Saber Bamatraf <br />صابر بامطرف
| Saber Bamatraf صابر بامطرف | |
|---|---|
| Saber BamatrafSaber Bamatraf - Pic-.jpg Saber Bamatraf in 2022 | |
| Born | Saber Bamatraf June 5, 1988 Aden, Democratic Yemen (now Yemen) |
| 🏫 Education | Universiti Utara Malaysia |
| 💼 Occupation | Pianist, Composer |
| 📆 Years active | 2014–present |
| 👩 Spouse(s) | Shatha Altowai (m. 2014–present) |
| 🏅 Awards | Artist Protection Fund Fellowship Award (2020–2021) |
| 🌐 Website | www |
Saber Bamatraf (Script error: The function "langx" does not exist.) is a Yemeni pianist and composer, living in Edinburgh. He is known for his original instrumental music and contemporary adaptations of Yemeni folk songs.[1][2][3] Bamatraf is also known for his artistic collaboration with his wife, Yemeni visual artist Shatha Altowai.[1][3][4][5][6][7]
Early life and education
Saber Bamatraf was born in 1988, in Aden (Democratic Yemen, now Yemen) to a Hadhrami family originally from Ghayl Ba Wazir. He attended elementary school in Ghayl Ba Wazir before moving to the capital, Sana'a, where he spent most of his life. in 2013, Bamatraf graduated with a Bachelor of Information Technology with honours from Universiti Utara Malaysia, completing his studies at the university's Sana'a branch.[8]
During his university years, Bamatraf met Shatha Altowai, a fellow student pursuing the same degree. The two married in August 2014, shortly before fall of Sana'a to the Houthi rebels, a significant turning point in the escalation of the Yemeni civil war and their lives.[9]
Although Bamatraf did not formally study music, it remained his lifelong passion, which he began practicing in childhood using a small keyboard owned by his elder brother.[2][10] His interest in piano developed through his early exposure to the classical music, which influenced his style and musical direction.[2][10]
Early career in Yemen
After graduating in 2013, Saber Bamatraf began working in the humanitarian sector with the International Committee of the Red Cross in Sana'a.[2] Although he had been playing the piano since childhood, Bamatraf considers his marriage to Shatha Altowai in August 2014 was the start of his musical journey.[5] He has credited Altowai's art as a significant influence that encouraged him to share his music publicly and integrate their artistic expressions.[11] [7]
Following their marriage, Bamatraf began focusing on composing original pieces, which culminated in his debut album, Turning Point.[2][8] He frequently performed his compositions at public events in Yemen, many of which showcased the collaborative work of the couple.[12][13] In addition to solo performances, Bamatraf joined group efforts, notably performing with the Yemeni musical band Qanbus in 2016.[14]
Struggle during wartime
In July 2015, Bamatraf's home was damaged in a Saudi-led Coalition airstrike that hit a neighbouring building, forcing him and his wife to become displaced.[15][1][6] Although Bamatraf was not at home during the airstrike, he and Altowai were devastated to find many of their art materials destroyed.[9] However, the survival of Bamatraf's piano amid the wreckage provided them with a moment of relief during this challenging time.[9] According to the couple, navigating the public sphere as an artistic couple in Yemen presented significant challenges, particularly due to the country’s conservative and patriarchal norms, where it is uncommon for men to encourage their wives to engage in public life or pursue artistic careers.[16] [17][18] [9][12] The ongoing conflict further intensified these obstacles.[19]
Despite these challenges, Bamatraf and Altowai continued to engage in various artistic and public events across Yemen. He has described his artistic activism as a means of resilience and self-expression,[2] providing a way to confront and navigate the hardships imposed by war and societal constraints. These experiences influenced his compositions, many of which reflect themes of struggle and perseverance.[12][11][1]
Voice of the Rainbow (2018)
Bamatraf's story and his artistic collaboration with his wife Altowai gained wider attention and were featured in a short documentary titled Voice of the Rainbow (Script error: The function "langx" does not exist.),[20][1] which was selected to be screened at the Karama Human Rights Film Festival that was supposed to take place in Sana'a in October 2018.[21]
The poster for the film, depicting Bamatraf and his wife surrounded by art and music materials, led to a controversy from the Houthi rebel group,[21] resluting in the suspension of the festival and threats against the couple, forcing them to suspend their public art practice during their remaining time in Yemen.[1][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]
