"Takaya's Portrait" by Reem Ali
Artist Statement
“I like to think of Earth in a certain way, I like to see this marvelous sphere despite everything happening as a benevolent place holding to its elements and beings tightly and equally, binding us together, all on one surface with various intricate biomes, nurturing millions of forms of life, all are valuable, all are worthy, Even though some lives can possess a quality or more that make them exceptionally remarkable like Takaya, but in the end this place that we call home holds on to us as well as to water, air, trees, mountains and tremendous beauty and horrors with no discrimination, none is excluded from gravity. And it’s up to us to maintain its balance, and make sure that beauty and life prevail over cruelty and horror, and this is the least we can do in return for the gift of life. Takaya’s tragic death was painful and still is. To know that someone laid eyes on him and failed to see what a majestic, strong and amazing soul he was is a great disappointment on its own, but taking his life in such a cruel way was outrageous in ways that words fail to explain. I painted this artwork to honor his memory, and to channel my rage, frustration and grief. It brought me back from a long hiatus, as I hadn’t painted for a year before this. I will always remember him with love, and try to do my small part among other artists to further his legacy. Hopefully, soon the recreational killing of wolves and the BC wolf cull will end, and Takaya’s legacy will expand further and further bringing more people to love and protect all the beautiful souls and places on earth. Finally, I am forever grateful to Takaya and to Cheryl Alexander for telling his story.”
Artist Bio
Reem is an Egyptian artist based in Cairo. She worked as a drawing instructor for children at the Jesuit Cairo Animation School from June 2014 to December 2016. She took part in group art exhibitions in Cairo and New York in 2015. In 2016 she created an animated short called “The Departure” and worked as an animator in another short titled “Tour with Ms. Fish.” Both shorts were done in traditional animation styles and were screened in prestigious Egyptian cultural institutes such as Goethe Institute and L’institut français d’Égypte. She has artworks in private collections in Egypt, USA and Canada.
Artist Statement
“I like to think of Earth in a certain way, I like to see this marvelous sphere despite everything happening as a benevolent place holding to its elements and beings tightly and equally, binding us together, all on one surface with various intricate biomes, nurturing millions of forms of life, all are valuable, all are worthy, Even though some lives can possess a quality or more that make them exceptionally remarkable like Takaya, but in the end this place that we call home holds on to us as well as to water, air, trees, mountains and tremendous beauty and horrors with no discrimination, none is excluded from gravity. And it’s up to us to maintain its balance, and make sure that beauty and life prevail over cruelty and horror, and this is the least we can do in return for the gift of life. Takaya’s tragic death was painful and still is. To know that someone laid eyes on him and failed to see what a majestic, strong and amazing soul he was is a great disappointment on its own, but taking his life in such a cruel way was outrageous in ways that words fail to explain. I painted this artwork to honor his memory, and to channel my rage, frustration and grief. It brought me back from a long hiatus, as I hadn’t painted for a year before this. I will always remember him with love, and try to do my small part among other artists to further his legacy. Hopefully, soon the recreational killing of wolves and the BC wolf cull will end, and Takaya’s legacy will expand further and further bringing more people to love and protect all the beautiful souls and places on earth. Finally, I am forever grateful to Takaya and to Cheryl Alexander for telling his story.”
Artist Bio
Reem is an Egyptian artist based in Cairo. She worked as a drawing instructor for children at the Jesuit Cairo Animation School from June 2014 to December 2016. She took part in group art exhibitions in Cairo and New York in 2015. In 2016 she created an animated short called “The Departure” and worked as an animator in another short titled “Tour with Ms. Fish.” Both shorts were done in traditional animation styles and were screened in prestigious Egyptian cultural institutes such as Goethe Institute and L’institut français d’Égypte. She has artworks in private collections in Egypt, USA and Canada.
Artist Statement
“I like to think of Earth in a certain way, I like to see this marvelous sphere despite everything happening as a benevolent place holding to its elements and beings tightly and equally, binding us together, all on one surface with various intricate biomes, nurturing millions of forms of life, all are valuable, all are worthy, Even though some lives can possess a quality or more that make them exceptionally remarkable like Takaya, but in the end this place that we call home holds on to us as well as to water, air, trees, mountains and tremendous beauty and horrors with no discrimination, none is excluded from gravity. And it’s up to us to maintain its balance, and make sure that beauty and life prevail over cruelty and horror, and this is the least we can do in return for the gift of life. Takaya’s tragic death was painful and still is. To know that someone laid eyes on him and failed to see what a majestic, strong and amazing soul he was is a great disappointment on its own, but taking his life in such a cruel way was outrageous in ways that words fail to explain. I painted this artwork to honor his memory, and to channel my rage, frustration and grief. It brought me back from a long hiatus, as I hadn’t painted for a year before this. I will always remember him with love, and try to do my small part among other artists to further his legacy. Hopefully, soon the recreational killing of wolves and the BC wolf cull will end, and Takaya’s legacy will expand further and further bringing more people to love and protect all the beautiful souls and places on earth. Finally, I am forever grateful to Takaya and to Cheryl Alexander for telling his story.”
Artist Bio
Reem is an Egyptian artist based in Cairo. She worked as a drawing instructor for children at the Jesuit Cairo Animation School from June 2014 to December 2016. She took part in group art exhibitions in Cairo and New York in 2015. In 2016 she created an animated short called “The Departure” and worked as an animator in another short titled “Tour with Ms. Fish.” Both shorts were done in traditional animation styles and were screened in prestigious Egyptian cultural institutes such as Goethe Institute and L’institut français d’Égypte. She has artworks in private collections in Egypt, USA and Canada.