Cath Barnes
United Kingdom (Welsh)
email:
barnescath@gmail.com
Artist's Statement
Cath Barnes has been influenced by the cultures she has
lived and worked among, she has combined this with the
more traditional European approaches to Art which she
received in her Western training as an artist.
She worked for many years with textiles as a medium.
However, more recently, she has focused on painting. Her
passion for colour is a common element to both. Prior to
moving to Egypt, she lived in China, Indonesia, and
Malaysia. She has work in private collections around the
world. China had a big influence on her work, this can
be seen less so in the themed work of this exhibition,
although it is evident in the use of Chinese gold temple
paper (meant as an offering to our dead ancestors). Her
work embraces elements of East and West. Although she is
from the West, she feels she belongs in the Far East.
I have a fascination with the Boulak market area of
Cairo on many levels. My strongest interest concerns the
colour to be found there which is a delight as I find
that in Cairo I miss the vibrancy of colour to be found
in Asia. I have a love of flowers which I often paint,
some of the amazing, extravert, structural dresses to
seen hanging in the streets of Boulak remind me of huge
colourful blossoms hanging on dismal dull buildings, I
enjoy the juxtaposition. These dresses fascinate me
because they are clearly influenced by western style and
are to be worn at wedding parties. I find it sad that
the same women who cover up in the shapeless dark
clothes as in “Boulak Market 2” where the vendor is
dressed in such a way, should not be able to express
their extravert, joyful side by what they have to wear
day to day. Everything about these wild colourful
dresses make me smile.
I am also interested in symbology, the single green
dresses being a religious colour, both have within them
some Arabic calligraphy I like very much, I found these
in Istanbul.
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Boulak Market 2
oil on Canvas--80 cm x 80 cm
(click to enlarge)
5000 LE (US$ 900)
Translation of calligraphy
from
“Boulak Market 2” (exhibited)
“The most blessed of mankind is the one most
beneficial to mankind”
A mirror-image levha in jail thuluth script,
1418/1998. Mehment Özçay.
Exhibit: My Neighbor |
Boulak Market 1
oil on paper --80 cm x 80 cm
(click to enlarge)
5000 LE (US$ 900)
Translation of calligraphy from
“Boulak Market 1”
“It is He who hath produced you from the earth
and settled you”
A levha in jail tawqi script 1418/1998. Mehment
Özçay.
Exhibit: My Neighbor
Additional entry - not shown at exhibition
(for website sale)
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Wisdom eyes over domes
oil on paper --80 cm x 80 cm
(click to enlarge)
5000 LE (US$ 900)
In “Wisdom eyes over domes”
the eyes are the Buddhist wisdom eyes I have
seen on temples in South East Asia, the domes
are influences by the beautiful buildings in old
Islamic Cairo as well as those in Istanbul where
one of my favourite buildings is the Hagia
Sophia which has been a place of worship for
both Christian and Moslem in it’s history.
Exhibit: My Neighbor
Additional entry - not shown at exhibition
(for website sale)
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Return to a Cairo of happiness,
pride and expectation
oil on canvas
(click to enlarge)
3000 LE/ (US $520)
As a
single female expatriate experiencing the
revolution I felt fear, dread and a lack of
safety, I was one of many who left the country
in the middle of it only to watch closely from
afar what amazing results ensued.
My
piece of work is a response to what I saw on my
return which was a huge national pride, great
happiness and a tangible feeling of looking to a
bright future. Seeing so many young people
cleaning the streets, painting the curb stones
and tidying their community up made a big
impression, this is represented in the painting.
Bastet as the life-preserving goddess of joy
and protector of women seemed very fitting
and she appeared in my sketchbook. The lotus
flower symbolises Egypt and the sun makes me
happy as well as being a huge element of ancient
Egyptian culture. I hope Egypt sees the results
of the revolution in a bright and peaceful
future for all.
Exhibit: The Peoples' Egypt since 25 January
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To
enquire about purchasing a painting, please
contact email:
info@oncaravan.org
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