British School of Bahrain Art Catalogue 2023

Art Catalogue 2023

It gives me great pleasure to introduce The British School of Bahrain's Art Catalogue 2023. The catalogue is the culmination of two years' work for both our GCSE and A Level Art students. Inside you will find selected pieces from the students' portfolios. To help explain and contextualise their work, students have written brief statements that guide the reader through their art as well as detailing their creative journeys. Furthermore, each student has chosen a quotation that they feel best sums up their state of mind at this point in their lives.

I am delighted that we can come together as community and celebrate the successes of our budding young artists. The pandemic presented a unique set of challenges for our students as art is a subject that really benefits from being taught in person, as opposed to online. This cohort of students were predominantly taught in the classroom but some students did undertake distance-learning too. At times, when they found themselves lacking access to the abundance of materials in the Art Department, our students became resourceful and independent learners. I think it is important to acknowledge the impact the recent pandemic has had on young people and their education.

The students tackled a variety of themes this year ranging from "Lock" at GCSE to "Structure and Form" and "Simple and Complex" at A Level. The work exhibited represents the diversity of personal responses as well as individual interpretations of the theme. Our students have challenged themselves to produce innovative and exciting artwork which ranges from highly detailed drawings, to multi-layered painting, to intricately constructed sculptural pieces. Art is a subject that allows students to find their inner voice and take creative risks, and it gives me great pleasure to say that all of our students have all been on a journey of discovery.

I would like to take the opportunity to thank Mrs Prinsloo and Miss Pardoe for their hard work and commitment to our young people. We are lucky to have a dedicated team of staff within the department who have ensured excellent standards across the board. Thank you to all the supportive parents and, most importantly, thank you to the students whose efforts have resulted in the displayed work being of such a high standard.

Mrs Sophie de Vito Director of Art

Sophie de Vito

GCSE

“We don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents” - Bob Ross

Art is a form of expression through colours. Art allowed me to look at the world through a different lens, through the lens of embracing imperfections and inviting confidence among people. Throughout my two-year study, my style never remained the same. I enjoyed switching between different mediums, including acrylic paint, oil pastels and anything distinct and unusual. I can confidently assert that I have successfully experimented with every type of material used in the art room, each producing an enduring experience that will always be enjoyable to recall. After trying various styles, from abstract and semi-realistic to imaginative and observational, my favourite form involves reflections, particularly those with exciting and head-scratching illusions that make people go say "How did you even make that?" My biggest inspirations were Sarah Graham, Jeff Jag and Raymond Logan, who all loved playing with colours to produce large, vibrant masterpieces. I would like to thank my parents for the biggest support they've given me throughout my course, motivating me to perform my best. I would also like to thank Miss Pardoe and Mrs de Vito for tirelessly fulfilling our artistic requirements and ensuring our masterpieces were perfect.

Minhaj Adnan

16 - Pakistani

“Creativity Takes Courage” - Henri Matisse

Throughout my life, I have been surrounded by majestic pieces that have contributed to my artistic capabilities. Art allows me to have the flexibility and freedom to express my emotions and creativity using a wide range of tools; the graphite pencil allows me to sketch my aspirations, the paintbrush allows my joy to seep onto the canvas, and clay allows me to sculpt my ambitions and future. My style has been influenced by both 21st century and postmodern innovators, such as Georgia O’keefe and Todd Ford, and it has varied in the past two years due to all sorts of experimenting, from abstract to realistic and more. Ever since I can remember, I have enjoyed and valued all types of art, but I have a special fondness for realism. My primary motivation for creating art is to express myself, appeal to other people's creative perceptions, and get a deeper understanding of the art world. One of the reasons I chose art as my GCSE was that although art is wordless, it still links to your life in some way.

GCSE art has expanded my understanding of art, and taught me a lot, I will cherish the memories.

“Art is never finished, only abandoned” - Leonardo da Vinci

I’ve had a passion for art for as long as I can remember. It is a way to express myself, as I struggle to put my emotions into words. I didn’t hesitate when picking art for GCSE, even when people told me that I will struggle and regret it. My art style has changed over the years as my inspiration and life experiences changed too. I love drawing nature, like oceans or flowers, but overall my style is very abstract. A few of my favourite artists aren’t actually very well known, like ‘paints.v’ . I found her art on social media and I find her abstract style very delicate and special. I find my inspiration from all around me and that inspiration gives me motivation to create new art.

