INSPIRED BY HAFEERA PLAIN 2006

Rashid Al Khalifa made this painting, Inspired by Hafeera Plain, through what seems to be a very physical engagement with paint. The brushstrokes are visible and energetic, especially in the foreground, creating a dynamic surface. Notice how the colors are layered, with greens and blues dominating, yet punctuated by touches of yellow, suggesting sunlight catching the landscape. The paint seems applied both thinly and thickly, allowing for transparency in some areas and impasto in others. Look at how the artist uses short, choppy strokes to build texture and form, especially in the trees and the land, giving the impression of wind moving through the scene. The distant horizon and sky are rendered with softer strokes, which adds depth and atmosphere. It makes me think of Constable, who was always trying to capture the fleeting effects of light and weather. But the way Al Khalifa handles paint feels more immediate and expressive, less about representation and more about the experience of being in the landscape. Like all good painting, it is the feeling of the piece that stays with you, rather than what is depicted.