B.Batini in lines

Bazza Albateni

(B.Batini)

Bazza Albateni was born in Kuwait on 1954 at Al Murgab district. She grew up as the artist of the family. At the age of ten won a general prize for her paintings in the first exhibition for children held by UNESCO in Tokyo in 1965.

On 1976 she graduated from Grenoble university and worked as a French teacher until 1984 when she moved to work as a Folklorist at the folklore center in Kuwait. Since then she published 14 books most of them about the folklore in Kuwait and the rest are books for children and collections of short stories. On 1997 she won the first award for children stories in the Arab world. And from 1985 till present day she wrote, produced and presented many TV and Radio cultural programs, shows  and dramas for children and grownups for Arab stations.

She also illustrated and designed the covers of all her books. In addition to her writing and painting she makes traditional dolls and miniatures from clay and other materials for private collectors.

Bazza Albateni lived in Kuwait, Lebanon, France, Egypt, England and Bahrain. Her ever changing environments, cultures and experiences along with her Middle Eastern backgrounds and her life as a mother, teacher and writer are providing her with the stimulus to enflame her imagination. She works with Acrylics on canvas, paper and board.  Her paintings reflect an individual perception and an overwhelming excitement about nature, wildlife, pets and domestic objects.

The inspiration for her paintings merges with her attempts to remember forever - precious moments she has lived recently, beauties she had seen and the conversations she had had with the friends.

Painting, painters and colours appear in many of her short stories. There is even a whole story about a lady painter. The people in her paintings have little or no facial features as they have no names in her stories. About that she says’ I hardly notice because deep inside I know their identity - real or imaginary. I don’t need extra details after I have made my point’

Bazza Albateni works mostly with Acrylics but she has works in water colours, pencil and coal. She is known for her geometric style and vibrant colours. Most of her previous works are composed of a variety of triangular forms but she sometimes mixes two different styles in a harmonious creative way. 

Painting away in China

Profile:

- Secretary of the Union of Kuwaiti Students in Beirut 1973-1975

- French Teacher 1977- 1983

- Folklorist at Kuwait Folklore center 1984-1993

- Member of Writers Association in Kuwait 1994

- Board member at Kuwait Cine Club 1993

- Committee member of the National Award for Children Literature. State of Qatar 2006

- Member of Kuwait Art Association 2012

-Member of the Union of GCC  Art Associations- Kuwait.

-Member of the International Association of Art. Paris

-Committee member of the International Award for Arab Children Literature. State of Kuwait- 2013

Art works and exhibitions:

-       Produced the first Marionette theatre  in Kuwait 1975

-           A collection of traditional dolls and miniatures from clay for private collectors.

-          -1985  exhibited copies of her paintings about old women activities in Kuwait at the Scottish Royal Museum during the opening of Kuwait ward.

-          Participated in the first exhibition of  Kuwait enviorenment- Kuwait National Museum 1987.

-          Exhibited a collection of her dolls at ( Kuwait Story) exhibition. London 1987

-       Conducted dolls making workshop at Sharja 2010-UAE

-          Solo exhibition - London-West-Eleven gallery- Dec.2005 under the title of Precious Moments.

-          Participated in (My Crafts) festival. Meridian Hotel. Kuwait 2011

-          Solo exhibition under the title of ( AL Halat) at Bahrain Art Society- Bahrain.March 2012

-          Won the judges’ award for her painting( Sun flower) on Kuwait sixth art festival 2012

-          Participated in Famous Arab Painters Workshop in China- August 5-25/ 2012
-Particpated in Bennalie Alkhurafi. Kuwait Art Association- Dec 2012
-Participated in Kuwait Sixth Art Festival Feb. 2013