Kawthar Alekri

16- Bahraini

“Every artist was first an amateur” - Henri Matisse

I enjoy art because it’s such a flexible form of self expression, because there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ thing to do. I chose to take it for GCSE to further develop my art skills and be able to dedicate more time to it. I have been passionate about creating art since I was very young. I mostly enjoy creating pencil drawings, the monochromatic aspect to this style of art brings out a certain sophistication that I truly enjoy seeing in my artwork. I also enjoy acrylic paintings and viewing art that holds deeper meaning than what it is perceived to be at first glance. I am mostly inspired by moments rather than people and subtle things in everyday life that would otherwise be overlooked, but have the potential to create a beautiful piece of art. I am grateful for this journey I have taken through art. Though challenging, it has been incredibly enriching to be able to have learnt new skills and approaches to creating art and I will remember these for the rest of my life.

Art was introduced to me at a young age by various family members. For as back as I can remember, I’ve always had a fascination and keen interest in art; more specifically how the different mediums of art are numerous ways of self expression. I was mesmerised by realism art when I first discovered it. The way in which you would question yourself, question your own eyes as to whether you were observing a picture or a real thing is something I found bewitching. So many of my artworks have a realistic element to them. I did attempt to step out of my comfort zone by trying abstract and pen art. Leonardo Da Vinci was an artist who truly inspired me. His legacy of achievements are astounding and speak for themselves. What I loved most was the way in which he was able to capture a moment in a single frame, allowing him to demonstrate a story in one image. Additionally, he ensured detail was abundant, not only for the ‘main’ object, but for its setting and the environment, setting specific tone and mood to his painting. Finally, I’d like to thank my mum for supporting me when I was on the brink of giving up.

“It doesn't matter how the paint is put on as long as something is said” - Jackson Pollock

I enjoy art because it’s such a flexible form of self expression because there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ thing to do. I chose to take it for GCSE’s to further develop my art skills and be able to dedicate more time to it as I have been passionate about creating art since I was very young. I mostly enjoy creating pencil drawings, the monochromatic aspect to this style of art brings out a certain sophistication that I truly enjoy seeing in my artwork. However I also enjoy acrylic paintings and viewing art that holds deeper meaning than what it is perceived to be at first glance. I am mostly inspired by moments rather than people. Subtle things in everyday life that would otherwise be overlooked, but have the potential to create a beautiful piece of art. I am grateful for this journey I have taken through art, though challenging it has been incredibly enriching to be able to have learnt new skills and approaches to creating art and I will remember these for the rest of my life.

Lina Al Samahiji

“I dream my painting and I paint my dream” - Henri Matisse

“I dream my painting and I paint my dream” - Henri Matisse

While growing up I’ve always been drawn to art and design, and inspired by people around me I decided to pursue it by taking it as a gcse, which has helped me grow in many ways as a painter as well as a person. I always loved architecture and admired all forms of art including realism, but I was especially drawn to experimenting with abstract, mixed media paintings, trying out different methods of painting and experimenting with different color schemes and color theories with every painting. Some of my favorite artists from this year have been Allison Pearce, Lucy Jones and Michele Clamp, and I enjoyed trying to recreate their style in my work. I’d love to thank everyone who has helped me throughout the journey, like my teacher and my family, especially my dad as an architect himself who always helped with inspiration when I needed any. I can see the gradual improvement of my artwork throughout the years and can’t wait to see how far I can go.

Jana Alshaikh

16 - Bahraini

Art GCSE is tough, but I wasn’t warned when I got into it. Prior to even picking art, I only ever sketched and doodled, never truly finding the commitment to even paint. However, through the short deadlines and sketchbook papercuts, I learnt a truth behind the art I possess now and just how much of me it expresses. Through art you discover yourself. You learn through trials and tribulations the strokes you should and shouldn’t make and, when reflecting on the whole picture, the art captures the whimsy in the vision you aspired to create. I loved the idea of colors, the way they can blend and intertwine. How colors could be interpreted as emotions or evoke feelings that one can’t simply express in words. I adore the inspiration cultivated even from the space of the class. Watching my classmates' creative, artistic endeavors thrive also allowed me to keep going, working to grow my skill over the past two years. I find that although it’s the end of my year in Art GCSE, I will endlessly learn the unlimited ways to translate my abstract ideas and thoughts and feelings into my art for the world to see.

