Amal Yemen Talent Portal
Visual Artists
Amal Yemen is more than just a virtual event. It is a movement that looks to introduce the world to the beauty, diversity and heritage of Yemen. Part of the Amal Yemen Event is to showcase some of the best work that Yemen has to offer. We hope to shine a light on these talented individuals and introduce an international audience to Yemen’s art, culture, cuisine, music and more.
Nada Al Saqaf
with the piece “Carry a Future of Hope” - Nada trained in graphic design and has grown an interest in visual art and how to convey storytelling through her designs. She labels herself an “enthusiastic introvert” who aims to share human stories with the world through her designs and artwork
Obaid Hameed
Born and raised in Hadramout, Obaid had a passion for drawing at an early age, first participating in an exhibition in 2012. Since then, he has taken part in a number of shows across Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Obaid has become known for his circular drawing style. He has a close connection to the Yemeni day-to-day lifestyle. Obaid is particularly proud of his illustration of the Arabic adaptation of the famous book “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho, alongside many other book cover illustrations.
Mazher Nizar
One of Yemen’s most renowned artists. He has participated in over 40 solo and group workshops and exhibitions. “Starting my artist journey in 1984, my desire to create art grew into an unyielding obligation to myself to fully explore the inner goings-on of my creative consciousness. From small sketches to large scale projects, my art is a highly personal reflection of myself. I’ve been lucky enough to have taken part in many collaborative projects, as well as solo and joint exhibitions internationally, which has helped solidify my reputation in the art world.”
Amr AlKhulaidi
Amr AlKhulaidi, a Yemeni filmmaker, first started his career creating a montage named “An Important Journey”, which went on to win first place in the “Creativity Competition” - a competition hosted by the United Nations Office for Human Rights. This is when Amr realised his passion for filmmaking and enrolled himself in various courses and camps for filmmakers. In 2017, Amr began working with several production companies in Yemen, as an editor, director and colourist. He went on to work on many clips, documentaries and commercials. In 2019, his film “Fasla”, which he worked on as director, editor and colourist, won second place at the Arab Creativity Festival for Youth, in Egypt.
Layla Yaseen
Born and raised in Yemen, Layla is a graduate of English Literature and works in the quality and control sector. Since 2008 Layla has participated in different exhibitions and conferences. She expresses that, “My art is related to Yemeni culture through the use of mixed media such as oil, acrylic, ink, strings and other materials that give a cultural feel to the pieces.”
Israa Mohammed
Intrigued by the cultural and architectural details of Yemen, Israa is on a life long journey of capturing the details of the ordinary daily life of Yemenis and connecting their stories with their roots. She has participated in various exhibitions and cultural forums with her photographs. Israa continues to study literature and world languages
Nezar Ahmed
Inspired by many artists, Nezar Ahmed is a self taught visual artist with a specific interest in portraits painting of Yemenis.
He writes: “This is probably the finest piece I’ve painted, and the hardest by far. This portrait represents the indigenous Yemeni wisdom”
Saddam Al-Germani
Born and raised in Sana’a, Yemen. Saddam graduated with a graphics specialisation from Sana'a University in 2020. His interest in photography started at the age of sixteen, taking photos on every outing with his friends. Capturing everything that represents beauty: trees, stones and the sky. Saddam is also interested in cinematography and has released a number of short films. Saddam plans to pursue a career in the art of storytelling and directing movies.
Nezar Moqbel
A Yemeni Photographer, began his artistic journey through photography in February 2019. He holds a BA in Media, and has many achievements to his name. The most important of which was winning third place in the Bank of Yemen and Kuwait competition. A number of Nezar’s photos have been published in magazines and posted on international platforms. One of these articles touched on street life in Yemen and showcased historical landmarks and areas in Yemen.
The article about street life was translated into a number of languages and was widely publicised. Through that, Nezar was ranked among the best photographers in the Middle East and North Africa. Nezar is also a videographer, and has worked on many important and thought-provoking projects, including a video - which he worked on as both the director and videographer - to raise awareness about the danger of the coronavirus. Additionally, he has worked on many documentaries for both Yemeni and international companies.
Ahmed Alhagri
Filmmaker and storyteller, Ahmed Alhagri, has been pursuing an independent career over the past five years by collaborating with several organisations and international TV outlets, such as AJ+, UNESCO, BBC, and Al Jazeera Network. In January 2019, Ahmed founded “Yemen Used to be,” a social media platform that aims to alter stereotypes about Yemen, promoting its people’s cultural heritage through the art of visual storytelling.
