If you have visited The Promenade in the last couple of years, you’ve seen the unique artwork on the walls. These murals are part of the Promenade Culture Centre’s residency program to elevate the artistic experience of The Promenade. What commenced during the Covid-19 pandemic as a safe way for the artists to work separately in their own space, has now become an ongoing residency with amazing results; different colorful stories told around the mall, a lot of engagement with the customers and clients, with everyone interpreting the story behind the large paintings in their own way.
The bazaar team has been following the journey of the artists from the very beginning, and we love what we see! Our visits to the mall are infinitely brighter because of the stunning artworks that truly provide food for thought. The murals started with the topic of socializing in 2021 and transition in 2022, we come to connection in 2023 – which is the latest topic and will take place on the third floor of the office block, near the entrance of the corporate offices of The Promenade. The artist that The Promenade Culture Centre (PCC) is working with is Hisham Al Qanaie, who started his career in the arts as a professional fictional graffiti artist and later turned to painting on canvases.
Ksenia Graovac, the woman making magic happen at the PCC, explains that “Our topics revolve around a holistic approach to the arts. We recognize the connectedness between our mind, spirit, body, and emotions. The past topics – socializing, transition and now – connection, work in favor of the theory that art imitates life. The last few years were challenging, with many individuals rethinking their decisions and paths. We were simply showing these changes and adaptations through the mentioned topics and art that our artists created.”
We are further told that the “Artistic residency is the backbone of cultural centers. What is the purpose of a center if not to, primarily, support the local artists? Our goal is to support the artists seeking a space for showcasing their artistic ability and sharing their messages with the public, as well as to provide our audiences and visitors with contemporary artistic offers. By doing this, we hope to create a cultural reservoir for all cultural consumers and position PCC on the cultural map of Kuwait.”
In 2024, the PCC will have two residency programs. The first is the mural with the topic connection. The theme encouraged exploration of the following: What does being connected mean to you? The fields in which the idea of connection can apply are numerous: physical, mental, cultural, geographic, and many more. It can be explored through connections on a human level, through time, movement, space, and memory, even a connection with self.
The response may confront these ideas directly or subliminally. Later in the year, the second edition of Visionary lab will also take place. This is a residency program where two artists work in studios in PCC to create art that is later exhibited in the Main hall.
Hisham Al Qenaie’s mural is a beautiful piece of art to say the least. He shares his thought process behind using the theme of connection to create his artwork: “For this piece, I envisioned the harmonious connection between humans, art, and nature. I portrayed this idea using minimalist human forms blended with various plants in an artistic fashion.”
Hisham embarked on his graffiti journey at the age of 13. This led him to pursue a career in architecture. Nowadays, he primarily focuses on creating art on canvases and aspires to participate in numerous exhibitions in the future.
Hisham tells us that “working with PCC was an incredible experience. It is truly invigorating to collaborate with a team that appreciates the importance of art and respects the creative freedom required for artists to openly explore and express their ideas. I found it delightful to work with this particular scale, as my recent focus has shifted from working on walls to working on canvases. Transitioning between different scales has proven to be both challenging and gratifying. The creation of this artwork has involved a combination of physical and digital processes.”
Hisham’s mural is a celebration of color – it is bright and eye-catching. Recently, he has been inspired by several artists such as Sofles, George Condo, and Cy Twombly. Hisham is truly passionate about art and believes that “artistic creations are brought to life through the profound understanding and perception of the artist. The intrinsic value of what originates from within should be cherished, regardless of external opinions.”
In relation to finding talent and continuing the residencies, Ksenia tells us “we are fortunate that Shahad Bishara, our curator and founder of Visual therapy, shares our vision of elevating cultural consumption in Kuwait and has similar views on how to support artists. Shahad is a great connoisseur of Kuwait’s artistic scene, with specific interest in newcomers and artists that are developing their artistic approach. PCC is usually looking for those artists who are keen on collaborating with the Centre, and searching for opportunities to create meaningful and impactful art. At PCC, we are looking into introducing more interaction between residency artists and the artistic community, as well as organizing workshops where our artists can learn more or offer to share their own skill or knowledge. The mural residencies might shift into a different type of program in the future. No matter the direction we take, the support for art will not cease.”
Ksenia explains that the PCC is committed to contribute to the larger artistic and cultural expression in Kuwait, as well as their mission – which is to enhance the artistic expression in Kuwait through organizing thought-provoking collaborative projects. PCC’s aim, through the residencies, is to create and maintain an independent cultural space, to support new generations of artists, and facilitate a free and safe space for people to explore culture. We love how these residencies bring the community together to celebrate art.
We are so excited to see this latest mural and we will be showing up at The Promenade’s offices shortly to appreciate it in person. Continue to stay up to date with how the Promenade Culture Centre is transforming the culture scene in Kuwait, and see their latest mural unveiled, follow @pcckuwait. You can follow Hisham and stay up to date with his artistic journey @graffitifreak.
