A journey of self-discovery

Gulf Weekly

20-02-2025

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BAHRAINI-FRENCH creative Christine Khonjie's debut book, compiling her photographs, artwork and writings, was unveiled in the kingdom this month, and brings alive her creative process while being on the spectrum.
Drawings, Books And Embroideries, that highlights five decades of her work, features zoomorphic creations, djinns (spirits), goddesses and shamanic self-portraits on paper, textiles and objects.
Christine, with her unique artistic style, reflecting her nomadic life between Iran, France, India and Bahrain, transports the reader to her own 'geography of memories'.
The book was launched at Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Centre for Culture and Research in Muharraq.
'I decided to launch the book in Bahrain because I feel my roots are here, even though I have never lived or will never live here,' the 77-year-old told GulfWeekly.
'My father was Bahraini and my family lives here. I have always made trips to visit them since the 1960s,' she added.
'My friend and renowned curator, writer and producer Rose Issa (who is also the editor and publisher) suggested I work on this book, and she has done a wonderful job with the whole project.'
Christine started drawing and painting when she was about 38.
'It just came to me one day, but they were just scribbles, not art, if you ask me. I was making a self-portrait with my left hand and when I saw it, I felt such an emotion being released. My therapist, who I was seeing for my Asperger's, encouraged me to go with the flow,' the Paris-based talent said.
Asperger Syndrome is a developmental disorder and those with the condition may have a hard time relating to others socially, exhibit repetitive behaviour patterns, and have a narrow range of interests.
Asperger's has been merged with other conditions into autism spectrum disorder – a neurodevelopmental disorder. Some famous personalities known to have had Asperger's are Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein and Mozart. Sir Anthony Hopkins, Bill Gates and Elon Musk also said that they have been diagnosed with the condition.
Christine was clinically diagnosed in her early 40's but the polyglot, who speaks French, Persian, Italian and English, stuck out like a sore thumb right from her childhood.
'As a child, I hardly spoke but as an adolescent, I started talking a bit. Even so, I wasn't very popular – I said what I thought, which didn't go down too well with my peers,' she recalled.
Though school was tough, Christine was determined to get an education. At the age of 10, she was introduced to archaeology and Ukrainian-born French archaeologist Roman Ghirshman by her father.
'I didn't understand what it (archaeology) was, but I was fascinated by it and as a teenager I decided to learn it formally. I signed up for a diploma at École du Louvre, which was difficult given my condition, but I made the cut.
'The four years that ensued were challenging.
'I had no friends, dressed strangely and was on my own. However, I successfully completed my course,' the writer noted, highlighting that back in the day, there wasn't much awareness about Asperger's and having learning difficulties was frowned upon.
It is also the main reason Christine, despite being qualified, turned down many job offers in her late 20s.
Braving the odds, the artist, who has exhibited her works at multiple showcases in Bahrain, used her 'uniqueness' to empower her and while her creations are partly influenced by her passion for archaeology, she believes they primarily come from 'somewhere inside her'.
While Christine doesn't think much of her writing, she has plans to revisit a draft she had penned down decades ago about her late sister, who she lost to suicide, which she hopes to publish.
For now, she is happy to return to Paris at the end of the month and surround herself with things she loves, including archaeology and ecology.