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| Friday, September 10, 2010 |
| Portrait of HM’s expression of joy wins top honour in ‘Qaboos Oman’ contest |
MUSCAT Leading Omani artist Saud Al Hunaini’s portrayal of a pleasant expression of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said won the top honours in the ‘Qaboos Oman’ painting contest.
The winners of the national competition to create the best portrait of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said were announced at the grand finale held under the auspices of HH Sayyid Shihab Bin Tariq Al Said on Monday.
Indian artists Heena Kothary and TC Suresh won the second and third prizes respectively depicting the royal grandeur of His Majesty the Sultan in their paintings.
Fahad Abdullah Al Zadjali, Adham Ismail Hamdan Al Farsi and Nizar Khalid Al Mishrif were the other three artists among the six short-listed finalists who received consolation prizes while all participants received certificates of appreciation from the guest of honour.
The high profile event at Al Bustan Palace Hotel was attended by dignitaries, diplomats, senior government and private sector officials. The competition, which created a buzz in the artistic circles, was hosted by BankMuscat in association with the Omani Society for Fine Arts on the occasion of the 39th National Day.
Shihab said the competition was a good initiative. “It provided an opportunity for the artists to showcase their talents.”
Sheikh AbdulMalik Bin Abdullah Al Khalili, Chairman of BankMuscat, said: “BankMuscat is delighted to note that the ‘Qaboos Oman’ national painting contest set in motion a unique celebration to mark the 39th National Day. BankMuscat always leads by example and the competition was a novel initiative, which united the nation to reflect on the magnificent development and progress achieved by the Sultanate during the past 39 years under the vision of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said. In a befitting tribute to His Majesty the Sultan, the outcome of this exercise has enriched the Omani arts and culture.”
Over 200 artists participated in the competition at three branches of the Omani Society for Fine Arts in Muscat, Salalah and Buraimi. Six paintings were short-listed and judged by an expert panel constituted by the Omani Society for Fine Arts alongside an SMS voting campaign for the top prizes. The short-listed entries were displayed on popular websites to generate nation-wide participation in the SMS voting process.
AbdulRazak Ali Issa, Chief Executive of BankMuscat, said “This is the first time a competition of this kind is being launched in the Sultanate. For nearly three decades, BankMuscat has launched several initiatives to unite the nation as a family. The competition complemented BankMuscat’s involvement in national events and activities and we feel a sense of deep pride in associating with artists to showcase their works as a genuine tribute to His Majesty the Sultan. We are greatly encouraged by the strong response to the competition, which has produced some outstanding work of art.”
The competition started on November 10 and artists were given eight days to complete their works. The SMS voting campaign generated nation-wide excitement for the competition.
Saud Al Hunaini said the competition was a great initiative to mark the 39th National Day. “I entered the competition not knowing that I will win the top prize, but the intention was to come up with a genuine work of art which will be an expression of our sincere thanks and appreciation to His Majesty the Sultan for everything done for the country, the youth and the field of fine arts.”
Al Hunaini said, “The photograph I chose was not an easy one to recreate, especially the smiling face and sparkling eyes of His Majesty the Sultan. I put my heart and soul into the painting and worked non-stop during the eight-day competition. I used all my artistic skills to complete the painting with satisfaction. I feel confident that I gave my best effort to produce a realistic painting of His Majesty the Sultan.”
“The opportunity for artists to work together was a unique experience. We shared ideas and helped each other, contributing to a fulfilling creative experience,” Al Hunaini said.
“I am very happy to get the prize. This is an opportunity to say thanks to His Majesty the Sultan for all that he has done for the youth and in the field of fine arts,” Hunaini, who is a full-time artist told Oman Tribune.
“I took six days to complete the portrait. It was really tough,” he said. And I used the oil medium for the portrait, he said.
Second prize winner Heena Kothary, who is a homemaker, said she was participating in a professional competition for the first time. “I took seven days to complete the portrait,” she said. “I have been residing in the Sultanate for the past 13-years. And I teach art to people.”
TC Suresh, the winner of the third prize, said that he took around a week to complete the portrait. “I am basically an artist and I work as a supervisor of interior decorative painting with Services and Trade Company (STC),” he said.
“Three artists from our company participated in the competition. This is the first time, I have participated in a professional competition. And I am happy to have won a prize,” he said.
Maryam Mohammed Al Zadjali, Director of the Omani Society for Fine Arts, said, “The ‘Qaboos Oman’ competition has conveyed the nation’s feelings and sentiment towards our beloved leader His Majesty the Sultan. We are greatly encouraged by the strong response from the artist community to the competition. This was a rare opportunity for upcoming artists in Oman to share the same platform with accomplished artists and learn from their techniques. The competition created a festival mood among the artists, who were determined to make it a grand success. We are proud to be associated with BankMuscat in organising this great initiative.”
BankMuscat’s participation in this initiative stemmed from its firm commitment which calls for involvement in national events and achievements realised during the last 39 glorious years of His Majesty the Sultan’s wise rule. For nearly three decades, BankMuscat is in the forefront of establishments that have participated in a series of events and activities, notably the recent ‘Together for a Happier Eid’ campaign in collaboration with Omantel, conceived as the biggest private-public partnership in Oman benefiting less privileged children.
A Staff Reporter
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