We’ve just come back from the opening ceremony of my father’s exhibition at Dar Al-Barih Art Gallery in Adliya with a renewed sense of awe.
Although we have lived with his art throughout our lives, and have come to take his paintings as something rather normal, seeing 36 of his recent block-prints hung in the art gallery atmosphere tonight and the excellent turnout of people who have come to view and appreciate them, make you look at them in a fresh light. An appreciative light.
These are works of art dependent on pure memory of a man who is enamoured in the love of his country, his people and his environment. These are engraved memories, literally, of a man who has lost his vision, but most certainly not his sight.
These are memories of bygone eras, of peace and tranquility, of good neighbours, of a much simpler life that has nurtured the imagination and soul.
These memories might be over 50 years old, but are anything but forgotten.
My father, Nasser Al-Yousif, might have lost his vision over 12 years ago, but he most certainly has not lost his inner sight.
I love you my father. Thank you for sharing your sight. May you live for ever.
Comments
The Challenge
My eyes filled with tears while reading your post, Mahmood!
Glad that your father’s exhibition turned to be a success.
Allah ykhaleeeh oo y6awl eb3umra 🙂
-silveroo
The Challenge
great post! I suppose we all take our parents for granted sometimes!
Congrats to your DAd!
The Challenge
Inspirational man your father – [b]RESPECT[/b] to him.
🙂
Mike – Luxembourg
The Challenge
Lovely post
-ihath
The Challenge
It seems he was a good father…look how you turned out!
thinker
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Too bad I wasn’t there to see the exhibition. Who is that gentleman playing the lute? And who orchestrated this lovely evening?
The Joker
The Challenge
I know the man. The story gives me hope and inspiration
AbuRasool
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He is agreat man . Gad will be with him always
The Challenge
Its impossible not to see an artist’s last ever exhibition, bringing as it does closure to a life’s work, without a certain sense of melancholy and I have to confess that this was how I felt when I went to the Al Bareh Gallery last week.
But I came away with a very different emotion – I’d go so far as to say I left with a sense of pride at the irrepressible nature of the human spirit. No matter that your father has been robbed of his sight he has continued to work and produce some beautiful art. There’s nothing as inspiring as seeing someone defy the route that fate has marked out for them.
Its not often that you attend an exhibition like this and I’m very pleased that the Al Bareh extended it into October.
Re: The Challenge
Thanks Scorpio.
They are also working on a documentary about his life and art set to be released next year. I too am glad that due to the response they have had, they decided to extend it.