Basim Alsharqi

{The Saudi Cambell’s™Soup and AmericanSunTop™}

“THESE IMAGES ARE UNIVERSAL;THEY NO LONGER JUST BELONG TOTHE WESTERN WORLD.” BASSEM

Bassem Al-Sharqi, a renowned artist in both Saudi Arabia and the UAE, has an impressive list of exhibitions under his belt.His work reflects the vintage style of Pop Art through a mixof mediums, such as collage, spray-paint, and silk-screening.

Bassem’s art is often characterized by iconic images, such as the Mona Lisa or a classic VW Buggy. When asked aboutthe significance of bringing such images to the Arab world,he replied, “These images are universal; they no longerjust belong to the Western world.” Bassem argues that thesubjects he depicts in his artwork are just as recognizable toArabs as they are to the people of their countries of origin.

Christina Aguilera? Jennifer Aniston?

Americans aren’t the only ones who like to get Dirty with Friends. It’s even to the point thatas I type this article both celebrities’ names are part of my defaultWord dictionary! Bassem is conscious of this cross-cultural trendand has portrayed it both vividly and loudly through his creations.His goal is to create novel iconic symbols that represent this newgeneration of Arabs. “My grandma used her sewing machinethat was made in China and that is more a part of my heritagethan the dalla [traditional teapot], which is considered to be asymbol of Saudi culture.”

.” He asserts that the symbols usually associated with Saudi culture are nowoutdated and need to be replaced byimages that the existing generation canrelate to. His art is such an attempt.By representing the contemporarythrough a vintage medium, such as silkscreening, Bassem is “combining theclassic with the modern,” in order tobridge the chasm of past and present.Using such subjects as SunTop™,CDs, and barcodes, Bassem isproviding a social commentary onthe globalization of pop culture. Withthe media and Internet, images (likethat of Victoria Secret™ SupermodelGiselle) which were once restricted totheir place of origin are now becominghousehold icons around the world.

With the manifesto that contemporary Saudi art should reflect this shift intoa more universal culture, Bassem ison a mission and already makingstrides—one silk-screen at a time.