Faiza Rizvi
Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH - There are some artworks that are inspiring, others which convey a message, but the most impactful of them are those works of art which strike an emotional chord, the impact of which lasts forever. In her debut solo exhibition, Princess Hayfa bint Abdullah unveils her masterpieces which she created at the threshold of mastering art. The exhibition titled Starting Point, which is being hosted by Rochan Art Gallery until April 10, marks the beginning of her professional career as an artist where she is exhibiting over 200 paintings and art works. Most of her paintings are not just delightful to look at, they narrate a tale filled with emotions of an artists’ true style.
Najla Bassam, graphic designer and founder of Haya Design Studio, which is the creative partner and branding agency for the art exhibition, said working closely with Rochan Gallery and Princess Hayfa has been a unique experience, where she got a unique opportunity to see all her creations.
“My personal favorite is the paining where Princess Hayfa is hugging her father, our beloved King Abdullah with a flower in the background. It’s such a deep and sentimental painting and each time I look at it, I experience a powerful wave of emotions. It’s one of those paintings you can never get enough of,” Najla told Saudi Gazette.
Princess Hyfa is currently pursuing a graduate degree after graduating from the California College of Arts in San Fransisco and has been producing work for over 15 years. She always had a fascination for art and after she took a color course in the Kingdom, she was introduced to using different techniques of oil painting and gradually worked with different artists to explore different mediums.
As an emerging artist she traveled, explored different art techniques, studied art until she found her own voice as an artist. “Now that she is fully practicing art, she has her own style and this exhibition highlights a very interesting and unique evolving process- her sketches, her studies, paintings from her college years, her early works,” said Najla while adding that she is growing stronger as an artist and plans to produce more work that tackles different subjects. She is an artist who is extremely proud of her identity and her paintings are a reflection of her culture and heritage.
Princess Hayfa is set to make an international debut in New York where some her of newer art pieces will be exhibited in April. Even though the Starting Point exhibits artworks from her early years, they portray her talent and highlight the thought processes which are brilliantly portrayed in the paintings. “These works of art symbolize the progression of an artist. Some of them are her translations of her emotions, her concerns; some are characters she is inspired by while others are simply experimentation for the love of art.”
Najla said that her team at Haya Designs Studio went over 300 paintings to chose the best and decide which paintings would be documented in the book which was designed exclusively for her collection. “The text of the book is in both English and Arabic in order to meet international standards for audiences all over the world. Princess Hayfa has been very modest and has insisted on working with us every step and was very open to all ideas for the best interest of this project,” said Najla.
