2020. Oil on wax fabric. Courtesy of the artist HBA_040_46-53_TheArtist_Alymamah Al Awadhi_11384318.indd 5301/10/2020 05:39:25 PMG E N D E R L E S S 54 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Art Autumn 2020 is BEAUTY With Indian roots and a diverse upbringing in Leicester, Jemisha Maadhavji is redefining beauty standards through her vibrant, fashion-inspired portraits, writes Ayesha Shehmir The ARTIST HBA_040_54-61_TheArtist_Jemisha Maadhavji_11380249.indd 5401/10/2020 05:40:01 PM55 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Art Autumn 2020 Facing page: Jemisha Maadhavji. Diamond of Beauty. 2020. Oil, crystals and gold paint on linen. 30x30cm; This page: Symphony of The Libertine. 2019. Oil, crystals and gold paint on canvas. 122x80cm HBA_040_54-61_TheArtist_Jemisha Maadhavji_11380249.indd 5501/10/2020 05:40:07 PM“ I H O P E M Y W O R K P L A Y S A S M A L L P A RT A N D P E O P L E S T A R T T O A C C E P T T H E M S E L V E S N O M A T T E R W H A T S K I N CO L O U R O R S I Z E T H E Y A R E ” Jemisha Maadhavji. HYPNOTICA. 2018. Oil on canvas. 29.98x45cm 56 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Art Autumn 2020 HBA_040_54-61_TheArtist_Jemisha Maadhavji_11380249.indd 5601/10/2020 05:40:13 PM57 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Art Autumn 2020 The ARTIST Jemisha Maadhavji. Roses. 2018. Oil on canvas. 190x100cm HBA_040_54-61_TheArtist_Jemisha Maadhavji_11380249.indd 5701/10/2020 05:40:21 PM58 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Art Autumn 2020 The ARTIST “ F O R C E N T U R I E S , W O M E N A N D F L O W E R S H A V E B E E N S E E N A S D E S I R A B L E A N D B E A U T I F U L S U B J EC TS , H O W E V E R , I B E L I E V E BE A U T Y I S G E NDE R L E S S ” Born and raised in Leicester, England, Jemisha Maadhavji was introduced to the world of art and design early on in her life. Her Indian ancestors, including her father, made a living from designing, manufacturing and selling gold jewellery in her hometown, Gujarat. Despite this, the creative fi elds never really piqued her interest. “I always loved looking at art that other students made, but I couldn’t create a stick fi gure for myself,” Maadhavji laughs. “Surprisingly, I started drawing portraits at the age of 14 and couldn’t stop.” Then, in 2015, she enrolled into a Fine Art BA at De Montfort University, paving the beginning of her career as an artist. As her work began to garner recognition in many competitions through open calls, her confi dence grew. The artist’s fi gurative paintings, comprising strong patterns and a mix of bold colours, note inspiration from her rich Indian heritage and culture, taking cues from detailed traditional saris, block prints, hand-embroidered and printed textiles. “It all started after I bought my fi rst fl oral piece of clothing in 2016,” she reveals. “A Joules shirt with roses all over the top half. Wearing it didn’t give me enough joy, I needed to do something with it.” And so, she painted it. Not a fan of painting fl esh, each work reveals the story of the subject through evocative clothing, bright colours and patterns. “I think clothes show personality,” says Maadhavji. “I once heard the global defi nition of fashion as: ‘Showing more and wearing less’, but my defi nition is wearing more and showing less.” Luxury fashion has always remained a constant inspiration for the artist; the subjects of her work are often dressed in Gucci-inspired clothing, vibrant patterns and jewellery, for instance as seen in Diamond of Beauty (2020) and Roses (2018). “Whenever I’m in London, I always visit Liberty London and I never get bored of it,” she says. “It’s like a living and working museum where you can touch, feel and experience the wearable pieces of art such as the silk scarves, oriental rugs, carpet furniture and fabric. Walking on Bond Street and seeing the beautiful diamond jewellery, I’m always thinking of ways I can use this in my work.” For the artist, clothes are wearable pieces of art. “They’re not just for the sake of wearing clothes. I feel pattern defi nes me as person. So when I’m painting a subject, it has an essence of me.” Maadhavji’s work has been showcased at art fairs and exhibitions around the UK and most recently, three of her works were housed exclusively within gallery London Connoisseur, founded by Helen Chislett. In 2018 the artist participated in the renowned Columbia Threadneedle Prize: Figurative Art Today at Mall Galleries in London and in 2019, in the annual FBA Futures exhibition and The Other Art Fair in King’s Cross, London. Defying traditional gender stereotypes and labels, HYPNOTICA (2018), featuring a young fashion designer and student based in Leicester delicately painted and sculpted onto the surface, depicts the message that beauty is not only the quality of a woman. “From the fi rst time I saw him on social media, I instantly wanted to create a series of painting of him,” admits Maadhavji. The colours on his face refl ect his fl amboyant, multitalented, colourful and honest qualities. “What I love about him is that he wears what he likes including jewellery and patterned shirts. He carries himself in a unique and individual manner,” she explains. Mesmerised at fi rst sight, the painting’s title has been derived from the artist’s awe of the man. “For centuries, women and fl owers have been seen as desirable and beautiful subjects, however, I believe beauty is genderless. In this painting, I really wanted to break that stereotype.” Another work of note, entitled Nasreen (2017) explores the intimate relationship between a woman and a rose. “She’s not a model, she’s a student like me,” explains Maadhavji, of the work. Nasreen, the subject of the work, was raised in a similar environment to the artist, sparking an instant personal connection. “Naturally when we see fl owers, in this case a rose, that moment becomes very silent and speechless,” she says. “We start to concentrate on the fl ower more than anything else. Our mind becomes still and we don’t feel the movement around us. This painting refl ects her personality: she’s calm, patient and very natural.” The work also marked the beginning of Maadhavji’s idea for the painting Roses (2018). Entitled Jemabelle’s: The Mirror of Magic (2020) and Perfumed Jemisha Maadhavji. Roses Without Thorns. 2016. Oil on board. 55x43cm HBA_040_54-61_TheArtist_Jemisha Maadhavji_11380249.indd 5801/10/2020 05:40:28 PM59 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Art Autumn 2020 Jemisha Maadhavji. GUCCYOTIC. 2018. Oil on canvas. 122x70cm HBA_040_54-61_TheArtist_Jemisha Maadhavji_11380249.indd 5901/10/2020 05:40:34 PMNext >