Omar Houssrey
Artwork’s Title: Nothing Is Absolute
Materials Used: Indian ink and graphite on hot pressed cotton paper
Studio Based: Marbella, Málaga, Spain
Can you tell us about the process of making your work?
It varies, occasionally it is unplanned and intuitive, other times I might have an image or a phrase in mind that I will explore by sketching/doodling. I enjoy going through books, museums as well as listening to lectures from which I will take photographs and write notes of things that I find relatable, in hopes that they spark some new ideas. In short, it’s pretty much driven by a gut feeling. While I work, blasting music or podcasts through my earphones helps to drown out any self doubt until I become lost in the moment.
How would you define your work in a few words (ideally in 3 words)?
Spontaneous, introspective, expressive.
How did you come up with the idea of ‘Nothing is absolute’? Is there any story behind this artwork?
This one was simply just thinking about how nothing stays neutral, everything is always oscillating.
Are specific artworks created by random experiments in your studio or do you always come up with a particular concept or narrative in the very beginning?
A bit of both. I would say I think about the project more than I think about the individual artwork. That gives me an opportunity to experiment and try things although when I do have a specific concept that feels substantial I like to express it.
Is there any particular theme that utterly triggers you to engage your art with?
The human experience would be the right umbrella term, but some more personal themes I have faced surround a mixed cultural identity as well as dysfunctional and authoritarian leadership.
What would be the best way to exhibit your work?
Anyway it is accessible for people to see it, galleries, lounge spaces, homes etc… I like the idea of collaging the artworks so that they look like a train of thought.
Can you mention any artists you, lately or generally, take inspiration from?
I get inspired by different artists over time, as of recently Eddie Martinez’s bold brush strokes are inspiring me to be more unreserved in my own work.
Do you ever wonder if additional work was needed, when an artwork’s making process is finished?
I usually stop when I feel adding more will ruin it, or when it becomes visually unbalanced.
What about the place where you work? What’s your studio space look like?
My studio space is also a shared storage space… So it can look like a dump, but I stay organised when I can. Luckily it can get spacious when it is tidy, allowing me to use larger surfaces to draw on.
What does your mum think about your art?
She’s ok with it, she prefers things to be colourful, which will hopefully be the case some time in the future.
Which exhibition did you visit last?
Miki leal and Pedro Cabrita Reis’s exhibition at the CAC Málaga was my last in-person visit.
Which are your plans for the near future?
Creating more work, creating meaningful connections in the art world as well as to exhibit and sell.
Additional Artworks
All images are courtesy of the artist