The Monthly interviews Yemeni Cultural Visual Artist, Salwa Alsharabi – Part 1 – Art and Design

Earliest memories of being attracted to the arts?

My very first memory was drawing cartoon characters and painting wooden and ceramic ornaments. I particularly liked painting on glass and silk. However, glass was fragile and silk tore and I recall the disappointment when this happened.

Did you get any support at home or at school?

Both. I was lucky in that my parents did all they could to nurture my creativity. They saw early on that I was artistic and were fortunately in a position to nurture my abilities. They ensured a supply of drawing pads, crayons, paints, whatever they thought I needed.

At that time in Yemen, art materials were limited but my parents were determined enough to support me that, when necessary, they would bring material from abroad. That I was artistic was also recognised at school. Teachers and fellow pupils regularly called on my skills in a variety of ways, including design, drawing and writing for the school magazine, plus all sorts of other school projects.

Did you do any tertiary study?

I was initially drawn toward architecture, also interior design. However, opportunities to study either were limited at that time in Yemen. I looked outside of Yemen and even enrolled on an online American University course for Interior Design. I studied online for almost a year, working at the same time. However, online study meant there were no opportunities to interact with other students, exchange ideas, grow. There was no enjoyment or pleasure and I dropped out.

I was fortunate in that my work life provided me with a range of opportunities to continue developing my artistic skills, especially in design, graphic design, photography, visual art and mixed media printing. Eventually, eleven years later, I returned to study and secured a University Degree in Professional Design.

How did you develop your craft?

Art was always my joy and passion, expressed daily through my work, leisure and every day life.  To use a well-worn cliche, it really was art for the sake of art. Design, drawing, photography, creating something visibly artistic, something beautiful was for me as natural as breathing. I loved all aspects but especially working with others, supporting others as I had been supported, encouraging and nurturing, even inspiring, for me that was a delight and gave me great satisfaction and pleasure.

A turning point in how I viewed art came when I went to work at a global human rights organisation. During field-work visits I heard moving stories of suffering and abuse inflicted on children, families, the young and the old, people from all walks of life, especially women. I felt, as I had not previously, the need to use my artistic abilities to tell these stories, to raise consciousness, to try to effect change. I chose photography as the best and most powerful means for me to tell these stories to the widest possible audience.