Artsharks: Bridging the art gap

Artsharks is not an art gallery and they are not art brokers. They are an art house that supports only aspiring/budding artists and people who don’t have the clout, or sometimes desire to ‘make it’.
They want to ‘bridge the art gap’ and to show people who say ‘I’m not much of an art person’ that art isn’t just for the elite or connoisseurs, and that you can have art in your lives for mere aesthetic purposes. They sometimes collaborate with other artists to create art pieces but everything is under the art house’s name.
Arab News met with the Bahraini founder Manayer AlSharekh of Artsharks in a Jeddah-based Ramadan bazaar and talked about their work, goals and future plans.
How would you describe your style?
I’ve always liked creativity as a whole from a very young age, from art to music to even poetry and advertising. My dad’s been a patron of art since as long as I can remember so I guess I just inherited that. I went to school at Central Saint Martins and graduated with a BA (Hons) in Graphic Design and Diploma in Foundation Studies in Art & Design in London but when I graduated I couldn’t pursue a career in art and went to work at an investment company. There I decided to get my post-grad in business so I can be better equipped to make money with my art degree. I got my MSc in Technology Entrepreneurship from UCL, which is a joint program with LBS where I studied the business part of my program as an MBA student. I wanted to start Artsharks ARTHouse on my own without any help from my family so I asked them to give me my MSc graduation gift in cash (whatever they were gonna get me — even iTunes gift cards). I used that as a start-up capital.
How long have you been working in this field?
I started Artsharks in September 2009 as my graduate school thesis.
What inspires you when working on an art piece?
There is no one thing that inspires me. I sometimes get inspired while sitting at my desk working on a report or inspiration strikes me when I’m at the cinema. I feel that creativity is all around and all we need to do is open up to it.
Where do you sell your work? Does a gallery represent you?
We sell our work on our website www.artsharks.net. No, no gallery represents us. I started Artsharks because I felt that galleries take too high of a commission and since this is all affordable art, there would be nothing left for the other artists.
Who normally buys Artsharks?
People who are not art connoisseurs but appreciate funky or beautifully executed pieces for decoration.
Is there a hidden message behind your work?
Artsharks aims to dispel the myth that to ‘make it’ one has to know the right people or have the right exposure, and that art is only meant for an elite few. In addition to representing artists and their work, the ARTHouse periodically commissions artists to execute ideas with Artsharks. The ARTHouse also works with clients and artists to produce unique, custom commissioned art based on clients’ needs.
There’s no need for in-depth knowledge about art, just a passion for creativity. Reaching out to both art enthusiasts as well as people who feel that they “cannot be part of that world because they know nothing about art”, we established the Artsharks Blog. The Artsharks Blog is the product of voluntary contributing writers who are passionate about art and creativity, and want to play a role in Artsharks quest to ‘bridge the art gap’ by incorporating a creative piece of artwork (film, photo, painting, etc) into everyday life.
What is your ultimate goal? Where do you want your artwork to reach?
I would love for Artsharks to reach those homes or offices that buy posters printed on canvas from furniture stores and replace those with real pieces of art at affordable prices.
What is your routine when you are in your studio working on an art piece?
I sit at my computer and start messing around on Illustrator or Dreamweaver until my vision starts coming to life.
How did you get where you are today?
I didn’t listen when they said I couldn’t.
What types of art attracts you?
Modern art. The kind of art that makes you say “I could have done that” and it replies “yeah but you didn’t”
Which of your artwork pieces is your favorite? Why?
A sculpture I did in 2010 for Artsharks’ first exhibition, which I called the Golden Ratio. It’s my favorite because my mother was behind it from the beginning and I think that is the reason why it is the best piece Artsharks has ever made in terms of execution and creativity.
What research you need to do before staring a piece of art?
I don’t always do research before starting a piece. Like with Lyrical Madness, I wrote down the lyrics of songs I like, then researched the other famous lyrics. On the other hand, with When We Were Kings, I had to research each king’s history, find images of the important milestones of their lives, interview people and then I started working on them.
What is your dream project?
To build the culture club that made me go to grad school in the first place. A club where people can be exposed to like-minded individuals, art, and culture while also being able to express themselves through art, literature and/or film.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Starting to build the culture club.
What are you working on right now?
We are working on the UAE leg of When We Were Kings Series along with other executions of Lyrical Madness.
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