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BADER MAHASNEH
‘EXPOSURES’
19 to 31 October 2010
Never afraid to explore the possibilities of various mediums for his art, in this exhibition at Jacaranda Images, Bader Mahasneh integrates his penchant for photography with his previous examination of the human form through his ink drawings, paintings and resin sculptures.
Bader has been long attracted to photography and the possibilities that can be achieved with both long and very fast exposures and these images explore this medium fully. These large photographic works bring together the interdisciplinary approach of Bader’s work, capturing the human form in motion while drawing influence from ‘action paintings’ of the abstract expressionist movement. Bader continues to question the philosophical dilemma of what he describes as ‘the problematic existence of the human being’ with these forays into the subconscious. As with expressionism, Bader explores obsessional and dramatic themes, some works taking us into depths of anguish, drama and despair, and others showing great tenderness and warmth.
The figures do not sit on the surface but struggle to emerge from the backdrops while remaining strangely translucent, a recurring theme of Bader’s work. The compositions are finely balanced with backgrounds being given focus where necessary through scale or colour with the biomorphic forms and aggressive brushwork work eliciting the emotional effect that Bader wants to achieve. The works in ‘Exposures’ are photographs as well as part sculpture, part painting, merging the psychological questions and thoughts of an artist who continues to explore the depths and convolution of ‘being’.
Bader Mahasneh
Bader Mahasneh is a multi talented young painter, photographer, illustrator and sculptor. Born in Jerash, Jordan in 1977, he started painting on his own at the age of five.
After graduating with a Bachelors Degree from Yarmouk University in 2002, the artist pursued his early art passion as he became a member at the painting studio at Yarmouk University and won third prize of young artists competition the same year. Shortly after, Bader became involved in many workshops as he took part in designing for the University theatre in 2002-2004 and made sculptures of snow and fire in winter 2003. In the year 2006, Bader participated in several print making workshops at the National Gallery in Amman-Jordan.
His first and second solo exhibitions were held at the French Cultural Center, then his third exhibition at the Orient Gallery. After Orient Gallery exhibition he started seriously making sculptures with a solo exhibition at Zara Gallery of the work. Group exhibitions in Jordan, Syria, Yemen, Thailand and Sweden have been held over the past 10 years. Bader’s ‘Inks on Paper’ were featured in a group exhibition in the Bahrain National Museum in May 2009, ‘Ink on Paper’ in July 2009 and ‘Sculpting the Water’ in January 2010 at Jacaranda Images as well as a solo exhibition at Zara Gallery in April 2010.
