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Draft:Saber Bamatraf

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Saber Bamatraf
صابر بامطرف
Birth nameSaber Bamatraf
Born (1988-06-05) June 5, 1988 (age 36)
Aden, Yemen
OriginYemen
Occupation(s)Pianist, Composer
InstrumentPiano
Years active2014–present

Saber Bamatraf (Arabic: صابر بامطرف; born 5 June 1988) is a Yemeni pianist and composer based in Edinburgh. His work is characterised by compositions that draw on his personal experiences, including his life during the Yemeni civil war and beyond his relocation to Edinburgh. Bamatraf is also noted for reinterpreting traditional Yemeni folk songs into instrumental piano pieces, blending cultural heritage with contemporary musical styles. He frequently collaborates with his wife, Yemeni visual artist Shatha Altowai, on various artistic projects.[1][2][3][4][5] [6][7][8]

Early Life and Education

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Saber Bamatraf was born on June 5, 1988, in Aden, Yemen, to a Hadhrami family originally from Ghayl Ba Wazir. He attended elementary school in Ghayl Ba Wazir before moving to the capital, Sana'a, where he spent most of his life. Bamatraf graduated with a Bachelor of Information Technology with Honours from Universiti Utara Malaysia, completing his studies at the university's Sana'a branch.[9]

During his university years, Bamatraf met Shatha Altowai, a fellow student pursuing the same degree. The two married in August 2014, shortly before fall of Sana'a to the Houthi rebels, a significant turning point in the escalation of the Yemeni civil war and their lives.[10]

Although Bamatraf did not formally study music, it remained his lifelong passion, which he began practicing in childhood using a small keyboard owned by his elder brother.[1][11] His interest in piano developed through his early exposure to the classical music, which influenced his style and musical direction.[1][11]

Early Career in Yemen

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After graduating in 2013, Saber Bamatraf began working in the humanitarian sector with the International Committee of the Red Cross in Sana'a.[1][2] Although he had been playing the piano since childhood, Bamatraf considers his marriage to Shatha Altowai in August 2014 was the start of his musical journey.[6] He has credited Altowai's art as a significant influence that encouraged him to share his music publicly and integrate their artistic expressions.[8]

Following their marriage, Bamatraf began focusing on composing original pieces, which culminated in his debut album, Turning Point.[2][1][9] He frequently performed his compositions at public events in Yemen, many of which showcased the collaborative work of the couple.[12][13][2] In addition to solo performances, Bamatraf joined group efforts, notably performing with the Yemeni musical band Qanbus in 2016.[14]

Struggle During Wartime

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In July 2015, Bamatraf's home was damaged in a Saudi-led Coalition airstrike that hit a neighbouring building, forcing him and his wife to become displaced.[15][3][7] Although Bamatraf was not at home during the airstrike, he and Altowai were devastated to find many of their art materials destroyed.[10] However, the survival of Bamatraf's piano amid the wreckage provided them with a moment of relief during this challenging time.[10] According to the couple, navigating the public sphere as an artistic couple in Yemen presented significant challenges, particularly due to the country’s conservative and patriarchal norms, where it is uncommon for men to encourage their wives to engage in public life or pursue artistic careers.[2][16][17] [10][12] The ongoing conflict further intensified these obstacles.[18]

Despite these challenges, Bamatraf and Altowai continued to engage in various artistic and public events across Yemen. He has described his artistic activism as a means of resilience and self-expression,[1] providing a way to confront and navigate the hardships imposed by war and societal constraints. These experiences deeply influenced his compositions, many of which reflect themes of struggle and perseverance.[12][3]

Voice of the Rainbow (2018) and its Aftermath

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Voice of the Rainbow (2018) poster
بوستر فيلم صوت قزح

Bamatraf's story and his artistic collaboration with his wife Altowai gained wider attention and were featured in a short documentary titled صوت قزح (translated as Voice of the Rainbow) [19][3], which was selected to be screened at the Karama Human Rights Film Festival that was supposed to take place in Sana'a in October 2018.[20]

