Interview: Badr Ali

Central Saint Martins BA Fine Art student Badr Ali uses classical motifs in his oil paintings and composes them in unique custom canvases. He has already been in quite a few exhibitions, successful for a 2 year student, and even featured on The John Langan Band's album cover. What I like most about his pieces are the contrasting practicalities of the work. You have the tediousness of creating the custom canvases alongside the patience needed to paint with oil to light an explosion of textural elements. Tied in with the non-traditional rectangles canvases, Badr Ali's captivating pieces allows the viewer to escape the norms of the white cube. 

You explore artists materials and use them to their limits. You reject the rectangle canvases and create new shapes to frame your pieces, achieving what most create with digital software translating that into the physical, are you creating a comment between digital and traditional tools?

 Initially, it was not my intention. My choice or preference of not to using traditional shaped surfaces (rectangles or squares) stem from my own personal observation as to how overused I think they are. You go to galleries and exhibitions and you look at what’s around you, taking the art out of the environment and really observing the forms in your surroundings, you’ll notice that in most cases you are in a rectangular shaped space, surrounded by rectangular shaped objects hanging on rectangular shaped walls. So I made it a personal decision to make my own shaped surfaces in order to break out and element of the routine. It just so happens that in doing so, it brought up questions and discussions about the “graphic” nature or quality that came along with it.

Could you explain the process of creating a customized canvas?

 Firstly, I decide on the subject matter I am going to paint, because in most cases I use the shaped canvases as a sort of “cropping” tool. I would have the whole planned painting first, and then generate the shape in which I am going to strategically place and crop the painting. After that, I simply cut the board in the shape I decided to use, and build the frame from the back to support it. Some complicated shapes require automated laser-cutting, but most of the time I like to make them from scratch by myself.

How much thought goes into creating a final piece?

 I would say it’s a crucial process before even thinking of getting the materials to “make”. I’m a firm believer in planning before acting, however I do not dismiss any sudden developments in the process of making that could gear me away from what I’ve planned to create, so I keep an open mind. But most likely you’ll see me carrying around multiple sketches and potential plans and annotations before I actually start making anything.

What is the reaction you wish to gain from the viewer?

 That’s a tricky one, mainly because I am in the process in transitioning into a new practice that focuses on the materiality of the work, so I have no yet experienced an audience’s reaction. I have no expectations in the type of reactions I get for my work, but previously, my practice was more based on the objectivity of appeal. I re-created classical Victorian paintings that were very skill-based and were essentially created in the 17th-18th century for them to be bought, however I re-used them and re-purposed them for the mere quality they had in which they were universally and objectively accepted as “beautiful”. I attempted to interpret them in my shaped canvases that really changed their purpose. The reactions I got was that I brought what was valuable then to what is valuable now, and that to me is a big compliment.

How would you describe the difference between the art industry in Saudi Arabia and in London?

The art industry in London is one of first to be established, as it’s considered a capital for the scene. In a recent discussion with the director of Whitechapel gallery Iwona Blazwick at Central Saint Martins, she said that London is definitely “the place to be” when it comes to art, but I can proudly say that the art industry in Saudi Arabia is now thriving. Although it is still in it’s early stages, it is definitely booming. And we’ve got to thank organizations such as Athr Gallery and Edge of Arabia for this, because they give Saudi artists a valuable platform to express through art. Recently there was the Jeddah Art Week event that displayed an enormous amount of Middle Eastern talent that I am so envious to not have been able to take part of, but from what I seen through social media I am very impressed.

What would you say is your most defining moment as a young artist?I would have to say it was the feedback and outcome after my first independent exhibition. The response was beyond what I have ever imagined I would get.
I’ve had multiple interviews, sold work, got published in a couple of magazines which in turn gave me new opportunities to exhibit my work. I got photographed by the awesome Chris Brock who has heard about my work, I even got recognition from a few big names back in Saudi, and so on – it was all so hard to digest. It was only then that I realized “oh wow… I’m actually an artist.” I still can’t get over it.

Do you feel any pressure being a Saudi Arabian artist?

Not really. I’ve had a very diverse upbringing. And I have been brought up to always consider the implications of my actions based on my own logic and morals, which I think are a part of my identity. I stand up for what I believe in and make sure that my execution in expression is neutral and unbiased. While I acknowledge that the country I’m representing follows a particular cultural rubric, I do believe there are multiple ways of expressing anything you want, the only “pressure” per se, is finding the “appropriate” method.

Who are your favorite contemporary artists?

Although I’m primarily a sucker for classical painters like Von Dyke, Cabanel and John Martin, I recently went to a Richard Hamilton exhibition at Tate modern, I think he’s currently my new favorite. Chuck Close and John Currin are up there as well :P

Badr Ali has kindly given me a sneak peak of his works in progress and cosy studio space!