03-05-2025
The defacing of Safat Mural - Jassim Al-Awadhi
Kuwait Times investigates changes to Jafar Islah's iconic public artwork and highlights need to safeguard public art and national heritage
Jafar Islah is regarded as one of the early movers in Kuwait's contemporary arts movement. An inspirational artist with a unique style rooted in symbolism and imagery, Islah remained true to his artistic vision no matter where he lived — whether in Kuwait, Italy, France, Indonesia, Egypt, India, the United States, Turkey or elsewhere. 'My work was consistent wherever I lived," he says. "Travel only gave me the space I needed to be alone in order to finish a work of art.'
Born in 1946, Islah began life with humble beginnings, working small jobs in his father's shop in Souq Al-Gharabally in Mubarakiya. Those early experiences planted the seed for his passion for using his hands, eventually making him a household name in the art world. Over the decades, he represented Kuwait internationally, with his works displayed in Kuwait, Spain, Indonesia and many other countries.
Islah graduated with a BA from the renowned University of California, Berkeley in 1970, where he was exposed to major international artists such as R B Kitaj, Jerrold Ballaine and Jim Melchert. After attending the Royal Danish Academy as a visiting student, he returned to Kuwait to serve as Art Director for Alghanim Industries in 1972.
'Wall of Peace'
Jafar Islah and Sultan Al-Qassemi on the first day of the Eid exhibition tour.
Jafar Islah at Kuwait Times
Jafar Islah at his sculpture 'Wall of Peace' (1985)
Jafar Islah next to his work 'The Raiders are Here' at his latest exhibition.
Looking back, when asked why he didn't continue in the corporate world, he said: 'I only wanted to be an artist,' adding, 'In commercial work, you are thinking of increasing market value — you are talking to the market, not to oneself.'
His first solo exhibition was inaugurated by Yusuf Alghanim, founder of Alghanim Industries and a prominent businessman who helped found Kuwait's oil sector. Other notable figures who inaugurated his exhibitions include Abdulaziz Hussain (historical figure, ambassador and minister) and Ahmed Al-Adwani (founding Secretary General of the National Committee for Culture, Arts and Letters — NCCAL, poet and author of Kuwait's national anthem).
Over his extensive career, Islah's works have been collected by prestigious institutions and figures such as the Arab Fund, National Bank of Kuwait, City of Seville, City of Florence, Kuwait National Museum, NCCAL, Kuwait Airways, Alghanim Industries, the late Anwar Al-Qatami, Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait and Nasrallah Behbehani.
During a special viewing on the first day of Eid, Sultan Al-Qassemi, founder of Barjeel Art Foundation, remarked: 'Jafar Islah is not just a person but an institution,' recognizing his diverse artistic talents, international influence and storytelling prowess. Kuwait Times explored Jafar Islah's catalogue from his latest exhibition at the Contemporary Art Platform, "A Journey with Jafar Islah", where notable works include Ministry Complex (1981), Safat Mural (1982), Wall of Peace (1985) and Kuwait Thanks the World (1992).
'Kuwait Thanks the World' (1992)
Cultural accountability
But this article focuses on the Safat Mural (1982), commissioned through a competition under the patronage of then minister of finance Abdullatif Al-Hamad. Ten artists submitted proposals, and Islah's design — depicting Kuwait's heritage through imagery of palm trees and dark desert-inspired colors — won. The design was also chosen for its practicality in maintenance.
However, in 2016, the ministry of finance transferred the Safat Square to the Kuwait Municipality for redevelopment. During renovations, the Safat Mural was altered without consulting Islah. Upon noticing the changes, Kuwait Times contacted the Public Utilities Management Company (PUMC), Kuwait Municipality and NCCAL to investigate.
Discussions revealed that contractual obligations during the 2016 development led to the alteration. All involved parties acknowledged the seriousness of the issue, highlighting the need for greater respect for artists' intellectual rights. NCCAL invited Kuwait Times for further dialogue, expressing openness to corrective action.
NCCAL has recently taken a proactive approach in reviving, preserving and promoting the arts. A key initiative, Al-Fenn Al-Thalith: The National Project for Mural Arts, could play a vital role in cataloguing all murals in Kuwait and ensuring proper care for national artworks like the Safat Mural.
As the saying goes, 'there is no use crying over spilled milk'. The focus must now shift to systematically documenting and preserving Kuwait's murals and ensuring future development projects treat the country's artistic heritage with the care and respect it deserves. Through this article, Kuwait Times aims to contribute to these efforts, supporting NCCAL, future artists and Kuwait's cultural legacy.