Move to Edinburgh
In November 2021, Saber Bamatraf relocated to Edinburgh after being awarded the Artist Protection Fund Fellowship. Edinburgh served as his host city, providing him the opportunity to resume his artistic endeavours after years of challenges in a conflict-ridden environment.[5][19][8] During this time, he composed and independently released an album titled Embrace from Edinburgh[8][19], featuring seven New Age tracks inspired by his experiences and the sense of peace he found in Edinburgh's natural and historical landscapes.[28][2]
In addition to the album, Bamatraf composed a standalone track, The White Canvas, which was created specifically for The White Canvas exhibition by his wife, Shatha Altowai. The track was linked to a white painting of her paintings from the Family Series that was entitled in the exhibition as There Was a Family Here.[29]
Bamatraf and Altowai further collaborated with Art27Scotland to co-create a short play titled Saber Came to Tea. In this production, the couple played the main roles, with Bamatraf performing four of his compositions on stage, accompanied by two other musicians.[30][31][32]This was followed by their participation in the Art as a Tool of Peace exhibition at Edinburgh Law School, where the launch featured a piano performance by Bamatraf and a speech by Altowai.[33][34]
After completing his fellowship, Bamatraf joined Art27Scotland as an Artist-in-Residence and project coordinator. As part of this role, he re-presented Saber Came to Tea at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2022.[8][30] In June 2023, Bamatraf supported the launch of the Festival of Migration[8] and has given a keynote speech at the Res Artis conference that was held at University College London in September 2023.[35][36]
In 2024, Bamatraf joined the musical ensemble The Other as a pianist. During their Edinburgh Festival Fringe performance, he and Altowai collaborated with the ensemble on a multimedia piece titled Just Like Her Mum, integrating music and visual storytelling.[37][38]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "Yemen to Edinburgh - Our Journey to Creative Freedom, Loop" (video). BBC Scotland. 30 July 2022. Retrieved 2024-12-18 – via YouTube.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "موسيقى صابر بامطرف لوحات تتغنى بالسكينة وجمال الطبيعة" [Music by Saber Bamatraf, Paintings that celebrate tranquillity and the beauty of nature] (in العربية). Monte Carlo Doualiya. 2023-12-14. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 ديوان بلقيس: صابر بامطرف.. فنان يقدم الموسيقى اليمنية بشكل معاصر للعالم [Diwan Balqis, "Saber Bamutraf" .. An artist presents Yemeni music in a contemporary way to the world] (in العربية). 2023-12-12. Retrieved 2024-12-23 – via YouTube.
- ↑ حكاية الصباح مع صابر بامطرف عازف البيانو والمؤلف موسيقى (in العربية). Yemen Today TV. 2024-01-16. Retrieved 2024-12-10.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "الجزيرة هذا الصباح - لماذا يظهر إبداع العربي بوضوح في المهجر والغربة؟" [Why does Arab creativity clearly appear in the diaspora and abroad?] (video) (in العربية). AlJazeera TV. 2021. Retrieved 2024-12-18 – via YouTube.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "When the Music Stops: Yemen, Art and War, Documentary on Raytheon selling weapons to Saudi Arabia". Declassified UK. March 2022. Retrieved 2024-12-18 – via YouTube.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Alshameri, Asem (2016-05-12). "احدى عشرة فكرة تستحق الانتشار" [Eleven Ideas Worth Spreading]. YemenToday Newspaper - Youth Supplement (in العربية) (1370).
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 "صابر بامطرف..فنان يمني قاده شغفه إلى العالمية" [Bamutraf.. A Yemeni artist whose passion led him to international fame] (in العربية). ريشة. March 2023.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Al-Eryani, Hind (2020-06-05). "هند الإرياني: " شذى وصابر… بين الحب والفن والحرب "" [Hind Al-Eryani: "Shadha and Saber... between love, art and war"] (in العربية). Monte Carlo Doualiya. Retrieved 2024-12-21.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Ghanem, Manal (October 10, 2018). "The Creative Process of Love and Art". Al-Madaniya Magazine. Retrieved 2024-12-23.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Voice of the Rainbow (Documentary). YWTOrg. 2019-05-12. Retrieved 2024-12-27 – via YouTube.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 "اليمن.. فن وحرب ورومانسية" [Yemen.. Art, War and Romance]. Alhurra TV. 2024. Retrieved 2024-12-18 – via YouTube.
