Conceptually Driven
I have never thought it necessary to categorize my art work, nor have I found it imperative even to name each piece. I read a lot, travel a lot, and everything I encounter affects my work. It is not just when I am in my studio that I am creating art; I think about it all the time. I often work with many kinds of forms and images, but try to delve into them to discover new forms and create new meanings.
I compose pieces that I hope will engage and challenge the viewer to reach new levels of understanding, though not without effort.
The conceptual has always been the most important aspect of my work, regardless of the medium in which I am working. In fact, it is the concept behind the work that dictates my choice of medium whichever I believe conveys my intended meaning best. Needless to say, I do not render concepts for a specific purpose or with the intent of conveying some clear-cut meaning. I am simply ‘doing’ things, that's all; the concepts are there but there are other things at play as well, and there are many other ideas to seek out.
Art is universal and I don't see myself as an artist from the Middle East or from the West. That being said, I am wary of the negative aspects of globalization. Indeed, something that makes globalization what it is, is the lack of a critical approach towards contemporary production. This is something I am very aware of, and something that encourages me to find my inspiration not only in art history but in everyday life as well.
I draw my inspiration from my readings, from my work as a filmmaker, from everything around me. I cannot feel but connected to the context around me, which is why my work is about the recurring themes of war, displacement and loss of identity. I use all artistic media to convey my vision. Since 2003, everything I do is related to the war. Everything I did up to that point was executed in the right way but I was doing it all for the wrong reasons.
Mahmoud Obaidi
Toronto
