What inspires an artist? What are the steps he/she take in completing an artwork? Have you ever dived into the mind on artist when working on his/her art piece?! All these questions and more were answered in “Methods to the Madness” held in Contemporary Art Platform (CAP) – Kuwait. A group exhibition, in collaboration with Cuadro Fine Art Gallery – Dubai where 4 artist from across the Middle East region exposed the steps toward creating their art pieces & what inspires them in the most unpredicted ways.

Noor Al Suwaidi from UAE, Jawhara Al Soud from Saudi Arabia, Jaffar Orabi from Bahrain and Nadine Kanso from Lebanon invited the audience not only to view but also to take part of their presented artworks. To be introduce to “behind the scense” of any artwork and efforst artist put to create what we see hanging on the galleries walls.

Each artist presented something unique, Noor Al Suwaidi painted abstract figures with bright joyful colors of what it seems like female figures. Jawhara Al Soud used a very complicated technique to cascade “sencorship in Saudi Arabia” on people especially women.

And while we are used to have a female figure as a symbol of inner conflicts and pain, Jaffar Orabi used male figures to address sensitive issues men deal with especially in our region; lost between what they want to be and what they are forced to. Nadine Kanso moves you from one corner to another in her city Beirut with images of bookstore, old building, a grocery shop, adding collage of classic celebrities and vintage magazines clippings.

“Methods to the Madness” also help a panel discussion (Is There a Methods to the Madness) and a 3 days workshop on (When is an Artwork Complete) last april. If you still didn’t, today is the last day of the exhibition and your last chance to know what are the processes any artwork whether it is a painting, installation or photograph is done.

Cheers