Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) – “I was in a challenge against myself, and I won this challenge. Perhaps the average person can draw easily, but for me, with my illness, it is difficult.” This is how the Saudi artist Rakan Kurdi described his journey in an interview with With the UAE English-language newspaper “The National”.
The Saudi artist, Rakan Kurdi, suffers from muscular atrophy that restricts him to a wheelchair. However, this disease did not restrict the development of his talent and gain fame and a source of income.
Kurdi started his hobby of drawing at the age of eight, after his teacher discovered his talent in a specialized school for people with special needs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
How did Rakan Kurdi develop his talent?
Kurdi said, in an interview with the Saudi Gazette newspaper, that he stopped going to school after the fifth grade, and took advantage of his free time, which resulted from the disease, by using it to learn art using Internet resources such as YouTube. Today, he is a well-known illustrator and graphic designer from Jeddah, where his work has transcended the boundaries of local interest to reach both the national and international levels.
Kurdi sold more than 1,000 paintings, and participated in the Al-Mirqaz exhibition, King Abdulaziz, and others. He added that his most expensive and prominent paintings are the portrait of the Saudi monarch, King Salman bin Abdulaziz.
What characterized Rakan Kurdi’s work?
The work of the painter Rakan Kurdi varied between personal and expressive paintings, as he believes that drawings express the issues of domestic society, drugs and poverty more than printed words.
Kurdi confirmed, in more than one press interview, his expression and gratitude to his parents for their patience and help, his friends, and everyone who supports him, especially his teacher, who still remembers his advice, which is: “Rakan, you should work on your talent, learn more at home, and continue training to develop your skills.”
Are there special rituals for painting?
Asked about his favorite atmospheres, Kurdi said he likes to listen to soft music, such as piano and tarab songs, to enhance his creative process, and depending on the complexity and size of the painting, a piece can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks.
Although all of his paintings carry significance, some pieces have received more attention, such as a painting of King Abdulaziz, and his self-portrait also received recognition from the Ministry of Social Affairs, which led to its exhibition in Europe.
In addition to considering it a talent and passion, Kurdi considers drawing a source of livelihood for him, as some paintings that take him a month to finish, he offers for sale for 10,000 Saudi riyals, or the equivalent of $2,666, according to what he told The National newspaper.
