Marzook poses in front of his most recent painting at his sixth solo exhibition. (SG photos by Mohannad Sharawi)The exhibition, called “Desert Rainbow”, comprises some 45 creations made by the veteran Saudi plastic artist Abdullah Al-Marzook between 1997-2010 and opened at the Jeddah Atelier, Tuesday. It is the artist's sixth solo exhibition. According to Al-Marzook, the desert is the source of creativity which manages to convey his vision without resorting to the creation of figures. The rainbow, he added, is not what we are familiar with or scientifically aware of in deserts, but the desert he has attempted to portray in his artwork is not strictly the typical desert. “I think there is a certain relationship between the two words which gave me the artistic impetus for this exhibition and fueled my imagination,” he remarked. “This relationship is not as vivid in its meaning but rather in its psychological insight and aesthetic and abstract themes.” Hesham Qandeel, the manager of Atelier noted that Al-Marzook has discovered, through this “bizarre theme”, a new technique which has a unique enduring quality. “This technique depends on both abstract art and the use of various modern techniques like collage and blotting out lighting. There are also other aspects which focus on disabling room for discussion on the painting's meaning,” he said. “What is significant in the ‘Desert Rainbow' in its various stages is that the artist uses the full geometrical abstract style of the colors. In fact, he was not overwhelmed with superficial decoration, which a good number of painters suffer from,” Qandeel added. “Instead, Al-Marzook aimed to address the soul through the viewers' eyes by emphasizing on the icon rather than the object.” Al-Marzook's artwork succeeded in capturing visitors' attention at the exhibition, which was well attended by a number of local artists, representatives from the Ministry of Culture and Information, plastic arts aficionados and representatives of the media. The use of bright colors and the obvious rainbow inspiration attracted the viewers and reminded them that there is a bond between them and colors, whether the monotony of stark black and white on one end of the spectrum or the dazzling array of colors on the other end. Al-Marzook was born in the Eastern Province and received his Bachelor of Arts in 1985 in the US. His first solo exhibition was “The Arabian House Series” in 1989.