The poster for the film, depicting Bamatraf and his wife surrounded by art and music materials, sparked controversy among the Houthi rebel group[20], leading to a cyberbullying campaign against the couple and the festival.[3] As a result, the festival was suspended by Houthi authorities, and the couple faced death threats and harassment, forcing them to suspend their public art practice during their remaining time in Yemen. [3][20][21][22][23][24][25][26]

A New Chapter in Edinburgh

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In November 2021, Saber Bamatraf relocated to Edinburgh after being awarded the Artist Protection Fund Fellowship. Edinburgh served as his host city, providing him the opportunity to resume his artistic endeavours after years of challenges in a conflict-ridden environment.[6][18][2][9] During this time, he composed and independently released an album titled Embrace from Edinburgh[9][18], featuring seven New Age tracks inspired by his experiences and the sense of peace he found in Edinburgh's natural and historical landscapes. Through this album, Saber aims to reflect themes of courage, hope, and healing after enduring six years of uncertainty during the Yemeni civil war.[27][1]

In addition to the album, Bamatraf composed a standalone track, The White Canvas, which was created specifically for The White Canvas exhibition by his wife, Shatha Altowai. The track was linked to a white painting of her paintings from the Family Series and titled in the exhibition as There Was a Family Here.[28]

Bamatraf and Altowai further collaborated with Art27Scotland to co-create a short play titled Saber Came to Tea. In this production, the couple played the main roles, with Bamatraf performing four of his compositions on stage, accompanied by two other musicians. The play explored themes of the constraining social norms of their society.[29][30][31]This was followed by their participation in the Art as a Tool of Peace exhibition at Edinburgh Law School, where the launch featured a piano performance by Bamatraf and a speech by Altowai.[32][33]

After completing his fellowship, Bamatraf joined Art27Scotland as an Artist-in-Residence and project coordinator. As part of this role, he re-presented Saber Came to Tea at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2022.[9][29] In June 2023, Bamatraf supported the launch of the Festival of Migration[9] and was invited as a keynote speaker at the Res Artis conference that was held at University College London in September 2023. At the conference, he discussed the challenges faced by artists at risk, particularly those persecuted for their activism.[34][35]

