The Art of Love and the Love of Art
A vibrant piece of love letters by Ola Hejazi.
‘Theme-special’ featured Saudi artist, Ola Hejazi, whose dynamic art captures stories of people, of love and of life in unique vibrant kaleidoscope colors and styles.
Over the years the renowned Saudi artist Ola Hejazi has been leaving a sentimental mark on the art scene, through her dynamic heart-felt pieces. “My paintings are part of my art journal life,” she told Ithraeyat in an interview. “They are my secret diary. My memory. Oscar Wilde once said: ‘Memory is the diary that we all carry about us.’” From vibrant stories of people and their relationships to each
other, and their relationships with a place, Ms. Hejazi’s art pieces are as diverse as her style. She uses the Arabic alphabet, different print ink and formats. Many of her pieces are influenced by a lifetime of frequent relocation and attempts in reconstructing memories that were abruptly left behind. Her art is a documentation of objects and memories that brings fleeting memories of the past. “You can see a lot just by
observation,” she said. “The more you look at the painting, the more detail you discover. I am more like my paintings, where you can’t know me from the first sight.” In the delicate cover art of a girl holding a flower, there is more than one possible interpretation of the art piece. “It could mean that the fragrance always stays in the hand that gives and receives the rose. Or, take a deep breath to smell the rose, and start a new life,” she said. With over eight solo exhibitions and numerous international engagements in exhibitions and symposiums across Saudi Arabia, UAE, Europe and beyond, the award-winning artist has loved art from a young age, where her teachers saw her a budding artist. Ola now holds a Bachelor’s degree in
Arabic Language, and a Diploma in Educational Psychology, as well as a degree in Experimental Techniques for Etching Images. “I am reborn with every painting I make,” she said. When asked to define love, a theme revisited in several of her artworks, she said, “Love is just love, it can never be explained.” The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world, and “as an artist, my thoughts also changed,” she said. “During this period, I try to paint for joy. Also it’s important to review my old paintings in order to develop and renew myself artistically.” “I believe that art is the breath of life, the sound of the soul, and it’s my sound to the world.” As for her personal motto: “Be real, be unique, be honest, be humble, be yourself and never give up.”