Rofaida Ahmed
Rofaida Ahmed is a digital artist, illustrator, and animator. She studied 3D animation at Arte Academy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Rofaida specialised in concept drawing and character design with an emphasis on appearance and personality traits. Through her art, she hopes to raise awareness and share Yemen’s rich historical culture. Rofaida is the main contributor to the visual identity of “Yemen used to be” using her art to visualise the initiatives values and story.
Marwan Almarsh
Born and raised in Sana’a, Yemen, Marwan Almarsh is a photographer and filmmaker, with an interest in using his camera lens for the purpose of storytelling. He entered the world of photography in 2017. It started as a hobby - which he loved and was passionate about - but did not realise it would turn into a full-blown career.
Marwan has worked alongside several local and international businesses, organisations and broadcasting channels. He dreamt of studying a BA in Cinema Studies after graduating high school in 2016, but this is currently not available in Yemen. Despite this, he continues to pursue his ambitions of becoming a successful photographer and filmmaker.
“I am Marwan and I’m just getting started”.
Ayman Fekry
Born and raised in Al-Hudaida city, Ayman took up photography as a hobby in 2016. His passion and desire led him to Sana'a where he enrolled full time as a student in photography.
He comments: "in Haraaz, I came across this old lady, she is considered to be one of the eldest female farmers in the region. Despite her tough occupation and age, hope can easily be found in her face and smile"
Mohamed Quatab
A photographer and photography teacher. Mohamed lives in the old city of Sana'a and specialises in documentary coffee trees, farmers and the agricultural landscape - from the steep mountains down to the deep and narrow valleys. He also photographs small, isolated coffee-growing villages in regions across Yemen.
Mohamed has been working with Qima Coffee since February 2020. Previously he has worked as a photojournalist with a number of news agencies and newspapers. His work has won local photography awards and has contributed to many projects, several of which are with humanitarian and relief organisations.
Anas Mosawa
Anas has devoted his energy and focus to the field of videography. He has produced many creative projects and aspires to be a filmmaker and producer - conveying the beauty of Yemen through his work. His most popular piece “Sana'a is still my Passion”, has shed light on Yemeni heritage and folklore as well as capturing the beauty of his home, Yemen.
A photographer, and artist interested in capturing Yemen's history and culture from a different perspective. She uses the art of Minimalism, but through a Yemeni-inspired lens. She has participated in many international exhibitions. She currently works in visual marketing, as director, and producer of local and international marketing.
Ahmed Yahya
Ahmed Yahya is interested in documenting Yemen’s heritage, along with all of its beauty, through filming and photography. He has participated in many international forums, some of which were translated into 5 different languages for international audiences. His goal is to allow the world to take a closer look at the people of Yemen, and the Hadrami people in particular.
“I do not like to think of myself as just a journalist, but a servant of Yemen and its people in any capacity.”
Mansour Mashaal
Mansour Mashaal is a third-year student in the College of Computing at the University of Sana’a. He first embarked on his artistic journey in the world of photography in October 2019, while practicing street photography on a daily basis.
He recently took part in filming a video to raise awareness about the dangers of Coronavirus - in which he worked as an assistant photographer.
Mansour aspires to become a professional photographer and reach new heights in the world of photography. He strives to continue to pursue his artistic career until these goals are achieved.
Bashayer Ali
A Yemeni visual artist. Bashayer holds a degree in Business Management. She works and lives in Sana'a. She is a member of “Yemen Used to be” and “Everyday Middle East Initiative”. Her work has been showcased in numerous group exhibitions in Sana'a, and Paris.
She utilizes her Instagram account to showcase a different narrative on life in Yemen in times of conflict.
Hanan Ishaq
writer, photographer and visual artist based in Yemen. Currently works in communications with a UN agency. Hanan was published both locally and internationally as an artist. She resonated with art early on as a young girl, and discovered her passion for writing soon after highschool and was published on different media outlets. Exploring visual art unfolded during a time when Yemen was in the throes of civil unrest in 2011 and while she was embarking on a journey of personal growth and soul searching.
Today, Hanan's artwork expresses a range of notions, including reflections of her cognitive reality/internal dialogue, while seeking empowerment as a woman raised in a conservative and complex socio-political reality. In addition to expressing personal metaphysical interpretations, she also finds special interest in connotations of the social institution and challenging the status quo."
Noor Qwfan
Born in Yemen and raised in the Central Valley of California, Noor Qwfan works in corporate social responsibility and is the creator of Noor's Nook (@noors_nook) an expressive outlet for her creative tendencies. For Noor, most of her illustrations are more than just a creative outlet, they are also a way for her to remember her life in Yemen, connect with her culture and showcase it to the world. She is also the creator and host of This Muslim Girl Podcast (@thismuslimgirlpodcast), a platform started in 2017 to amplify the voices of Muslim women and their experiences.