In her latest exhbition, Jacqueline Craig’s artwork concentrates on the hand of Fatima, an ancient symbol with a strong personal significance. TOAD wanted to know more.
Ever think you could scare off evil spirits with art? Do you believe a painting has the power to make you feel safe? It may sound odd, but one show in Abu Dhabi explores imagery that is fabled to do just that.
The L’Atelier des Arts gallery in the Marks & Spencer Building is featuring the work of Jacqueline Craig, a collage artist who has lived in Abu Dhabi for 20 years.
The show, entitled Fatima, consists of three paintings, each 50cm by 75cm. The works combine acrylic paint with collage and stencil work. Each painting plays with colour, texture and pattern to create an abstract image peppered with recognisable subject matter.
As the show’s title implies, one symbol used throughout the collection is the hand of Fatima, or hamsa. This centuries-old symbol depicts an open right hand, often with an eye in the centre. Believed to defend against evil, the hand of Fatima has been adopted in iconography throughout the Middle East and Africa as it is named after one of prophet Mohammed’s daughters, Fatima Zahra.
The image has personal significance for Jacqueline because she received a hand of Fatima charm as a gift from her mother.
Jacqueline says, ‘My mother almost died ten years ago and gave it to me as protection, saying that as she will not always be there to protect me, the hand will.’ Jacqueline kept the hand of Fatima with her at all times. Thankfully, her mother recovered – but Jacqueline continues to keep the gift close to her, attributing much of her good fortune to the power of this ancient symbol.
‘Since I have worn the Fatima hand, only good things have happened. It really does protect me,’ Jacqueline adds.
The artist graduated from L’Ecole des Arts Moderne in France with a degree in interior design and worked for several high profile clients before moving to Abu Dhabi. Now, she uses her creativity to make street art, henna, paintings and collages that draw inspiration from Arabic culture.
Most of the ideas for Jacqueline’s pieces come from her own imagination. She does not use a sketchbook, although she frequently takes pictures of designs and imagery that she finds appealing or interesting. With those, she creates a collage, adding paint and stencil work, creating a layered dream-like scene.
You might recognise several references to Arabic writing and calligraphy in Jacqueline’s work.
She says, ‘I love calligraphy for the beauty of the design, rather than the religious connotations.’
A true egalitarian, Jacqueline prefers to show her work in public galleries, so all viewers have access to it. She hopes the paintings will bring joy to those who chance upon it as well as those viewers whose visits are intentional. It is with this viewer-centric philosophy that Jacqueline also chooses not to title or frame her work. She maintains that she ‘doesn’t want to impose her vision on the viewer.’ She wants the viewer to experience the piece how they wish, so the art ‘becomes theirs.’
Fatima will be on display until December 15. Each piece costs Dhs2,000. L’Atelier des Arts (02 639 7104).
Some of Jacqueline’s favourite artists
Jacqueline is inspired by the techniques and subject matter of fellow artists. Here’s her top three:
Banksy is a British street artist who soared to art stardom over the past decade despite never revealing his identity. His work can be found in public areas around the world. He is featured in the documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop.
Amedeo Modigliani was an early 20th century Italian painter known for his exaggerated portraits. His works are displayed in the Guggenheim in New York and the Tate Modern in London – and you can spot one of his paintings in the James Bond film Skyfall. Read Modigliani: A Life by Meryle Secrest to learn more.
eL Seed (pronounced ‘Al Sayed’) is a Tunisian street artist who uses Arabic calligraphy to create bold ‘calligraffiti’ in public spaces.
View his work at www.elseed-art.com.
