THE YOUNG PICASSO

HAMAD AL HUMAIDHAN DISPLAYED HIS EXHIBITION “PAST TO PPRESENT” AT W DOHA HOTEL & RESIDENCES AND WE COULDN’T WAIT TO MEET THE ‘YOUNG PICASSO’ HIMSELF. FACT’S ANUSHAY TAIMUR KHAN GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN AND LEARN MORE ABOUT HIS WORK…

Hi Hamad! We are in absolute awe of your paintings. What sparked your creative talent?
Hi! It all started at the age of seven when I was living in the UK. My dad was an artist and he always liked to paint. I once saw him walking upstairs with a blank canvas and asked him if I could paint on it. And, he gave it to me. I didn’t have any imagination at that time and I remember there was a Cristiano Ronaldo poster on my floor so, I simply painted that. I added my own background to it, from my own imagination and that is when my dad saw something in me. After that, I started painting more and that’s when my dad told me that my paintings reminded him of someone. After showing him about twenty pieces, he showed me Pablo Picasso’s painting. And I said, “Look, Dad! He paints like me!”, and he said, “No, you paint like him!”.

Your exhibition revolves around the concept of “Past to Present” where you are showcasing work from 2014 – 2019. So, what are you trying to show with this comparison?
With this exhibition, I am trying to show that talent can come at any age because there are some paintings here that I did in 2014 which are better than the ones I did in 2018. So, you just have to be brave about what you know and show what you can do. And, I like the idea of past and present because I can take all the paintings that I have, mix it up with my new work and I have a collection of different paintings for my viewers to come and see. Every painting of mine has a different movement, a different story.

The concept behind your paintings varies from ‘Don’t cut yourself’ to ‘Dinner table conversation’ and the descriptions of these have such a deep meaning. What is the story behind your work?
They’re all bits and pieces from my imagination and I enjoy putting them together to see what will come out. Each painting has a story from my life but it is always incorporated with something from my imagination. I get influenced from everywhere: things I like, things I love, things that are nice to look at, the news – everything becomes art for me.

Did you feel an added pressure when you became known as ‘The Young Picasso’?
No, I never did because I was just a kid who was having fun! The Picasso title was just there, I was doing my thing for fun and it never affected me.

Did you always want to be a painter or was there something else you wanted to do?
I always wanted to be a football player, like every other kid. When I was younger, painting was just a hobby, I never thought I would pursue it professionally. But I saw people take it seriously and decided to consider being a proper artist. I enjoyed it so much that I know this is the path for me now.

For a 19-year-old you seem so calm and collected, did you ever go through a phase where you just wanted to change your career path?
If I wasn’t an artist, I would be like every other teenager. So, I am thankful that I am an artist and I have something to do in my free time. I get to create something and be proud of it so, that makes me really happy.

How do you stay so positive?
To me, there is no point of being sad because when you’re sad, you will eventually become happy. I don’t see the point of putting myself in that mood. No matter what, you have the power to change your mood. Although there are many reasons to be sad but I believe in adjusting yourself.

What do you see for yourself in the future?
I want to be as big as Picasso!

What is your message for our readers?
You have to stay happy in life. You have to produce what you like, whether it is art or acting but, if you have a talent, you should show it. Don’t hide it. That’s my motto in life. ✤