Layla Al Ammari

Saudi-Dutch self-taught contemporary artist based in Bahrain. I create colorful mixed-media pieces that examine the relationship between self and community. Growing up in culturally rich Bahrain, I have been heavily influenced by the Arabic art style and landscape, as well as my own relationship with culture. When I paint I like to play, and I layer with collage, pen, ink, acrylic, oil pastel, and whatever else I can get my hands on. Even when working on more rigid architectural pieces, I strive to maintain a more playful approach. I am particularly drawn to the use of color as a means of contemporizing traditional themes - calligraphy, palm trees, mosques, and recognizable urban landscapes.