Bountiful Bahrain

NOT MANY PEOPLE here have visited the Arab kingdom of Bahrain, let alone seen its art. But as the Turkish proverb goes, if the mountain won't come to Muhammad, Muhammad must go to the mountain.

And so it is that Art Bahrain Across Borders - or Art BAB, for short - is coming to Singapore from Oct 22 to 27 to showcase 18 of the kingdom's artists. The art exhibition is supported by Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, wife Of His Majesty The King of Bahrain, and President of the Supreme Council for Women. And because of this royal patronage and support from Tamkeen - the kingdom's version of Singapore's Economic Development Board - the prices of the artworks have been heavily discounted to range from approximately S$2,000 to S$5,000.

Art BAB co-curator Kaneka Subberwal says that Bahrain - a country that's just 765 sq km in size, slightly larger than Singapore - has "a well-established and lively contemporary art tradition, in a country steeped in culture, art and heritage." The other co-curator is Amrita Kilachand.