Maldives ballpoint pen artist Maryam "Lailiie" Layal ran her first solo exhibition from 21 November 2023 to 1 December 2023 at the National Art Gallery in Male', the capital island of Maldives.
Due to some personal circumstances, I was able to visit on the very last night.
Titled "E'keiy", translated to "One", she started pen drawing at the age of 17 and this was her first solo art exhibition.
Her artworks depict Maldivian history and culture and she says she was born into a family who were protective of Maldives heritage.
Among the artworks she exhibited include, but not limited to, imagery of a paraffin lamp, a charcoal iron, ancient coins, old notes, a cassette, shells, production of ekel brooms from midrib of coconut leaves, an old door, an old wall constructed from coral limestone, hands one on top of the other depicting human unity, to name a few among many impressive depictions.
She had also exhibited her used up black ink ballpoint pens in an exhibit that was marked as not for sale.
You can check more of her art from her Instagram.
The exhibition was given great coverage by Maldives Dhauru newspaper in Maldivian native language Dhivehi.
An earlier article in Dhauru in Dhivehi mentions her acrylic works and her transition to her preference in pen drawing.
Her first exhibit was for the "Unveiling Visions" exhibition.
The solo exhibition which concluded on Friday night was inaugurated by Ali Hashim, the Governor of Maldives' central bank, the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA). Famous personalities to have graced the exhibition include former President Mohamed "Anni" Nasheed, current Minister of Dhivehi Language, Culture and Heritage, Adam Naseer (all three pictured in the first Dhauru article mentioned in this blogpost) and former Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Yumna Maumoon (featured in Lailiie's Instagram account), and current Speaker of Parliament, Mohamed Aslam (also featured on Lailiie's Instagram account).
In pen drawing, there's much chance of making mistakes which may be difficult to correct afterwards.
Pen art can be challenging due to its unforgiving nature – mistakes are harder to correct compared to other mediums.
The permanence of ink requires precision, control, and confidence in each stroke, making it more demanding for artists.
Additionally, shading and blending can be limited, adding to the complexity of achieving certain effects compared to pencil or paint.
But don't lose hope: Pen ink can often be removed from surfaces using various methods. The effectiveness depends on the type of ink and the material it's on.
For fabrics, you might try rubbing alcohol, and for hard surfaces, you could use a mixture of baking soda and water or commercial stain removers. But always test a small, inconspicuous area first.
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