- ↑ Al-Hayat, Ali Salem (May 1, 2017). "اليمن ... فن وحرب وأرامل" [Yemen... Art, War and Widows]. Marib Press (in العربية). مأرب برس - علي سالم - الحياة. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
- ↑ فرقة القنبوس- مجموعة من الشباب تنشئ فرقة موسيقية للخروج من واقع الحرب [Al Qanbous Band - A group of young people form a musical band to escape the reality of war] (in العربية). Al Mayadeen TV. 2016-12-26. Retrieved 2024-12-21 – via YouTube.
- ↑ Fisher, Mark (18 October 2019). "I Have Met the Enemy (and the Enemy Is Us) review – ticking bomb of Britain's arms trade". The Guardian. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
- ↑ Zvouloun, Shy (2021-10-07). "'Scratched Identities': Shatha Altowai on Creating Art in Yemen". University of Edinburgh's Gender.ED. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
- ↑ "تقرير برنامج شبابيك: نساء يكسرن العادات والتقاليد". Al Araby (TV channel). 8 March 2018. Retrieved 2024-12-18 – via YouTube.
- ↑ "Scratched Identities". University of Edinburgh. 2021-10-07. Retrieved 2024-12-25.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 "Finding home through art". Edinburgh Global, University of Edinburgh. August 14, 2024. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
- ↑ Sreib, Nour (2021-09-01). "الفن من منظور جديد بعد سنوات من ممارسته في الحرب" [Shaza Al-Tawi: My journey is inspiring... Now I practice art from a new perspective after years of practicing it in war]. Al-Watan Today (in العربية). الوطن اليوم. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Mutahhar, Maysaa (2018-10-21). "افتراق الحب والفن في قاموس تجار الدين في اليمن" [The separation of love and art in the dictionary of religious merchants in Yemen]. Global Voices (in العربية). جلوبال فويسز. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
- ↑ "عدن تحتفل بتراث الشعوب والحوثي يوقف مهرجاناً للسينما في صنعاء" (in العربية). نيوز يمن. 2018-10-04. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
- ↑ ""كرامة اليمن" للأفلام القصيرة: إلغاء واتهامات" (in العربية). العربي الجديد. 2018-10-06. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
- ↑ "مليشيا الحوثي تلغي مهرجان كرامة اليمن لافلام حقوق الانسان والسبب صورة!" (in العربية). اليمن الاتحادي. 2018-10-04. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
- ↑ "بسبب "صوت قزح " جماعة الحوثي تمنع مهرجانا فنيا في صنعاء" (in العربية). المشاهد. 2018-10-03. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
- ↑ "الحوثيون يمنعون تنظيم مهرجان للأفلام القصيرة بصنعاء" (in العربية). العاصمة أونلاين. 2018-10-04. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
- ↑ "بسبب "بوستر الفيلم " جماعة الحوثي تمنع مهرجان فني في صنعاء" (in العربية). يمن الآن. 2018-09-29. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
- ↑ "TheWhiteCanvas-OnlineCatalogue" (PDF). IASH, University of Edinburgh. July 2021. p. 22. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
- ↑ "TheWhiteCanvas-OnlineCatalogue" (PDF). IASH, University of Edinburgh. July 2021. p. 4. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 "Edinburgh Festival Fringe enjoys slice of Yemeni life with Saber Came to Tea". The National. 2022-08-06. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
- ↑ "الموروث اليمني على خشبة مسرح إسكتلندي" [Yemeni heritage on a Scottish stage] (in العربية). شباب هاوس. 2021-10-17. Retrieved 2024-12-23.
- ↑ "Saber Came to Tea". Scottish Council on Archives. 2024. Retrieved 2024-12-23.
- ↑ "Art as a Tool of Peace Exhibition Launch". PeaceRep. 2021-12-16. Retrieved 2024-12-25.
- ↑ "Art as a Tool for Peace: Exhibition Launch and Reception". Edinburgh Law School. 2021-11-24. Retrieved 2024-12-25.
- ↑ Opie, Jon (2023-10-03). "Re-thinking artist residencies". Arts Professional. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
- ↑ "Designing Residencies for Everyone, Insights from the Acme x Res Artis Global Conference". Artists Studio Museum Network. October 2023. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
- ↑ White, Zoë (2024-07-27). "Interview: The Other". Fest Magazine. Archived from the original on 2024-12-27. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
- ↑ "Interview: Ian Mackechnie, 'The Other'". Theatre and Tonic. July 27, 2024. Archived from the original on 2024-12-25. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
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