A Retrospective

Famous Omani artist Alia Al Farsi holds an ineffable belief in the need to explore inner beauty and to help project it to discerning viewers.Not hindered by stereotypical definitions of art and the means of expressing it, she imbues a sense of style in all that she creates. A firm believer that art needs strong roots but these should not act as barriers to creativity, her interpretations of Arab art take on cerebral forms and textures. The scale of what she can create spans from intricate palm-sized boxes to large wall paintings and even air-force jet fighters. Her recent foray into furniture, sculptures, installations, and object painting allows her to showcase and express her talent beyond two-dimensional settings of the canvas. Complex pieces with multi-faceted subjects sit next to paintings that use old coins and textiles from the Far East. Her strong spiritual grounding and interest in the philosophies of Sufism is captured in the movements, facial expressions and reflective looks of her paintings. Her works are inspired by the poet El Rumi, painting images from her culture in a poetic way to expose the contradictories of the society as well as painting the faces she is well known for with the twist, a twist that is very distinctive to her brush. Al Farsi has exhibited internationally with solo shows in Tokyo, Seoul, Paris, and Brussels. Having established her credibility as a serious artist with a clear message, she has also exhibited with like-minded artists in Stockholm, Berlin, Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, and Geneva amongst many other exhibitions over the past twenty years and in over twenty countries. She is also the recipient of numerous awards, was voted amongst the top Arab women, obtained an MBA from Bedfordshire University and has studied graphic design at Central Saint Martins. Her works are exhibited in museums including the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris and in prestigious hotels in the region. In 2015, she was the first Omani artist ever to be officially present at Venice Biennale through an Official Collateral Event: In the Eye of The Thunderstorm (www.eyethunderstorm.com) Alia Al Farsi was born into an intellectual family in Muscat, where she still lives and works. Being her first inspiration and motivator, her father pushed her to pursue her dreams, contrary to the cultural norm. She graduated in science and then followed art courses at Central Saint Martins (University of the Arts, London). She took a leap of faith giving up a successful career in the government to fulfil her dreams of dedicating her life to art. As an active participant in social media, she sees the potential of using these new media frontiers for spreading her message to art connoisseurs around the world.