Cuadro

Inspired by his time in the United Kingdom, Jaffar Al Oraibi’s “When Ali Met William” series continues his introspective inquiry to explore the role of the individual in society. Al Oraibi evolves this notion further by investigating the concept of manhood and the role that men play in contemporary society. The artist relies on the human form, often his own, as a vehicle to question masculine drives, instincts and urges, and to make sense of pre-conceived notions and pre-set expectations. Towering male figures represented in thick black strokes of paint dominate the compositions, with strong forms, yet downcast heads, resulting in blended images of both strength and fragility. Al Oraibi uses bright, luminous colors throughout his pieces to add an element of lightness in contrast with his use of heavy black. He also relies on symbolic depictions to represent both masculine and feminine characteristics, as well as to draw attention to more basic, primal human drives.

 Jaffar Al Oraibi was born in 1976 in Bahrain and is a member of the Bahrain Arts Society. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of Bahrain in 1999. Al Oraibi was a resident artist at the Delfina Foundation in London in 2010 and at La Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris in 2006.