Jennika Bangunan

“Life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one” - Stella Adler

“Art is anything you can get away with” - Marshall McLuhan

I chose art because from a young age I always enjoyed it and appreciated it in all forms; from modern, realism, to abstract. It's fascinating to me all the different ways you can express and perceive the world via different forms of art through different ideas and perceptions. I have been inspired by a number of artists throughout my time doing GCSE art and it has been a very interesting two years learning about all these different forms of artwork.

Art is a process of learning to create ourselves and experience the world in new ways. Art supports the bigger picture view of life; beauty, symbols, spirituality, storytelling. It also helps us step out of time, allowing one to be present in the moment. It is one of the best ways to express yourself and show the world some things that you cannot express through speech. Art keeps the magic alive. I have watched what I am feeling inside, the invisible sentiments of my mind, become beauty on paper and transport themselves into my art and whatever it is I feel. I think that is the main beauty.

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see” - Edgar Degas

Ever since I was little art has been an integral part of my life, no matter what changes took place, art was the constant in my equation - so it only made sense that I choose it for my GCSE. One way to describe my style is experimental. I love to experiment, whether it is with subjects, materials or moods it doesn’t matter as long as it’s new. I’ve dabbled in almost everything when it comes to art. My inspiration has always been and will continue to be my mother; she was the one who introduced me to not only visual art, but also writing and reading and it was her who encouraged me to pursue it. My experience with GCSE art has had its ups and downs, but it has helped me expand and explore beyond the limitations of my own comfort zone. I have grown, not just in my skills, but as a person and with the help and motivation of my teachers and fellow classmates. Special thanks to Mrs de Vito for guiding me through the rough waters of year 11 smoothly and Miss Pardoe for her motivational quotes and jokes to get us through the day.

16 - Egyptian

Marim Elshemy

“Have no fear of perfection, you will never reach it” - Salvador Dali

16 - South African

To me art is an extension of our inner thoughts, of a different point of view. From a young age I have loved drawing and painting. I find that my style can either be a mixture of realism, when I do observational art, or it can be quite abstract. The artworks that I have been attracted to were works that included either cubism or realism. Any works that have been a blend of opposite style, these type of art have always interested me. I don’t have a particular artist who inspires me, as I found that even looking at art that could be found anywhere on social media can creates that inspiration. However, if I had to pick a few then I would have to choose Raymond Logan or Mark Adlington. Both of these artists use a lot of colour and have one object where they put all of their focus on, to make it true to themselves. Other things that inspired me were animals and objects. Objects were especially inspirational, because when painting or drawing them I could morph and distort them to create new works that have similarities, but subtle differences.

Demira Govind

I’ve always been fond of art since a very young age. What I like about art is that it allows me to explore my creativity, imagination, and emotions in a unique way. For me, art is a form of therapy that helps me to relax and unwind. It’s a way for me to escape from the stresses of everyday life and focus on something that I truly enjoy. I also love the way that art can tell a story or convey a message without the use of words. It’s a universal language that can be appreciated by people from all walks of life. Whether I’m creating art myself, or simply admiring the work of others, I always feel a sense of joy and fulfillment when I’m surrounded by artistic expression.

“We don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents” - Bob Ross

“Creativity Takes Courage” - Henri Matisse

I always loved and admired art. Doing art used to bring me a lot of happiness. I loved how creative you can be with it and how nothing you do is right or wrong. I chose GCSE art and design because I enjoyed art lessons and loved creativity. My favourite art style is abstract art. I like how imaginative you can be with it. Some of my favourite artists are Amiria Gale and Alexandra Drillon, and I really enjoyed studying these artists during the course.

“If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere” - Vincent van Gogh

The last two years of art have been both demanding and fulfilling. I chose this course because I was interested in self-expression and learning how to represent what cannot be expressed in words. I have grown to like abstract art. It employs the visual languages of shape, form, colour, and line to produce a composition that can live independently of visual references through the world around it. It inspires curiosity about the limits of our imagination and our ability to create. It allows the freedom to explore, which enhances a viewer's experience of an artwork. I was inspired by everyday life as everything around us might elicit unique feelings and ideas. Furthermore, GCSE art has broadened my knowledge and view of what is possible through art. Lastly, but most importantly, I would like to thank my art teachers for supporting me, encouraging me to do my best, and assisting me to grow and develop in this subject.

"Learning never exhausts the mind" - Leonardo da Vinci

Art has always been a hobby for me, but in the past two years of studying art in school I have explored many different areas and types of art. I enjoyed doing calligraphy and pottery, but most of my work is based on architecture. I Like doing mixed-media, however, I mostly use watercolours.

