A Prelude To The Soul: Saudi Artist Ghaida Al Ghanim On Finding A Safe Haven Within Creativity
“All art has a message to communicate, and it is a universal language – but one that everyone perceives differently…”
The Saudi youth are undoubtedly playing an integral role in not only leading the creative scene in the Kingdom, but also capturing it in a truly innovative way. Among them is Saudi artist and medical student, Ghaida Al Ghanim, who never majored in Art, but was raised in an arts-loving family. “Our family has incubated several artists, including my cousin, who introduced me to the world of painting in my childhood,” Ghaida explains, who didn’t begin to dabble in the arts world until high school. “It was all by chance that I became an artist, but the support of my family was the real influence to my art career,” she notes.
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Just one glance at Ghaida’s colourful Instagram account (@gee.gaga) transports you into her world, where she says she sees art as reflective of her “freedom of expression,” she notes. “All art has a message to communicate, and it is a universal language – but one that everyone perceives differently. My work seeks to portray trending social topics such as raising awareness of psychological health, combating racism, and supporting feminism.” She goes on to describe one of her works that depicts a woman’s womb with an eye in the middle, explaining that it was made in celebration of International Women’s Day.
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The eye is dynamically present in several of her pieces, and Ghaida describes it as a representation of “everything that matters”, since she sees it as the prelude to the soul and the gateway to feelings and emotions. “I want the eye to become my personal signature as an artist, so that everyone can immediately recognise my art once it’s there.”
Discussing how she suffered from depression at one point, Ghaida acknowledges that art was her rescue. “I lovingly express my inner thoughts through painting, which is a key reason why I embraced art in the first place. It was my best means of expression and my way to escape the darkness of depression.”
At only 23 years old, she has managed to attract significant attention, evident in her social-media following, published interviews, and having her work displayed in several local art galleries. Finding time to study medicine, however, is still a priority, although she notes it’s a hard path to pursue. “My major occupies plenty of my time and thus hinders my involvement in art, yet I find it a true source of inspiration that helps me generate ideas so much of the time,” she explains, adding, “Even though I’m willing to practice medicine in the future, I would never give up on art. It will always be the hobby that I love besides my work in medicine.”
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On the topic of her favourite piece, Ghaida likened the question to being asked about a favourite child – but she settled on the Khamsa hand painted in the style of mosaics. “I’d been working on this piece on and off over the course of five years and finally completed it during quarantine. This painting was my companion in both sad and happy moments over that past year.” And as for the future? The young artist dreams of her art travelling beyond the limits of her space, eventually reaching all people who would sense her heart-warming message. “I only hope I can be of help to others – whether through my art or my practice of medicine,” she told us. Our conclusion? She’s helping already.
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From Harper’s Bazaar Saudi Spring 2021 Issue