Abdulaziz Ashour, a well-known Saudi artist, believes that a paper is not an ordinary matter, it is vibrantly alive, which we can deal with or have some kind of relationship. It is a tool for an artist to convey a message on science, knowledge and art to humanity.

Ashour has shown his solo exhibit at Lam Art Gallery in Riyadh. It is entitled “More Than Papers,” in which he explores the use of paper in art as a vital element and an organic visual trend that varies in the use of glue or collage or gestures in an abstract or poor art.

On the walls where art works are hanged, the visitors see the operations of sculpture and residue of daily newspapers, papers and papier-mâché.

In the mid-80s, a deal “was held with the novel, which transformed to a spiritual alliance the futility perceived in visual arts and partial to the imaginary novelist’s eloquence and novelists in their investment and their impact.”

Since the beginning of the 1990s, Ashour has intensively read Arab and international plays. He started his artistic life by participating in a number of local exhibitions and contests. He also participated in cultural dialogues in Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Cairo, Sharjah and Muscat.

Ashour believes that human awareness could help to build civilization. He deliberates on the path of art history in visual practice with the use of paper as a material in producing a work of art.

“My relationship with the novel is intensified as I read a number of novels. Novels taught me to learn beautiful phrases and their meanings in Kundera, Paulo Quila and Isabel Allende, and many others, as I realized the importance of language,” said Ashour.

Pete Taylor, a British visitor to the exhibition, said, “This art works reminds me of the old German art. It is quite impressive and shows the young talent of Saudi Arabia.”

Paul, a consulting agent from Germany, also expressed his feelings and said the artist shows very modern and interesting art works. He is very advance in his work, he said.

“I attend many art exhibitions in London, Germany, USA but these works are very modern and contemporary in his style,” he added.

Ashour won art prizes during the 1990s in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Tunisia, Cairo, Germany New York, South Korea and Los Angeles. He became a member of the High Committee for Saudi Colored Competition at the end of the 1990s.

“Art taught me to be close and in touch with other people in real life, my art conveys the idea that we should be patient and tolerant with other people,” said Ashour.

Ashour was the founder of first live cultural forum in Saudi Arabia in 2003. He prepared and supervised a collective workshop in the Omani Association for Plastic Arts in 2004.

Ashour’s biggest achievement was winning a Souad Al-Sabah Creative Award in 2008. He is also a writer of the book, “Saudi Artist Today.”

He said that the moment he decided to restore in art, are the paper textures and its extreme artistic sight. “The papers taught me on the charm of inspiration,” he added.

He said the topography of paper and its fragrance which continues to emit from their pages so much that some of the smell hangs on the palm of your hands like a perfume.

“A lot of photos and imaginary signs made the viewer as if he lives the time and place of the novel,” he added.

He said that the beginning of the Millennium has strengthened his simple experiment in his studio with a size not more than twenty centimeters. Art offers a lot of toward understanding life, he said.

In this connection, he said, “paper continues in all its forms, to articulate an interesting sense that instigates my creativity and gives me a great joy I have missed in our physical world.”

Florence, a businesswoman from England said the art works show the importance of an artist. He plays very impressively with paper and abstract art in different aspects. I hope he keep having more exhibitions with new expressions.

“I like to see the works of young Saudi artists; they communicates something difficult to express but attract people,” she added.

The exhibit comprises 19 art pieces whose prices range from SR15,000 to SR 35,000. A number of visitors including many artists, photographers, foreigners and Saudis expressed admiration for the paper works and many of them buy the art works that appeal to them.

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