Pictographs (Yellow) #4

In Pictographs, AlAraifi creates a vibrant series of abstract works that visually narrate Bahrain as an archipelago. With intuition and minimalism as the driving forces for this method of creation, AlAraifi poses the question of whether "the artist's conclusion will always lead to abstraction." In stark contrast to his figurative works, bold colors and shapes dominate the compositions. AlAraifi attempts to subconsciously build a pictographic language in the pursuit of simplifying deeply complex native themes and customs.

In Pictographs (Yellow), the harshness of the sun's heat is overlaid with subtle markings of native flora and fauna. In Pictographs (Blue), AlAraifi visually renders Bahrain's surrounding ocean with symbols depicting coral reefs, algae, and brief indications of pearl diving. The mediums used are also effective in their simplicity, with pure gesso, acrylic, and industrial marker coming together and gracefully floating over the artist's preferred handmade palm paper.

Artwork size: 41 x 59cm.

Price includes floating mount behind glass framing