A very dear friend on Twitter invited me to an exclusive art exhibition in American University of Kuwait (AUK) featuring the work of Matt Lamb, an American artist t, sculptor, philosopher “one of the most intriguing, confounding, pigeonhole-defying phenomena in contemporary art”. 

I walked around the exhibition – arrived late cz I had work until 7:30 PM-  and took pictures of my favorite artworks! Loved the dynamic vibes and color harmony in Matt’s work and wasn’t surprised that most of the paintings were sold. His artworks take you to a ceremony or a festival in a strange place somewhere around the world, adding to it a touch of mystery that deeply captures you.

Matt Lamb Bio

An Irish-American born in Chicago in 1932, Lamb had a successful career as an entrepreneur before a brush with death at the age of 51 led him to reevaluate his priorities, sell his businesses, and dedicate the remainder of his years to art. By turns whimsical á la Marc Chagall and fearsome á la Jean Dubuffet, Lamb’s paintings are born of a secretive, proprietary process known as “The Dip,” wherein he suffuses canvases and panels in an alchemical mixture of corrosive, mutually repellant materials.  As they dry over a period of months or years, these materials pool and pucker into lustrous, craggy surfaces.
Lamb works obsessively and prolifically in his studios in Chicago, Wisconsin, Florida, Ireland, France, Germany, and Argentina, and continues to divide his artistic output between figurative, abstract, and semi-abstract modes.

 

 

 

 

Then I spotted!

 

Matt Lamb was not only an artist, but also a peace activist. He established a peace campaign called (Matt Lamb Umbrellas for Peace) a global art project involving painting and decorating umbrellas by children and adults. The individual will artisitically design umbrellas that represent their personal values of world peace. A subsequent parade happens throughout their neighborhoods or campus. This is a manifestation of the individual bringing peace throughout their world that they live in.

(Matt Lamb Umbrellas for Peace) projects have been conducted in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Israel/Palestine, Japan, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Slovenia, Russia, Singapore, Spain, United Kingdom, USA, Thailand,Vietnam, and in Kuwait thanks to AUK.

 

 

 

 

 

I only wish there was an AUK back in 2002.. I would have certainly studied in it! Looking forward more artistic events there.

Cheers