Nurturing hidden talents

Rawia Beyhum was born to a family that immigrated to Bahrain in 1979 as a result of the civil war in Lebanon. Most of her extended family dispersed over many other countries like Canada, New York in the US, and UK with some remaining in Lebanon and Syria.

Since Rawia was brought up and exposed into a culture with large discrepancies, she always had the question of belonging in mind while growing up. 

Rawia wanted to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in arts, but her parents persuaded her to go for Marketing. But even while she was at the university, she spent her time flicking through graphic designs from Russia, Poland and other parts of Europe.

She admired artists, who risk their lives depicting the evils and brainwashing methods of fascism and dictatorship through simple graphic art, which they would post on public transport during the night.

Rawia has a Master’s Degree in art and literature of the MENA region pre-20th century from the School of Oriental and African Studies, UK, which opened her eyes immensely to the heritage of storytelling, miniature painting and other forms of art that developed in this region over the centuries. 

Rawia came from a line of art collectors, curators and artists, including her cousin, who is the grandson of the late world-famous Syrian poet Nizar Kabbani, who also ended up partnering with her for Pop Up Art Middle East.

She published, edited and developed two volumes of a coffee-table publication called ‘Best of Bahrain’ in 2009 and 2012 respectively. They generated a well-rounded communication of the best standards that Bahrain has to offer from levels of Government, Business and the community. 

She managed to further include a talent competition to the publication, which served to promote Bahrain’s significant base of talented individuals in the fields of creative writing, photography and art.

TalentFreeFlow Ltd. (TFF) integrates Cultures

As a Founder and Director of TalentFreeFlow Ltd. (TFF), Rawia manages and curates creative projects and talents in the region.

TFF started with an invitation to her friends to showcase their own talents in her own birthday party. She explained, “My idea was to have a place for them to showcase their own hidden talents, such as stand-up comedy, a card trick, poetry, showing some artwork etc. I was convinced that everyone out there had a hidden talent that defines his or her character. I think through TFF, I was reaching out a hand for my own creative self-discovery.”

She added, “Over the years of working in client service for branding companies and trying an odd hand in Graphic Design as a freelancer, I felt an urge to break out of an uninspiring system to create a space of my own where I could be creative and take on projects that inspired me.”

The company is built on the inspiration of Free Agents by working with partners, volunteers and part-time recruits for the duration of the projects that it takes on.

 She said, “I believe in the freedom of the individual and promotion of individual talent the most. My own skills are based around project management, public relations and leadership training /programme development, which I use within the projects I take on.”

 She added, “A breakthrough for TFF was during a workshop that we created in 2014 called Arts Enterprise - inviting corporates to interact with and value art. To me, the workshop showed the power for art as a tool to raise consciousness, generate a sense of belonging and inspire.”

What it means to be a curator

Rawia said: “To me, a curator is able to expand others’ awareness through storytelling and showcasing relevant art. My challenge has always been studying in an environment where the importance and discipline of art is emphasized.”

TFF recently hosted their most recent initiative Pop Up Art Middle East last week. 

“Work is a form of worship. You’re challenged beyond your limitations each time while dealing with all sorts of people, creating diplomacy, negotiating effectively. Two years back, we thought of a Pop Up Art exhibit and it happened within 2 weeks of preparation and planning. That is the kind of work I look for. She said, “My source of inspiration is for anything that serves to integrate cultures, awareness of each other and appreciation of our differences. Whether it is integration of different values between races, groups, work disciplines or skills, the process of dialogue and awareness of where egos can destroy is important.”