Interview with Albilad Newspaper
- Dec 23, 2025
- 4 min read
Jamal Al-Yousif: “Glass and Steel as Mirrors of the Human Soul in Contemporary Sculpture” Interview: Shireen Farid
Monday, 1 December 2025 The Bahraini artist Jamal Al-Yousif is regarded as one of the leading sculptors working with glass and steel in the Kingdom of Bahrain. He has succeeded in combining a deep philosophical sensibility with refined technical mastery, producing sculptural works that resonate with the depths of the human psyche. In this interview, Al-Yousif speaks about his artistic roots, his philosophy in working with challenging materials, and his vision for the future. How did your relationship with art begin, and where did this deep passion for sculpture come from? I grew up in an artistic household. My father was the late visual artist Nasser Al-Yousif, and he played the greatest role in shaping my personality and artistic vision. I used to accompany him to his studio and observe every detail. He always told me: “An artwork is like a mother carrying her child—there is the suffering of birth, and after birth comes the need for special care.”
Through this concept, I came to understand that art is not merely production, but a birth, a lived experience, and the building of an emotional relationship with the work. Your father was a pioneer of visual art, yet you chose sculpture. Why this particular path? Visual art is vast, but sculpture in particular is closest to my soul because it creates a tactile and physical relationship with the idea. Sculpture allows you to give an idea a body—a tangible presence. The materials I work with, such as glass and steel, also enable me to express human contradictions and inner dualities in a visual language that speaks directly to the psyche. You studied engineering before sculpture. How did your engineering background influence your artistic practice? Yes, I studied electronic engineering in the United States, then obtained a diploma in sculpture. Engineering taught me precision, how to read materials, and how to understand their physical properties—something essential when working with glass and steel. Sculpture, on the other hand, was the gateway to the soul. I believe true art lies in the balance between thought and technique, between spirit and science. Why did you choose to work with glass and steel, despite their difficulty? Glass is a sensitive yet profound material, much like the human nervous system. It is fragile yet strong, transparent yet conceals much. It reflects the human contradiction between angel and devil, reason and emotion, strength and fragility. Steel also embodies the struggle between rigidity and flexibility—and this, for me, is the essence of artistic work. What are the main risks you face when sculpting glass in particular? The smallest mistake in temperature or cooling can destroy the entire piece. Glass is unforgiving; it requires patience and calm, and it does not tolerate improvisation. That is why I always say: glass is not a material, but a sensitive being. If you do not treat it with respect and caution, it will give you nothing. Do you rely on workshops or assistants to execute your works? Not at all. I execute every stage myself—from the initial idea and drawing, to shaping, thermal processing, and polishing. I believe that the artist’s spirit lies in the details, and that complete immersion with the material is the secret to the success of the work. Which of your works best reflect your artistic philosophy?
Wandering Dreams: a sculpture approximately two meters tall, depicting a woman searching for the remnants of her dreams. It took five months to complete.
The Boldness of the Dreamer: a steel work measuring 2.6 meters in height, symbolizing the dreamer despite the harshness of reality.
Faces: a work exhibited at the Middle East Institute in Washington and sold in the United States in 2023, expressing the multiplicity of the human being’s inner faces.
What human issues and themes do you seek to express in your sculptures? I focus on the human being from within: alienation, longing, the struggle between good and evil, duality of personality, psychological transformations, and inner fractures. I do not favor direct realism; rather, I present ideas symbolically, allowing each viewer to see themselves within the work. What is your greatest artistic dream? I dream of creating a major artistic landmark in one of Bahrain’s roundabouts that tells the story of the Kingdom before the oil era and embodies Bahraini identity in a symbolic and aesthetic way. I want it to be a cultural value for future generations—not merely a statue, but a memory and a national symbol.
Who is your role model in the world of sculpture?
The Bahraini artist Khalil Al-Hashemi, may God rest his soul. He was able to make sculpture a deeply human language, not just a static mass. He thought with the spirit of an artist and the philosophy of a sage.
In your opinion, what distinguishes a true sculptor?
The courage to present an idea, and the ability to transform human meaning into a tangible visual form. A true sculptor is not an engineer of shape, but a maker of meaning, a transmitter of spirit, and a guardian of memory.
How would you summarize your artistic message in one sentence?
For me, sculpture is an imitation of the human soul—with all its strength and fragility, light and shadow, noise and silence.
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