MAYASA AL SOWAIDI
Barcode
Acrylic and oil on canvas
100 x 100 cm
The idea of this artwork is to represent that women in the Middle East are important figures that need more than our eyes to be seen, they are not as “bar codes” or as just numbers in this consumption world. Women from the Middle East are often lumped together as non-beings and this is of course not the case.
The dynamic black background represents life’s fast pace which leads toward consuming everything even ourselves, life and time. What I am trying to show in this artwork is that we as women are unique and different. Women in the Middle East are leading partners in developing our countries in all aspects.
Mayasa Sultan Al Sowaidi is a self-taught artist from the Kingdom of Bahrain. She earned a BS degree in Mathematics from the University of Bahrain, a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration and an MBA from the New York Institute of Technology. With a background in mathematics, balance and order are important components of her artistic practice. Art is an essential part of her daily life, allowing her freedom of expression and a platform to explore her creativity.
Al Sowaidi is a member of the Bahrain Art Society and has participated in numerous exhibitions in Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Cyprus, Dubai and Oman. A recent group exhibition in Dubai showcased 30 artists from the Middle East and South Africa. She also participated in BAAB (Bahraini Artists Across Borders) in May 2016 which was held at the Victoria And Albert Museum in London.
She was the Public Vote Prize Winner 2016 of Sovereign Middle East and North Africa, and has also been recognised with numerous other prizes and awards.