Ms. Malhas – Who They Think I Am . 2020.

Description

“A work of art which did not begin with emotion is not art.”

In her early childhood, Ms. Malhas grew up surrounded by art. Being creative was essential and encouraged by her late father; she is a self-taught artist.

Farah’s father would often say, “An artist never makes mistakes, never erase anything.” This has become the focal point of her work. She uses mixed media (predominantly oil, acrylic, and spray paint) on large canvases; her signature size is 200 x 180 cm and combines heavy Arabic poetic verses with fun Disney/cartoon characters to get a specific message across.

Ms. Malhas is mostly inspired by her own collage of sorrow and tragedy. This specific work style has become a means of therapy and a way to make light of heavy situations, the first of which was the untimely passing of her father in early 2012.

The calligraphy and paint in her work bleed, symbolizing the tears she cried over his loss. The pieces are messy and sometimes incomplete, just like life.