Omani Artists Reveal Unconscious Parallels to Bergman, Bosch, Chagall, and Klimt

An eight-month exploration of Oman's art scene in Muscat uncovered striking unconscious resonances between emerging Omani artists and canonical Western figures. Issa Saif Alnayari's black-and-white portraits, shown in Makan Studios' Art in Pages 2 exhibition, evoke Ingmar Bergman's 1966 film Persona in their exploration of identity and perception, though Alnayari had never encountered Bergman's work. Ruqaiya Mazar, also featured in Art in Pages 2, creates enigmatic figures rooted in Omani heritage and personal reflection at Jibreen Castle, drawing parallels to Hieronymus Bosch's symbolic imagery with floating fish representing freed thoughts. Hafsa Al Tamimi exhibited at Stal Gallery, with dreamy, fauvist drawings like Ray of Joy (2025) and The Abaya of My Mother (2025) recalling Marc Chagall's weightless intimacy and Gustav Klimt's 1907 Water Serpents II, though she was unfamiliar with these artists. These connections, observed across limited galleries in Muscat, suggest a shared symbolic language akin to Carl Jung's theory of the collective unconscious from his 1961 autobiography Memories, Dreams, Reflections. Oman's quieter arts scene, less exposed to global influences, highlights these hidden parallels, with artists tapping into universal archetypes beyond cultural boundaries. The experience underscores creativity's ability to transcend geography through unconscious currents, making Omani art a captivating part of humanity's broader creative tapestry.