JEDDAH, 12 April 2007 — Three poets, world famous paintings and an audience with an appetite for poetry were the ingredients of Tuesday’s poetry reading at the Jeddah Literary Club.
The poetry reading, which was attended by over 60 men, consisted of the readings of three poets: Muhammad Seidi from Makkah, in place of Muhammad Shararah who was unable to attend the event due to medical reasons, Ali Mankouta and Syrian poet Thekra AlHaj Hosaini in the women’s section. The poems revolved around the theme of “sentimentality.”
“As usual, as Arabs we are a very passionate people despite the toughness we pretend. Poetry is but a translation of our inner characters,” said poet Ahmad Qarran.
After the recital, Saleh Bogari, former president of the House of Artists, delivered a visual presentation discussing the connection between the arts and literature, and in particular the fine arts and poetry. Bogari gave examples of famous poets, Western as well as Arab, who were moved by particular paintings.
He revealed that the famous Picasso painting “Guernica,” which skilfully represents the torture and tragic events of the Spanish Civil War, was something mused by many poets including the French poet Eloir and the Egyptian poet Ahmad Abdul Moati Hijazi.
Bogari engaged the audience with an interesting story behind a painting by Omar Subair called Salvador Dali, named after the famous Spanish surrealist painter. After attending an exhibition of Salvador Dali’s paintings abroad, Bogari was so moved that he wrote a letter to Dali telling him about his feelings.
However, Dali had been dead for 18 years. Bogari’s friend, Omar Subair read the letter and was touched by its contents and drew a painting, which he called Salvador Dali.