In 2024, Bamatraf joined the musical ensemble The Other as a pianist. During their Edinburgh Festival Fringe performance, he and Altowai collaborated with the ensemble on a multimedia piece titled Just Like Her Mum, integrating music and visual storytelling.[36][37]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "موسيقى صابر بامطرف لوحات تتغنى بالسكينة وجمال الطبيعة" (in Arabic). مونت كارلو الدولية. 2023-12-14. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Saber Bamatraf Profile". Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH), University of Edinburgh. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Yemen to Edinburgh - Our Journey to Creative Freedom. The Loop. BBC Scotland. 2021-08-25. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
  4. ^ حكاية الصباح مع صابر بامطرف عازف البيانو والمؤلف موسيقى (in Arabic). Yemen Today TV. 2024-01-16. Retrieved 2024-12-10.
  5. ^ "صابر بامطرف".. فنان يقدم الموسيقى اليمنية بشكل معاصر للعالم (in Arabic). Belqees TV. 2023-12-12. Retrieved 2024-12-10.
  6. ^ a b c الجزيرة هذا الصباح - لماذا يظهر إبداع العربي بوضوح في المهجر والغربة؟ (in Arabic). Al Jazeera TV. 2021-01-21. Event occurs at 25:26. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
  7. ^ a b When the Music Stops: Yemen, Art and War (Documentary on Raytheon selling weapons to Saudi Arabia). Declassified UK. 2022-03-02. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
  8. ^ a b "احدى عشرة فكرة تستحق الانتشار". YemenToday Newspaper - Youth Supplement (in Arabic). No. 1370. 2016-05-12.
  9. ^ a b c d e f "صابر بامطرف..فنان يمني قاده شغفه إلى العالمية" (in Arabic). ريشة. March 2023.
  10. ^ a b c d "هند الإرياني: " شذى وصابر… بين الحب والفن والحرب "" (in Arabic). مونت كارلو الدولية. 2020-06-05. Retrieved 2024-12-21.
  11. ^ a b "The Creative Process of Love and Art". Almadaniya Magazine. 2018-10-10. Retrieved 2024-12-23.
  12. ^ a b c "اليمن.. فن وحرب ورومانسية". Alhurra TV. 2024. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
  13. ^ "اليمن ... فن وحرب وأرامل". مأرب برس - علي سالم - الحياة. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
  14. ^ فرقة القنبوس- مجموعة من الشباب تنشئ فرقة موسيقية للخروج من واقع الحرب (in Arabic). Al Mayadeen TV. 2016-12-26. Retrieved 2024-12-21.
  15. ^ "I Have Met the Enemy (and the Enemy Is Us) review – ticking bomb of Britain's arms trade". The Guardian. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
  16. ^ "تقرير برنامج شبابيك: نساء يكسرن العادات والتقاليد". Al Araby TV. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
  17. ^ "Scratched Identities". University of Edinburgh. 2021-10-07. Retrieved 2024-12-25.
  18. ^ a b c "Finding home through art". Edinburgh Global, University of Edinburgh. 2024. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
  19. ^ "الفن من منظور جديد بعد سنوات من ممارسته في الحرب" (in Arabic). الوطن اليوم. 2021-09-01. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
  20. ^ a b c "افتراق الحب والفن في قاموس تجار الدين في اليمن" (in Arabic). جلوبال فويسز. 2018-10-21. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
  21. ^ "عدن تحتفل بتراث الشعوب والحوثي يوقف مهرجاناً للسينما في صنعاء" (in Arabic). نيوز يمن. 2018-10-04. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
  22. ^ ""كرامة اليمن" للأفلام القصيرة: إلغاء واتهامات" (in Arabic). العربي الجديد. 2018-10-06. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
  23. ^ "مليشيا الحوثي تلغي مهرجان كرامة اليمن لافلام حقوق الانسان والسبب صورة!" (in Arabic). اليمن الاتحادي. 2018-10-04. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
  24. ^ "بسبب "صوت قزح " جماعة الحوثي تمنع مهرجانا فنيا في صنعاء" (in Arabic). المشاهد. 2018-10-03. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
  25. ^ "الحوثيون يمنعون تنظيم مهرجان للأفلام القصيرة بصنعاء" (in Arabic). العاصمة أونلاين. 2018-10-04. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
  26. ^ "بسبب "بوستر الفيلم " جماعة الحوثي تمنع مهرجان فني في صنعاء" (in Arabic). يمن الآن. 2018-09-29. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
  27. ^ "TheWhiteCanvas-OnlineCatalogue" (PDF). IASH, University of Edinburgh. July 2021. p. 22. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
  28. ^ "TheWhiteCanvas-OnlineCatalogue" (PDF). IASH, University of Edinburgh. July 2021. p. 4. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
  29. ^ a b "Edinburgh Festival Fringe enjoys slice of Yemeni life with Saber Came to Tea". The National. 2022-08-06. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
  30. ^ "الموروث اليمني على خشبة مسرح إسكتلندي" (in Arabic). شباب هاوس. 2021-10-17. Retrieved 2024-12-23.
  31. ^ "Saber Came to Tea". Scottish Council on Archives. 2024. Retrieved 2024-12-23.
  32. ^ "Art as a Tool of Peace Exhibition Launch". PeaceRep. 2021-12-16. Retrieved 2024-12-25.
  33. ^ "Art as a Tool for Peace: Exhibition Launch and Reception". Edinburgh Law School. 2021-11-24. Retrieved 2024-12-25.
  34. ^ "Re-thinking artist residencies". Arts Professional. 2023-10-03. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  35. ^ "Designing Residencies for Everyone, Insights from the Acme x Res Artis Global Conference". Artists Studio Museum Network. October 2023. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  36. ^ "Interview: The Other". Fest Magazine. 2024-07-27. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  37. ^ "Interview: Ian Mackechnie, 'The Other'". Theatre and Tonic. 2024-07-27. Retrieved 2024-12-24.


Category:1988 births Category:Living people Category:Yemeni musicians Category:Scottish musicians Category:Pianists

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