Zaki Al-Yafei in his studio (archive)
Monday, August 28, 2023 / 13:40
Yemeni plastic artist Zaki Al-Yafei confirmed that plastic arts are not in the position they deserve in the countries of the Arab world, explaining that the future of the Arab plastic movement depends on the rise and development of the culture of reception.
He said: “The development of Arab plastic arts is linked to the rise in the value of art among the Arab public, which will motivate the artist to employ all his capabilities to develop his skills and upgrade his artistic works, to be at the level of the audience’s culture, especially if this audience is able to practice criticism with knowledge, knowledge and culture.” “.
And he indicated that the Arab plastic artists possess the material and the talent, but there is an absence of the academic side among some, explaining that what is important is the extent of the status that the painting enjoys in the arrangement of human holdings in the Arab world.
He stated that people in poor societies are preoccupied with the basics of living, and that the well-to-do do not find that they have a tendency to visual arts, and if they have a tendency, they “lose the price” even if the artwork rises to the world.
He asked, “Do we hear about art auctions in Arab countries?” Then he replied, “Of course not,” indicating that such auctions affect, in one way or another, the creative output of the Arab plastic artist.
Al-Yafe’i added, “The Arabs have international artists, but they are far from being global because of the milieu surrounding them.”
He continued, “A very few Arab plastic artists live as a result of their practice of art, and whoever owns the arts of marketing is the one who can earn and sell his works, even if they are not as strong as the works of others who do not have the ability to market.”
He added, “The Arab plastic artist can be present, and be a match for the man, but the environment, customs, traditions, and her domestic responsibilities prevent this “beautiful, delicate being” from occupying the position it deserves in most Arab societies.”
He pointed out that in the fields of acting and singing in his homeland, Yemen, those who appear on the screens have the social status and are not the most talented,” explaining that, in return for that, there are Yemeni women who were able to break the restrictions and become celebrities, and they represented women and the country in the best and finest representation, and he mentioned an example of that Dr. Amna Al-Nusairi, who entered the challenge and made the family and all of Yemen proud of her as an artist and a human being.
About his experience, he said: “Since he was able to hold a pen, he has been passionate about drawing scenes that his memory stores in proportion to each age stage he went through, and he continued to practice this passion until he grew up, with the encouragement of the surrounding community such as home and school, and he achieved the ecstasy of satisfying their desires with something of astonishment.”
And Al-Yafei indicated that after that he was influenced by the rich Yemeni heritage and environment surrounding him, and he began to draw and express realism and love its details and clear messages, especially since he tends to be clear and is not good at suggestion or implicit messages.
He pointed out that he worked on learning about the history of the arts, nourishing his visual memory by watching the works of major international artists, and adore the styles of some of them, and he gained courage and experience and began to paint in an influential manner, after knowing the secrets of color, the mysteries of shadow, and the splendor of light.
Al-Yafe’i described his relationship with the painting, the brush and the colors, as “a relationship of love and passion that reaches the point of obsession,” and that he eagerly awaits the meeting with his painting and forgets the world while he is in front of it, as if he is sitting with the one he loves, and that when he paints, he feels the beauty, and those around him feel the beauty of his presence as a human being.
He added that he is keen to choose the subject of his paintings accurately and carefully, pointing out that this is one of the first reasons for the success of the artwork, especially when this work carries aesthetic, human and patriotic messages.
Regarding the topics of his artistic paintings, he said that his works stem from his love for ancient, antique things, his adoration of classical poetry, the human cultural and civilizational heritage, and the heritage and civilization of his homeland, Yemen, in particular.
He explained that he chooses topics for his paintings that serve as a message to the world about his country, which is full of heritage, starting with costumes, passing through architecture and folk chants, in addition to the presence of the woman he draws in his paintings from the perspective of her wonderful presence in life, without limiting his artistic approach to her in the category of the female as “the look”. The oriental that diminishes the status of this soft being who makes the glories of men.
It is noteworthy that Zaki Al-Yafei, a Yemeni plastic artist, participated in dozens of exhibitions and Arab plastic forums in his homeland, Yemen, and in a number of countries such as Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Egypt, and Spain, in addition to his personal exhibitions.
He won numerous awards at the local and international levels, and has art holdings in a number of countries of the world, and in Arab royal palaces. He also represented his country, Yemen, in a number of international art exhibitions and events.
