Although Bahrain is a relatively small country, it boasts a thriving art scene. With an array of galleries and talented artists, the nation is home to many creative masterminds. There is a range of art fairs, established markets, artists and curators who piece together the flourishing art scene in the nation. With that, GRAZIA brings you Bahraini artists to keep on your radar.
AbdulRahim Sharif
AbdulRahim Sharif is a well-known artist in Bahrain whose vividly coloured paintings convey themes of alienation, apathy, hardship, introversion and emotional disconnection. His artwork has been shown in Bahrain, New York, Sydney and Paris, as well as other places in the Middle East, Europe and Asia. Sharif is a founding member of the Bahrain Arts Society. He earned a master’s degree in fine arts from Parsons School of Design in 1978.
Ayfu
In 2009, through his breakdancing career, Ayfu discovered graffiti. He attended his first graffiti workshop in 2015 and discovered the origins of the art form. Later, he decided to become a full-time artist and quit his job to advance his street art profession. He has been actively posting about his latest work and attracting new audiences, airbrushing and spray-painting antique Persian carpets.
Aysha Almoayyed
Bahraini multidisciplinary artist Aysha Almoayyed resides and works in France. The experimental nature of Almoayyed’s work extends to her drawings, photography and installations. A major focus of her research is on obscure microcosms in the Middle East. She has participated in multiple shows in China, Bahrain and London. She was the youngest contestant to receive the Al-Dana Prize in 2015 at the 45th Annual Fine Arts Exhibition in Bahrain.
Balqees Fakhro
Balqees Fakhro graduated from Lone Mountain College in San Francisco, USA, with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts and art history. At the moment, she works and resides in Bahrain. Although Fakhro’s early paintings were primarily figurative and concentrated on Bahraini landscapes and townscapes, her later work exhibits a clear sense of style. Large canvases feature broad swaths of muted colours and textures that evoke the weathered walls of long-forgotten places, all inspired by the artist’s memories and the rich history of her native land.
Khalil Al Hashimi
Khalil AlHashimi, a trailblazer in the field of sculpture, received his master’s degree in sculpture from the Academy of Fine Arts in Leningrad, Russia, in 1980. AlHashimi’s collection, which won the Merit Award at the inaugural Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs Exhibition in Bahrain, is on display in Russia, India, Oman, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Portugal and Cuba.
Mohammad Al Mahdi
Born in Bahrain, Mohammed Al Mahdi currently resides there. This designer and artist is known for his delicate renderings of childhood-like dreams and visions in acrylic paintings. Numerous solo and group exhibitions in Bahrain, Kuwait, Syria, Lebanon, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland have featured his artwork. A painting he created in memory of a toddler who mysteriously disappeared in Bahrain is on display at the Bahrain National Museum.
Mustafa Halwachi
Bahraini street artist Mustafa Halwachi has pieces throughout the country. In addition to calligraphy and patterns, he creates vibrant, emotive murals. He first had the chance to paint outside while in school and even though he later turned his attention to woodworking and made exquisitely detailed furniture, he kept using art as a means of self-expression.
