Art is subjective. But every artist needs to be given credit where credit is due. And Bahrain has no shortage of talented artists specializing in various mediums. So we thought we could shine a spotlight on some of these artists, in a segment called Local Artist in Spotlight. Our next feature? A member of Art Attack Krew, Isa a.k.a Elsees.
Isa is a surrealism and street artist. Let’s take a dive into his mind.
Local Artist in Spotlight
• Could you give our readers a general introduction about yourselves?
Isa aka Elsees, 23 years old, I’m surrealism & a grotesque artist also a street artist and I do graffiti at times. Been drawing my whole life but started taking it seriously since 2015, when it comes to expressing myself and knowing that I wanted to do it professionally and sharing it with the public. I do art for satisfaction mainly by using different mediums to express certain emotions, events, or situations that happen in life in general. Now my goal as an artist is to affect people and make them feel a certain way when they are observing my artwork.
• How and Why did you join Art Attack Krew?
Arif aka master ayfu the leader of our group approached and got in contact with me through Instagram. At the time he was still forming the group and looking for artists and I was posting in a consistent way on my page. He gave me the idea of the group and what he wanted it to be and I liked it, as an artist that is still developing himself I had the same goals but of course with different ways & ideas. So with no hesitation, I accepted the idea of joining him and the rest of the krew through this journey.
• Could you tell us a little about your process? How an idea ultimately becomes a finished piece?
It of course depends on the kind of art I’m making, but it all coming from my head. I’ll try to collect as many references as I can. So I can develop a sketch to form the main idea and put it into something I can visualize. Then with the tools and the skills that I have, I try to achieve the result that satisfies me.
•What art/artist do you most identify with/admire?
I’d like to think that I’m special, not in a narcissistic way because I think everyone is special in their own way. Therefore I appreciate all kinds of art and artists but I sway myself into surrealism and expressive arts.
•What wouldn’t you do without?
My sketchbook. It’s the thing I started with and you’ll never gonna catch me without it, I feel like it’s one of the most important things in my life, I could have an idea or feel the need to sketch something at any given time In my life.
•What memorable responses have you had to your work?
It’s always mixed responses when it comes to my art, it’s for a certain audience and I understand that so I don’t stress over any negative comments like (this is creepy or uncomfortable), either way, it shows me that it made whoever approached my artwork to feel a certain way which is my goal at the end.
•What role do you think art plays in society?
It’s a way to communicate with people and showcase who u r as a person to others. And it all depends on what you’re trying to express. If there’s a message you’re trying to send to people, why not do it with something that can satisfy you.
•Theres this famous saying, “all good art comes from misery”. Do you agree with that?
I agree, but it’s all perspective at the end of the day. Everyone has reference points and based on that their misery is different from one person to another. But if you can use it will you can create wonderful art.
•What’s the biggest obstacle you have run into while pursuing art?
Putting myself in a box & not believing in my abilities and what I can do. I feel like at a certain point in myself I wasn’t really expressive in my art which took me nowhere didn’t do much for me so I kinda stopped caring. But I found that my sketchbook is the best thing to have and the best getaway plan so I continued doing art and actually drawing what I feel.
Local Artist in Spotlight Indeed!
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