(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) Young Paletinian artist Dena Mattar has a creative mind and own sytle
Green-blue circles and red-brown squares - the eyes and the TV boxes - on uneven vertical yellow to black stripes is the composition of Separation. At first sight, the 200x200 acrylic on canvas with collage painting, priced at Dh44,500, could be confused for a Joan Miro, the Spanish Catalan painter so masterful that a museum was built for his work.
Visitors at Dena Mattar's exhibition at Viceroy Hotel, Yas Island, Abu dhabi- KT photos By Shoaib Anwer
For the first time, Dena's works are exhibited at Yas Viceroy hotel's Light Box gallery in Abu Dhabi. Presented by Swiss Art Gate, Tomorrow will love life exhibition is part of the Crossroads series, a row of art exhibitions at Yas Viceroy with the aim of making art accessible for everyone who walks into a public place, as well as to showcase the work of local, expat and international artists.
Dena herself answers more about her art.
Your exhibition 'Tomorrow will love life' has such a positive ring to it. Can you tell more about it?
Dena: It is not just about tomorrow, it is about today, yesterday and all the days. I want to prove that the Palestinian life is not just about wars, occupation and blood, but it is also full of hope for a better tomorrow.
As an artist coming from a troubled region - Palestine - what deeper message are you trying to communicate through your paintings?
In my paintings I represent the daily life in Palestine and I want to focus, through the colours I use, on the good side of our life in Palestine, especially in Gaza. Through colours, I can easily express my ideas that can be easily understood by every one.
The challenges of growing up in Gaza, did this have any effect on your painting style or your creativity?
Of course, the fact that I grew up in Gaza has an effect on my artistic style. In fact, my paintings are inspired from my every day life in Gaza, but I represent this in a modern way far from violence and wars. I want to represent and focus on the positive and the artistic side of our life. That life is the school from which I learn and that inspires me in my paintings.
What is your signature style, preferences, choices?
I was inspired by artists from the Cubic school like Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro and Paul Klee, but during the past years I wanted to develop my own signature.
What would you call your best muse, your perfect inspiration that brings out the best in you?
My life in Gaza and the environment where I leave are the perfect inspiration for me. In addition, my experience in Paris inspires me a lot, so in my paintings now I try to link our life in Gaza to that in Paris. In conclusion, I became convinced that life deserves to be lived.
Can you elaborate on the early and current artistic influences in your life?
Visiting new places helps me to get knowledge about new cultures and meet new people and artists. Visiting galleries and museums inspired me and also helped me discover new styles in painting that I only read about in books.
You have held exhibitions in France, Switzerland, London, Jerusalem, Ramallah and Gaza. What are the best lessons learnt from these?
The best outcome was living new experiences and getting to know about new and different cultures, since in Gaza we are living in a closed place, isolated from the rest of the world.
As a young artist who has created her own space, what would your advice be to other upcoming artists?
I advise them especially to work hard and not to wait for opportunities to come to them; they have to make it happen for themselves. When there is talent and perseverance, good results always come, even if it takes time.
Dena Mattar's exhibition will continue until November 29.
