The Famous Arab Painters Workshop In China 2012

In order to implement 2010-2012 action plan of China-Arab cooperation forum and promote further bilateral cultural exchange, the Chinese Ministry of Culture decided to hold "China as I See", the 3^rd Arab Artists' Workshop in China.

On this occasion, Kuwaiti artist/writer Mrs.Bazza Albateni was invited to participate in the "Famous Arab Painters Workshop 2012 in China" from August 5 to 25 on recommendation by Kuwait Art Association and the Chinese cultural attaché at China Embassy in Kuwait Miss Xing Xuejun. Artists spent 7 days in Beijing where they visited famous art museums, cultural and historical sites of China, and 14 days in Yichun of Heilongjiang Province where they visited scenic spots, did some sketching and painting workshops, experienced local folk custom, and talked with local art students. At the end of their visit, they presented their art work which was produced during the workshops in an exhibition attended by officials of the Ministry of Culture and local government, officials of the publicity and cultural departments, artists and other invitees.

Certificate

Exhibition catalogue

 Exhibition catalogue front cover

Exhibition catalogue back cover

My two paintings at the exhibition

Painting on the road

At the workshop in Yichun

          Many thanks to the Chinese government, to the ministry of culture in China, to all officials and cultural centers in Yichun, to China international exhibition Agency and to the Chinese Embassy in Kuwait, for the  kindness, the hospitality, and the generosity that  they offered and that we enjoyed during the whole period of the workshop.

Gone for ever

On my last visit to Bahrain April 2013, I went back to Al Halat where I lived for one year spent on painting  the view of the lagoon and Alnuaim Island. I am so emotionally attached to the place that I keep visiting the area especially after I moved to Amwaj Islands( might write about that later). On this last visit to Alhalat a big shock has been awaiting me.  The part of the lagoon as it appears in some of my paintings has been reclaimed and gone for ever maybe to build more houses. I was tremendously saddened by this action but glad that I stepped in on time to take as many pictures and paint as many paintings I could for the lagoon. It was not a lagoon anyway. It was the sea then they built a bridge to connect Alnuaim Island to the main land (  reclaimed main land). This reclaimed part of the lagoon is the habitat of so many local and migrant sea birds that I used to watch and photograph. It is also the habitat of a few kind of fish and where they lay their eggs.
I have a photograph of fish eggs at this particular place where they look like pearls attached to the rocks.
It is sad that people do not really appreciate simple beauties. I say that because my interest in this modest part of Bahrain has been appreciated by many as so far no one had ever thought about it as a subject for any art work. I see things differently and I am pleased that I saved another small part of Bahrain's history as I did for my own country Kuwait and countries I have lived in or visited.