ShareKUWAIT: The Creative Printmaking Conference, held for the second consecutive year, concluded on Saturday with an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, themed “Oasis.” Dr Jawaher Al-Bader, the conference founder, spoke about the humble beginnings of the conference in a conversation with Kuwait Times. She said what started with a basic printer in its first year has now expanded to include lectures, discussions, and 20 workshops, featuring at least seven distinct printing techniques.
The exhibition showcased the works of over 150 participants from Kuwait and abroad. According to Al-Bader, one of the standout features of this year’s event, which began on January 5, was the poster competition, a collaborative project with 25 to 27 participants.
Dr Al-Bader explained that the “Oasis” concept represents the printing studio as a meeting place—a sanctuary for creativity, collaboration, and learning. She emphasized that the printing process is multilayered, requiring teamwork and interaction. “For instance, you begin by preparing the board, then wetting it, painting the plate, and finally pressing it onto the paper. If I struggle with any step, I turn to the ‘oasis’ for support, much like how people in a desert seek water, dates, and companionship at an oasis,” she said.
Describing this approach as a “holistic teaching method,” Dr Al-Bader emphasized her goal of creating environments where students collaborate, share, and grow together—a model that could inspire transformative change in schools. She also reflected on the unique and historical significance of printing, calling it a vital art form with deep roots in human communication, dating back 40,000 years to the earliest cave prints. Even today, printing continues to connect us to our past.
Musaed Al-Zamil, Assistant Secretary-General for Arts at the National Council for Culture, Arts, and Letters, said in a speech that his department was committed to supporting the growing interest in creative printing. He expressed gratitude to the pioneers and youth whose efforts contributed to the success of the conference, enriching the artistic movement. Al-Zamil affirmed the National Council’s ongoing support for cultural and artistic initiatives, highlighting the upcoming year of events, seminars, festivals, and conferences as part of Kuwait’s designation as the Arab Capital of Culture and Media in 2025.
The event concluded with the awarding of competition winners, alongside lecturers Gabriel Feld, an architect, artist, and teacher; Kelli Glancey, an artist, printmaker, illustrator, and educator; Thomas Bosket, a color theory expert and Dr Fahad Dhawi, Assistant Professor of Typography and Graphic Communication Design in Kuwait.
The conference featured at least seven distinct types of printing, including satin printing, silk printing, wood printing, sunlight printing, digital printing (risograph), linoleum printing, and more.
