The grand opening of Healing through art, an exhibition by Jamal Khamis, took place on Sunday August 22 in the Oosterkerk of Amsterdam. The theme was explored during a 25-minute introduction by three guest speakers, each sharing a unique perspective. The guest speakers, organizers and especially the artist Jamal Khamis received several warm applauses from the audience.
To kick off the grand opening, the host of the afternoon Philip van Vorstenbosch takes the audience on a short journey through the career of Jamal Khamis. He starts with the discovery of Khamis by the Goethe-Institut and leads us to the recent international prizes that the painter won. Van Vorstenbosch also welcomes the various speakers. First up is Karim Khamis, curator and organizer of the event, and also the son of Jamal Khamis. He explains how the exhibition came together with the hard work of a small team and thanks everyone involved.
To tell more about the remarkable location where the paintings are displayed, the baton is passed to Henk Verhoef. As chairman of the Oosterkerk he speaks about the history and architecture of the building. According to Verhoef, the abstract art of Khamis is an excellent fit for the character of the Oosterkerk.
Ernst Suur of War Child Holland gives several details about the charitable cause of the exhibition. The funds being raised with the art show go to children and families in Lebanon. Especially after the explosion in Beirut of 2020, help is needed more than ever. Psychosocial help is the focus of the organization: “We don’t get children a bed, but we help them be able to sleep again”, says Suur. Children creating art and music is an important part of that treatment. Suur thanks Khamis and the organizers for their help. The donations that come in through the exhibition allow War Child to continue its work in Lebanon. The speech is closed with a moment of silence for all those affected by the disasters and conflicts that necessitate the work of Suur.
The last guest speaker of the presentation is Merlijn Twaalfhoven, composer and winner of an UNESCO-award. He opens with humble and sincere thoughts about the exhibition and its meaning. What is art? And what is healing? About the latter he says: “I am almost incapable of imagining a more urgent and important word”. According to Twaalfhoven this is exactly what our world needs so desperately. In his interpretation of Healing through art he creates connections between work, relationships, groups, politics, the economy and more.
Twaalfhoven remarks on his meeting with Jamal Khamis: “You see that there is a complete unity between who he is and what he creates. He manages to transform feelings, stuff that’s deep within yourself, into those artworks. Into those colors. Into that paint.” The composer pleads for the importance of artistic expression. Not just by professional artists, but by everyone. “I hope that when you look at the paintings from a closer distance, you will feel that connection, from which the painting came into being”, says Twaalfhoven.
The introduction ends with a large applause for the exhibition, after which the visitors have ample time to examine the paintings and socialize. After the grand opening, the exhibition can be visited free of charge by the general public for a week in the Oosterkerk.