Taha Tajuddin

16 - Bahraini

A Level

Maryam Al Hashemi

Art is a subject and hobby that lets me express myself through shapes, different art styles and the use of contrasting colours; bright and colourful, dark and mysterious. Of all the art styles I have experimented with, hyper-realism was my favourite style. With hyper-realism I am able to create fine details that make the painting look 3-Dimensional. As a hobby, I like to paint landscapes, however, as a subject in school, painting glass (reflections) and buildings was something I enjoyed. I was able to show all of the intricate details, and create dimension through the layering of objects.

“Art is an adventure into an unknown world, which can be explored only by those willing to take risks” - Mark Rothko

Age 18 Bahraini

Razan Al Sayed

Age 18 Bahraini

Art has always been constant in my life, amidst all the chaos and the changes that surround me, art has always been my safe space, something I never changed, something I could always go back to; a haven. As cliché as it sounds, I have truly been drawing ever since I could hold a pen, as if it was the missing piece to a puzzle, it completed me. Taking Art GCSE and A Level was a no brainer, I had a goal of transforming a mere hobby into a career. I wanted to grow not only in my art but also as a person, and I can confirm that art truly shaped me into the person I am now. Both Art GCSE and especially Art A Level pushed me out of my comfort zone; which was quite frightening for someone who never felt brave enough to explore different art styles thus I prefer realism. Something about having clear structure and rules made it easy for me to paint. I am thankful to my father who pushed me to become a better artist and supported me every step of the way and to my mother who sat with me hours on end, helping me and guiding me through the difficult times.

“Painting is easy when you don’t know how, but very difficult when you do.” – Edgar Degas

“Anything that you try and you don’t succeed, if you learn from it, it’s not a failure.” - Bob Ross

Danah Almousawi

Age 17 Bahraini

Art has always been a part of my identity as a passion, talent, and kind of escape from reality. My skills and style have evolved during the past two years of studying A-level art. I’ve found myself in challenging situations where I had to step out of my comfort zone to employ techniques, materials and topics that felt foreign to me. My second topic, meat and bones, presented the most obstacles. Artists like Chaïm Soutine, whose concept is linked to expressing emotions onto paintings of raw flesh, made me discover ones that are related to my own work. I've used Victoria Reynolds' painting techniques to look at the whole subject from an alternative and alluring perspective, and am pleased I came across this topic and learned skills I never realized I had. My final project, flowers, oddly enough was a pleasant journey considering it my exam topic. I prefer to work with harmonious colors and present surreal paintings.

I’d like to thank my family, peers, and Mrs. Prinsloo for the endless support and encouragement throughout the years.

Ebba Berglund

Age 18 Swedish

“If I could say it in words there would be no reason to paint.” - Edward Hopper

I have always liked to express myself through creativity and art is a great way to keep your mind calm and relaxed. I have learnt so many new techniques and ways to create art after these two years, I would never have imagined myself being where I am today. My favourite type of artwork are sculptures. Artists such as Fenella Elms and Tadashi Kawamata really inspire me to create more, I love the detail and precision they put into their work. Art has always been an emotional rollercoaster but at the end of the day I will always remember it as something positive I looked forward to. I want to thank Mrs Prinsloo and Ms Pardoe for the support we got and the motivation to always keep going.

Age 18 Braziliani

Visual arts have always been part of my life. I was introduced to and have been surrounded by art from an early age. Exploring and understanding my art style and how it translated against artists' expressions and techniques is an ongoing process. Through A Level Art, I've truly grown into myself as an artist. This experience has also allowed me to distinguish which subject matter I prefer working with. A theme I have explored in great detail was buildings, especially the connection between culture and architecture. I've also found myself producing still life of reflective objects as I revel in exploring the abstract forms created through distortion and reflection. The creation of these still life pieces also felt very personal as I was able to perfectly manipulate and place each object, as well as include items that have sentimental value to me. I also looked further into culture when I focused on material culture, particularly objects associated with the Middle East as it helped me appreciate a culture that is very different from my own. Overall this has been a very meaningful experience to me and I can’t wait to develop my love for art in the future.

Cecilia Langhammer Lerman

“There is no exquisite beauty… without some strangeness in the proportion” - Edgar Allan Poe

Olivia Pardoe, Emily Prinsloo and Sophie de Vito