Forever fascinated by and fantasizing about art and its versatility, Nadeem has been drawing ever since he could remember. During his younger years, he drew weird, out of the ordinary creatures but never really thought much of it. It wasn’t until the age of 16 when he took art more seriously after a volunteer opportunity at Artspace in Kuwait.
At Artspace, Nadeem wore many hats from early 2017 till late 2018. He would give workshops, help out customers over there and provide classes. During his time there, his main medium of choices was acrylic on canvas. After his time at ArtSpace, Nadeem left so he could focus on attending university, he decided to attend AUK.
Nadeem looks back on his time in AUK fondly, and says that being around a creative community and making friends with fellow artists gave him a new perspective on art. He spent a lot of his time sketching during classes and even started making collages, since they took a lot less time. Having decided art was what he wanted to pursue, Nadeem started planning on relocating to Montreal, Canada but COVID-19 came around and put a hold on things.
A blessing in disguise, he was able to practice his art more diligently during his time in quarantine. He expressed to bazaar that although he “grew up around people with more traditional roles, this recent period has proven to me that I would like to study art”.
During his time in quarantine, Nadeem was able to finish up a painting he had been working on for the past three years! The time off allowed him to experiment with paintings instead of the typical collages he was doing during college. He shares with us that his medium of choice remains to be acrylic on canvas. He loves to use it because it’s super versatile and readily available in Kuwait.
Art is a form of expression, and when asked about his creative process that is so unique to every artist, Nadeem said it was about jotting things down that came to him in the moment “I make my art in the moment and don’t like to plan out too long”. A simple writing down of an idea that comes to mind and a reflection later on is the artist’s preferred way of making magic. When he has the time, he starts to work on canvas and while working, he starts to build upon it. The artist also added that “some things just come to you as you work.”
When asked about what role he believes artists have in society, Nadeem does not hesitate to say artists are the “spices of society” and the key is “being as original as possible by expressing yourself”. A constantly evolving subject, art is to be enjoyed visually, but impeccable pieces stimulate the mind as well. When dissecting Nadeem’s art we can’t help but notice that the surrealistic pieces might have a deeper meaning. When asked about it, he giggled and told us about his favorite triptych.
The three piece artwork signifies the three most important human emotions for the artist which are compassion, anger and virtue. The takeaway message from the paintings is to present a different type of feeling to the viewer. Compassion .is an acrylic painting on canvas 75*120 cm and is the first of the series )عطف( “Compassion or thought, happiness or sadness? The relaxation to endure one’s thoughts,” says Nadeem.
The artist also added that to the naked eye, the paintings may look out of the ordinary, but if you take a minute to dissect, you will notice that one of his most prominent themes in which he adds a mouth or an eye with branches coming out actually means so much more. The tongue symbolizes expression of oneself and the eye is for people to open their eyes to the world around them.
TRUTH OR DARE QUESTIONNAIRE
How would your mother describe you in one word?
Sweet.
How would you describe your mother in one word?
A blessing.
What is the most ridiculous question you’ve ever been asked?
Is that Medusa in your painting?
What is the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?
Asked random people to model for my paintings.
What is your theme song?
“Daydreaming” by Radiohead.
What word in the English or Arabic language do you wish you had invented?
Australopithecus.
Where would you like to live?
Montreal.
What is your dream retirement location?
Somewhere on a hill or a mountain, maybe close to a farm.
What is the first famous quote that comes to your mind?
Whoever is happy will make others happy too- Anne Frank
Which animal best describes your perfect partner, be it in business, or in life?
Orca.
Do you miss anything from your childhood and if so, what is it?
I miss the sense of total security and relaxation that comes with being a child.
If you could change your name, what would you change it?
I wouldn’t because I would really miss the surprise of someone having my name.
How would you describe your handshake, in one word?
I wouldn’t, I’m a hugger!
What is the toughest part of your character?
I’m a little stubborn sometimes.
Who is your favorite historical figure?
Plato.
What in the world do you least desire?
Living a boring life.
What do you think is lacking in the world, which [if there were more of it] would make the world a better place?
More people who believe in the power of peace and empathy.
Why do you think most people who do, like you?
Maybe because I try to be more empathetic and open minded to people I meet. I also like to enjoy myself.
Finish this sentence: “Happiness is…”
Living life to the fullest!
For more information on Nadeem’s art or to check out his work, follow his Instagram page @da_curly_wizard
