Art is just one of the few things that we as humans turn to for solace in times of difficulty. Each artist brings their own form of struggle and determination in each of the pieces that they choose to develop. Thus, it is not hard to understand why there is a common understanding that in order to be a profound artist, one must suffer for their art. One artist who understands this like no other is Tullius Heuer. He is a Brazilian artist who specializes in digital art. Through this modern artform, he looks to portray thoughts and feelings like many other artists do. Regardless of the medium, artists around the world can relate in their quest to understanding human emotions. Thus, he takes inspiration from the surreal and emotional themes that can be found in art around him as well as in his own art pieces.
One artist in particular who understands this plight, is none other than Taqwa Yassin. He truly understands that art stems from a place of emotion and prides himself in the fact that he can depict these sentiments from not only himself, but also from others. He is a Palestinian artist based in Occupied Palestine. His chosen art medium is drawing and has been doing so ever since 2014.
A current trend that he has been following is one of free drawing. This is unsurprising as given his affinity to emotions, free drawing is one of the rawest form of art that an artist can produce. He even mentions that he sees “art is a way to express ideas and feelings I can’t explain or interpret, and instead I hand draw beautiful art pieces that show those feelings”. He feels especially proud of this connection with feelings of those around him, which is evident in his masterpieces.
During the pandemic, Taqwa has taken an entrepreneurial route and started his very own business. Since he started his Instagram account in 2018, it was only a matter of time until this very year that he would take the leap into business.
His message to other artists would be to “be yourself and support each other”. During times of hardship in particular, it can become difficult to reach out to someone when everyone is facing their own difficulties. However, Taqwa’s message reminds us that it is important to stay loyal to our communities, and to do right by our neighbor.
Taqwa also mentions that the role of art becomes even more pertinent in the lives of students. When children can have difficulty expressing themselves with words or with coherence, he advises students to “do art to express your feelings”. Indeed, art can be a window into our souls and can become a way to feel understood when the world no longer understands you.
His greatest inspiration comes from the phrase “art is born out of suffering”, a beautiful yet painful reminder that some of the greatest works of art come from pain. As someone who has lived a lifetime of struggle that only few can understand, these words resonant with Taqwa like no other. Hence, it’s also no surprise when he mentions Frida Kahlo as his favorite artist of all time. art can become truly significant in a child’s life.