DIA began his intimate relationship with art very early. As a young child he watched with fascination as his mother skillfully drew different kinds of flowers on silk. No less vital to him is music which he became attached to when his father gave him a violin as a gift. He is now an outstanding figure on the Kingdom’s cultural and intellectual scene. Sayidaty, a sister publication of Arab News, interviewed him.
You started drawing some 50 years ago. When did you first experience the pleasure of success?
My parents realized my talent when they saw me drawing a picture which I saw on a chocolate box of a house in a thick forest. They were surprised to see the careful way in which I drew and they pointed this out as something surprising for one as young as I was. This was the first step to developing self-confidence. In my primary school, at one time there was a party and a drawing competition. Other students were surprised with how I manipulated light and shadow in my paintings. At the end of the party I was given a paintbox with 21 colors. Though I have many other paintboxes today, this one still has a very special meaning because it is intimately linked to my first feeling of success. After that, I decided to devote my talent not to a mere hobby but to something that is very much a part of me.
How did your time in Rome affect your work?
Studying at the Academia of Fine Art there affected and inspired me. My aim was for my works to be internationally recognizable for my own touch and style which did not follow any set rules of different artistic schools. Sticking to my own style has helped my works go international and also helped me get awards in different exhibitions that I participated in.
You have moved several times to different places around the world. How does a change of environment affect your work?
My father was a writer and this led my family to go around the world, looking for better opportunities. We have lived in the Kingdom, Egypt, India, Lebanon, England, the US and Italy. I have drawn inspiration and ideas from our life and environment, but it is hard to identify a single place and location.
When examining your paintings, one can see how much you rely on light. What do light and shadow mean to you?
Without shadow there will be no light, and without light we could not see what is around us. I go for visual art, which needs neither explanations nor descriptions. It is a view which I see and then put it into my paintings. I draw from life and my feelings. The noon light has a special meaning to me; it is linked to private associations — my father coming back from work, sitting with his children and pampering them, something which I have shown in one of my paintings. I also like drawing the alleyways, streets, and traditional houses in old districts. Probably spending the most important years of my life in Makkah influenced me to be interested in such subjects.
It seems that you are very much interested in the school of realism. This is obvious in your work. Why this particular school?
I not only have adopted realism but I combine it with impressionism and expressionism. Realism is more than just identifying the place. In my drawings I concentrate on the main idea and I leave the rest of the painting not totally identified.
“A real artist is one who can shift smoothly from one school into the other, one who can prove his creativity in different schools, rather than limiting himself to a single school.” What do you think of that statement?
I am not drawing to satisfy anyone except myself. I am not even drawing to leave a history behind that will glorify me and say that I have managed to succeed in all different kinds of schools. I like realism; it suits me. I do not like the abstract; it does not satisfy me. However, I still like the light and the sun and to me the symbolism is exhausting.
The relationship between painting and sculpture is that they both characterize and depict an event or a state of mind. What is the nature of this relationship and which one is much difficult to capture?
The difficulty depends on the artist. Personally I do not see one as more difficult than the other. The difference between the two is that painting gives greater opportunities to express thoughts. Sculpture is, however, limited to three dimensions because it is concrete. Painting is a two dimensional work with the possibility of a third to carry time, feelings, and illusions. The colors in paintings and the thoughts which they evoke might bring back a chain of hidden memories, even if we look at the painting for only a few seconds. Such subjects include traditional customs, crafts, and games that are no longer practiced or played. I like to re-examine and redo my works and even if I take a subject which I have previously dealt with, I look at it from a different perspective.
Are women a source of inspiration to you?
Women play an important role in my life. She is my mother who influenced me from the very beginning and reinforced my love of art. The woman is also my wife who is a great source of motivation. I remember in Italy that I once walked past a group of students who were working on something. Later my professor told me that I should be working with them since they were applying for a prize given by a local committee. I did not intend to participate in the competition because the projects were due in only two days. When I went back home, I told my wife who insisted that I participate. I worked on a project and three months later, I was awarded first price.
You have created many works including painting and sculpture. Which piece do you love the most and how does it feel when you give away or sell one of your works?
I love “The Genuine Land” which I did for Prince Mohammed ibn Nawaf and he gave it to Prince Abdullah Al-Saud. I love all my work, and when I sell one, I feel like I am losing a part of myself. I believe that criticizing one’s own work is an important technique which helps maintain one’s standards.
Your last exhibition in Saudi Arabia was held at the Hilton Hotel before you moved to Lebanon. There you announced your book of photographs published by Al-Mansuria Company. Tell us about the book and why it was delayed.
Fortunately, my father loved to take pictures and this means I have many pictures of me and my work. The book includes these photos along with critical articles written by Said Al-Serihi and Nabeel Naum. The book was delayed because there was no supporting publication company. This exhibition was my third in the Kingdom. The previous one was 23 years ago. It takes me a long time to get an exhibition together because I always want my work to be up to the highest standards.
No one can deny that there are some rising talents within the Kingdom; they have proven their talents both locally and internationally. How can a local artist reach international standards and recognition?
An artist needs a group of colleagues to help him to hone his talent and push him or her to the limits. There are many Saudi women artists, such as Safia bin Zager, who are producing distinguished work. I have urged participants in the Cultural Forum to search and support new artists in the community; we should send them abroad to study since our art reflects us and our country.
If you were not an artist, what would you like to be?
A pilot. I have long dreamed of flying. When I went to the US, I visited my cousin who is a pilot. There I enjoyed flying with him in his private plane. I always imagined myself flying over the Arabian Peninsula and going west to Africa.
