ART BY KNIFE
Marketing Communications Professional by day, Stencil Artist, Stand up comedian, Creative Writer on the weekends and Superhero by night, we managed to sit down with the very talented and very funny Tariq ‘Rick’ Sharif and have a giggle.
Tell us about your interest in Stencil art, how did it come about?
I have always been known for being a creative type of person, so one day I was going through the process of printing a poster of Spiderman. The colours weren’t sharp enough, they looked good on the computer screen but the quality of the colours could never be duplicated on print, I tried all the printing presses in the kingdom but either they couldn’t match the sharpness or it was too expensive. So while a stationery store, I saw some amazing colored paper, then a light bulb went off …… so the clerk called the maintenance guy and fixed the light bulb, but then I had a great idea; why not construct the entire image with the colors available. So with a little practice with the blades and paper, some blood loss and a few batman plasters later, I managed to create images I was finally happy with.
I only started in March 2014 and since then people seemed to like my work and many have bought pieces.
How did you come up with the Arkham name?
I have been a massive fan of the Batman comics growing up and Arkham Asylum was one of the locations in the comic book series and you kind of need to be a touch mad to play with blades.
What would you categorise your artwork as?
Some call it stencils, some call it paper art or silhouettes. I call it ‘making a mess’ after all isn’t that what art is all about?
What materials do you use?
I use very expensive and sharp blades and coloured paper, pots and pots of glue and an ambulance on standby!
Where have you exhibited your work?
I have exhibited my work at Comic and Film conventions in the GCC and on social media, but I hope to find a gallery that would like to exhibit my work.
How many pieces have you sold so far and where?
Around 60+ pieces so far. Some are from the images I previously created and some are custom requests from around the planet, but I am having trouble with my shipping company when it comes to North Korea.
Have you always been interested in arts and design?
Yes, I used to love art class, but I was one of those kids that would colour outside the lines and onto the table, working my way across the other students and onto the wall.
Do you just do art pieces on super heroes or other characters too?
I have done many portraits of famous icons, such as Marlon Brando, Bruce lee, Tupac and Heath Ledger but I draw the line when it comes to people's’ pets.
Who is your favourite super hero?
That’s like asking a kid about what type of cake he likes!
Ok fine! I’m a big fan of the Dark Knight and while growing up I was a massive fan of Rajul al Hadidi (Japanese television kids program, dubbed in Arabic about giant dinosaurs fighting a super hero) and that was the main cause of all my concussions .... I love carrot cake.
Do you find these new super hero movies help people reconnect with the nostalgia of comic books and Super Heros?
It does help because I remember many years ago, superheroes and comic books were for the geeks and people used to think they were a waste of time, but I think it has brought what we all used to see into a new light. Now we are all nerds.
Do you do special requests for birthdays and such?
Yes I do, I love taking on the challenge of creating and delivering something really unique.
What do you think of the art scene in Bahrain?
Its amazing, a lot of talented people here, I never thought I would be considered being a part of that talent and it’s very humbling.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
My grandmother (God rest her soul). She was the first person to give me a meat cleaver when I was 3 years old, so technically she started all this! But seriously, I would like to mention that I did learn a lot from one of the great Bahraini artists, Mr. Khalid Al Muharraqi. I used to work for him back in 2000 and he helped me discover my creative side, as he comes from an amazing artistic lineage.
I am really blessed to have my family, my fiance Sharne Visser and my best friend Muneer Al Busaidi, who always are at the core of my inspirations. Sharne has been an immense pillar of support for me. She is a very loving and generous person and I have truly been blessed to be part of her life and Inshallah, her future.
What is the smallest art piece that you have created and the largest?
The smallest piece I ever made was an A4 size of Magic Johnson’s jersey which was a gift to a friend and the largest was of Ironman and the Joker both were made in A2 sizes. It’s always difficult to put a price to a piece of art considering all the time and effort that has been put into a piece.
So how have you ranged your pricing?
It is very difficult to price a piece of art as no one has seen the labour of love and the number of hours you’ve put in to the piece. I try to make my art as attainable as possible and prices start from BD 10 and can go up to BD 400.
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