A refreshing display of multiple genres of art – Art Fusion – is currently on at the Art & Soul gallery in Water Front mall, marking the bright summer of the sultanate

Art fusion, they say, has many explanations. And each explanation might seem as confusing as any other to the lay person. But, in short, art fusion refer to a confluence of creative ideas, use of multiple media, as well as diverse approaches towards creating meaningful artworks.

In the peak of Oman’s summer, the Art & Soul gallery in Water Front mall has hosted a joint art exhibition titled Art Fusion featuring around 20 artists in Oman – Omanis as well as expatriates. The exhibition, which opened on May 25 under the auspices of Mohammed Abdullah al Kharusi, chief investment officer of MHD, will continue till May 31.

Bound within the limited scope of the gallery one can find a merry mix of artworks that includes landscapes, portraits, mixed media work, and mirror work. The participating artists have presented diverse works that have their own individual identity as well as go well with the fusion concept.

Participating senior artist, Rashmi Dauria says, “I am very pleased to take part in this group exhibition featuring 20-odd artists and my works in water colour and acrylic are quite different from each other – one depicting assurance given by the former Sultan of Oman to the current ruler, one about the sacrifice of Gautam Buddha and one about the old Muttrah Souq wherein vegetables were also sold off the road.”

Elizabeth Davis, another senior artist, said, “My work on display is one of the biggest works I have done. I call the lady depicted ‘Noor’ or ‘light’ because her face reflects the light from the hanging lamps. I have done the whole painting in just black and gold acrylic paint and tried to portray the emotions of a bride walking towards the hall. It was definitely inspired by Gustav Klimt (Austraian symbolist painter) and is my Arabic version of his work – ‘Woman in Gold’.”

Sheffy Tattarath has presented two mystical paintings with the same title – Once upon a time in Salalah – showing traditional women moving around the thicket. Sheffy says, “She pushed the vines and plants and moved forward effortlessly – the water-filled pot on her head dancing in sync with the rhythm of her stride and her dreams playing hide and seek on her face amid the shadows of the leaves.” His imagery can be seen in the intricacy of his depiction in this twin artwork and he points out that the greenery in Salalah always reminds him of his hometown Kerala.

Shrikant Akojvar, another participating artist, said, “As an artist, I create art that is fascinating, friendly and eye-catching. The flow of colours, medium and random patterns that emerge on the canvas smoothly make my painting completely different than the previous ones. Rather than thinking a lot about a specific subject, I focus on daily life and common topics, and I always try to work with a free mind. It is my thought process that is behind the making of my painting.” One of his two works on display is titled ‘Family Day Out’ which reflects the complexity of his thought process.