Remember how your mom used to yell at you for writing on your hands? Well, for all you fellow bodyscribblers
out there, allow me to introduce you to the artistic movement geared specifically towards us:Body Painting.
Using the human body as a canvas is not an innovation. In fact, body painting is one of the most ancient forms of art. Here in the Middle East, we’ve been practicing it in the medium of henna (a dye that stainsthe skin) for centuries! And yet in its modern manifestation, body painting is definitely considered taboo ina country where the human form is veiled and censored from the public eye; that is why it was especiallysurprising to meet Nourah Moammar, Saudi make-up/body artist.
The first of her kind in the Kingdom,Nourah is shooting down the boundaries with her ammunition of fierce talent. Having participated in multiplehaute-couture fashion shows in Paris and Dubai, Nourah is somewhat a veteran to the eccentric andinventive forms of art. Yet she credits most of her inspiration to M.A.C. Cosmetics and their couture-style.“Ninety-nine percent of the make-up I use is M.A.C. I love the work their artists do.”
Forced to experiment a little with it as a student of cosmetology, body paintingwas never a real focus for Nourahuntil now. So what inspired her to playwith the human body as an alternativecanvas? “The body has a soul, it is acreation of God, and it is beautiful.”
Nourah works to accentuate the body rather than mask it behind layers ofpaint. Her work appears to reflect andemphasize the soul within and perhapsthat is why she waits to meet her modelsbefore conceptualizing her design,“I never plan my designs, I wait to seewhat fits the model.”
Nourah’s ability to manipulate the curves and dimensions of the humanbody in order to create something ingeniousand pure is truly pioneering.
“I feel there are no limitations with bodypainting; I am able to express a lotmore.” Her style is organic, from herhuman canvas to the earth tones andthe Baroque patterns that she favors.Her palette is unusually dark, but is occasionallybrightened with Swarovskicrystals a type of ornamentation thatappears to be a reflection of her Saudiheritage and occupational history as acommercial make-up artist, “I had toaccommodate the market in Saudiweddings,brides, etc.
” Yet instead of such restrictions impeding her desireto create, it just added more fervor toher artistic cause. “As an artist, I wantto educate people about make-up. Iwant to show them that there is [an aesthetic]difference between the artistichaute-couture make-up and the makeupyou apply everyday.” She feels thattoo often, women here watch FashionTV and think that is how they’re supposedto look when they walk out oftheir houses. And its not. There is avenue for such things, and that is therunway.
In such a society where so many restrictions are imposed on a mediumconsidered taboo by many, Nourahhas overcome many obstacles to practiceher passion; “I am still fighting formy art, it is an on-going struggle here,”but it doesn’t seem like she’s going togive up anytime soon, “I do it becauseI love it.”