Feb 8, 2023
YASMIN AL MUTAWA
Life Forms & Indigo Expressions




This exhibition has been curated from 2 series of work completed 5 years apart- Indigo Expressions and Life forms.
In 2017 I created a series of paintings through which I challenged myself by using a single pigment, in this case Indigo. These images are made with line, shape, and form that evokes the world under the microscope. My work balances spontaneity, unpredictability and control which coalesce to form imaginary compositions of the natural world. In this series you may recognize part of a bee hive, clusters of grapes or cells under magnification. Let your imagination go and find elements you recognize!
In 2022 I created a series of watercolours that represent interpretations of childhood memories. These overlapping images of trees, birds, plants and animals appear subconsciously in my work. The Kuwait of my childhood lives strong in my memory. The pace of daily life was slower and simpler and nature still existed around our home and had a place in our lives.
The coastal area, dominated by sand dunes , ridges and wadis, offered a unique environment for discovery. Walking along the beach in Sha’ab….Observing tidal pools and feeling excited when I found hermit crabs, tiny fish and shells. Watching dolphins from our balcony as they swam along the still un-reclaimed coastline. Mudskippers flopped around on the mudflats of Sulaibikhat while flamingos and other coastal birds dotted the sea. Bee eaters, shrikes and wagtails were regular visitors in our garden. In the Spring Wadi um Al Rimam was filled with a carpet of purple irises, yellow daisies, and annual flowers. . I followed ants as they carried seeds along trails to nearby sifsaf trees,watched as the desert dhub basked in the sun. These memories are like dreams and they appear in this work.
My curiosity and thirst for the natural world is endless and it has become increasingly difficult to find natural places Kuwait that are unspoiled. Overgrazing, pollution and development have destroyed and displaced the natural world and the flora and fauna that was part of our collective and recent past.
This work recalls the natural environment of Kuwait that is disappearing around us and reminds us how vital it is to protect what is left and restore what we have lost.
In the meantime, I continue my education as an artist through coursework, workshops, and extensive world travel.
Yasmin Al-Mutawa is an artist from Kuwait City, Kuwait who currently resides and works in Phoenix, Arizona.
1993 Master of Landscape Architecture
University of Arizona / Tucson Arizona USA
1985 Bachelor of Science Biology
Syracuse University / Syracuse New York USA
1999-2017 Painting courses
Phoenix Community College / Phoenix, Arizona USA
2007 Open Studio
Scottsdale Community College / Scottsdale Arizona
2008-2010 Printmaking
Phoenix Center for the Arts
2004 Mixed Media Workshop
Pasadena, California
Selected Exhibitions/Publications
2021 West Valley Art Museum, Arizona
2018 Art Intersection, Arizona Artists Exhibition, Gilbert, Arizona
2017 “Indigo Expressions” at Becarre Gallery, Kuwait
2016 Essence Bakery, Individual Show, Tempe, Arizona
2013 Illustrated “Omee Taqool” Pearls of Wisdom from Kuwaiti Mother
2011 Cattletrack Art Center, Winter Festival, Scottsdale, Arizona
2008 Kuwait Art Association, Kuwait, Solo Exhibition
2003 Arizona Watercolor Society,Juried show, Glendale, Arizona