DT Woman - Experience etched on canvas

Manama : Lena Dajani, who grew up in London, was exposed to endless art exhibits and cultural events from a young age. Fine Arts and History became her favourite classes there. Later, during her academic course work, she joined watercolour and oil painting classes at Georgetown University and the Corcoran School of the Art and Design in Washington DC. 

After graduation, she decided to work in project management for an international development consulting firm and continued her passion for art as a hobby. But after injuring her foot and becoming house-ridden for a week, she picked up her paintbrushes again and realised how much she missed being an artist. 

Even after becoming a parent, she made time for creative projects and art exhibitions, realising the importance of arts on a personal level.

Vibrant passion for art

Dajani has always been a person who loves to travel and would go in search for inspiration for visual arts. 

Speaking to DT News, Dajani said, “Maybe I am drawn towards landscape and portrait painting, as it connects with my interest in anthropology. I have been inspired by Bahrain’s Dilmun history for similar reasons. My art is inspired by diverse subjects such as village life, fishermen, nature, history and architecture.”

 She further explained how she experimented with different means of art: “In many ways, art is a creative means to express my knowledge and understanding of the world around me. Over the years, I have enjoyed experimenting with different media. I always preferred pastels, oils and watercolour, but more recently, I enjoy painting with acrylics and working on larger canvases. I have also diverged from painting and experimented with designs using Adobe Illustrator.”

Growing presence within the art community

After moving to Bahrain, Dajani joined Awali Arts, a group of like-minded artists established by artist Seana Mallen. 

Explaining her experience in working with the talented artists, she said, “Under Seana’s artistic guidance, my painting developed from a hobby to a commitment. During this period, I painted using watercolours primarily and participated in group exhibits in Bahrain with Awali Artsand Art House Open Studios from 2007 to 2008. The success I had at these early exhibitions gave me confidence to display my paintings in Saudi Arabia’s Khobar and Tanzania’s Dar Es Salaam, where I lived from 2008 to 2010.”

“In 2013, after building up a collection of acrylic paintings that drew from the beauty of Tanzania’s vibrant landscapes and people, I had my first solo exhibit in Bahrain at World Beat Fitness Studio & Café. This was incredibly satisfying for me because of the positive feedback I received, plus I sold the entire collection of my artwork. I also realised how important it was to continue developing my art using different techniques,” she said

 A year later, Dajani looked for new ways to express herself and interact with other like-minded artists creatively. Her fascination for history and archaeology of the region inspired her to create a series of drawings, which were developed into a gift range called Dilmun Drawings. It was launched at The Nest/Market 338 in 2014 along with a vertical garden installation created for Al Riwaq Art Space. 

“The illustrations are based on my research about Bahrain’s ancient civilisation and incorporate elements and motifs found in Dilmun seals and archaeological studies,” she added.

Art Reach Bahrain was born

With her experience in collaborating with many artists, Dajani managed to engage the public in community art initiatives to beautify Bahrain’s public spaces. 

“Bahrain is a small country with a small market, so opportunities to sell art, like for any business, are limited. Ideally, artists in Bahrain need regional exposure. I always try to connect with local artists and organisations because I believe we can learn from and support each other,” Dajani said. 

“In 2013, I was approached by Saudi artist Mounirah Mosly to invite fellow artists and designers that I knew to create an informal art club to exchange knowledge about the arts and cultural events. Although Mounirah left the group, I was determined to build on the discussions our group was having about ways to engage the wider community in art-related activities and events. And after many meetings, an artists’ collective called Art Reach Bahrain was formed,” she added.

 “Working closely with Art Director Rula Al Chorbachi and other members of our group, we designed and created mosaic installations with participation of students and community members. All our work is on a voluntary basis and thanks to the sponsorship received from governmental and non-governmental organisations, we have implemented several public space projects since we began in September 2014. This has been very satisfying for me on a personal level because I have created connections with people from diverse backgrounds, all of whom are interested in serving the community in different ways,” she said.

 Dajani, who is currently Art Reach Bahrain co-director, shared her insight as an experienced artist.

“It takes passion, dedication and perseverance to build an art career. From my personal experience, I have benefited from going to art exhibits, learning new techniques and reaching out to the art community to exchange ideas and discuss opportunities for collaboration,” she said.

 “There are many talented artists who struggle to get recognition and make a living from their artwork, so a support network is essential. I would encourage Bahrainis to take advantage of opportunities given to exhibit and compete locally and internationally. Building a network of connections in the art community is just as important as artistic talent,” Dajani concluded.