Reviewing the ‘Album.’

*Images of artworks from the publication, ‘Blinkers Off’ by Aminath Hasna, Ibrahim Hood and Mohamed Ikram (2019)*

“Like electrical readings taken with ink and charcoal,”- Araaka aptly describes his own artworks and practice in the introduction of his 170+ page book, Blinkers Off.

The book contains chronological works made by the artist throughout a year in preparation for an exhibition. Split into three “volumes,” with sets of drawings labeled as “tracks”, the format is an acknowledgment of the importance of music as part of the process and as a representation of the “countless hours of music played during the production of this book.”

Vol 1

The opening track ‘Echoes,’ is loud. Using ink and paper; the drawings of distorted, kinetic, portraits that are observing and screaming, fill up the page. Layers of brushstrokes and lines, overlay on each other, with bigger, bolder, blacker brushstrokes creating the depth in between. The use of water on top, diffusing the inks add extra layers of textures and movements that bring these portraits to life.

The sets of drawings that follow, ‘Midnight Marathon,’ are a lot more composed. These too are ink drawings. We see details of knuckles of clutching hands, the tension of muscles and as characters spasm and scream at an overshadowing higher figure. Track 2 is also where we see much more loose, yet precise use of brush strokes and ink splats - a clear nod to one of Araaka’s inspiration - the artist, Ralph Steadman.

Track 3 is the introduction of charcoal drawings and goes on till Track 6. All these drawings feel more muted and ambient compared to the ink drawings, with the majority of the drawings looking like it addresses and poses questions on relationships, intimacy and connections. We see softer feelings in the hands, details of skulls, teeth, neck muscles, and compositions of characters embracing, characters looking at, away or next to each other and finally the energy created within these characters expressed by Araaka’s trademark harsh, sharp charcoal marks overlaid on these characters.

Track 7 is a spread consisting of scans of a sketchbook, brilliantly laid out. The detailed faces reminiscent of George Condo paintings and the more abstract line caricatures reminiscent of early Dada artwork.

Volume 1 is a great introduction to Arakaa - his style, his thoughts and influences and subject matter.

Vol 2

Volume 2 is more experimental, more gestural, more abstract and more free. The foundation laid in Volume 1 allows the artist to explore the feelings, thoughts and emotions using the faces and characters in a less tethered manner.

Majority of the drawings in this volume is ink on paper, using a mix of a dip pen and brush. We see a lot less facial features, less details on the hand and in form, whereas Volume 2 has even more energy, movement and explosiveness, exemplified through what feels like uncontainable scratches of ink.

Track 7, ‘Backspacing,’ - similar to the last track of Volume 1, are scanned pages of a sketchbook. In contrast to the caricatures in Volume 1, Volume 2 consists of iterations of the human skeleton, studies of the spine and rib cage, all done expertly using charcoal.

Vol 3

Volume 3 opens with Track 1 - ‘Sketchy thoughts.’ These drawings tackle similar characters, feelings and thoughts as the initial two volumes, but the medium seems unfamiliar - one can only assume it is a marker or a ball point pen. The lines are cleaner and of the same density allowing us to see the astute marks and layers that make up Araaka’s drawings clearly.

Track 4 of Volume 3 is the title track - ‘Blinkers Off.’ Consisting of two drawings of skulls similar to the previous tracks, but with great attention paid to the screaming, jarring mouths and contracting hands. Little to no details are seen for the rest of the body or form which makes the characters more akin to spirits than the ‘people’ we were used to in the previous volumes.

The following track, ‘Primitive Robot,’ although not the last one, consists of smaller scanned pages of a sketchbook. The drawings - big and small - are of skeletons and jarring skulls. However, the marks made on these iterations read more like wires making up the form. One of them uses pencil shading details in the background that reminds you of the last track of Volume 1.

Hitchhiker’ and ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ (tracks 6 and 7) are drawings made using charcoal. Track 6 has marks

made with lesser details, broader, lighter and flatter strokes whereas more details, including facial features such as nose, chin and mouth are apparent in the faces drawn in Track 7.

The final track of the ‘album’ and the last set of drawings in the book - ‘Synergy’, is the perfect title and closer. The drawings consist of two characters, who have clearer form than ever before, with key facial features (head shape, nose, eyes, mouth, chin) being evident. Additionally, more details of the muscles around the eyes, neck and hands are seen. The mark making surrounding the characters looks a lot more intentional, controlled and contained. Synergy and Volume 3 in general read as a perfect concoction of the forms seen in Volume 1 and the gestural marks seen in Volume 2.

Araaka’s Blinkers Off is a raw timeline. It shows the art process, experimentation and development of the artist’s unmistakable voice. Finally, these characters are not cartoons - they are manifestations of people, relationships, thoughts and feelings of those living in Male’ city. The beauty, the filthy, the loud and calm are captured in its raw essence and this book serves as a timeless capsule of it all and what it feels like to be a Male’vian.

Blinkers Off

Reviewing the ‘Album.’

Esjehi Gallery