Characterised by its dazzling colours, expressive lines and dynamic composition, Eternal Torment focus on the Gulf’s maritime industries and pearl diving tradition. An exhausted male figure is seen here with his head bent in struggle. Pulling against the ropes that bind him to the mast of a wrecked ship, the man holds a single pearl in the palm of his hand. The mast can be seen here transforming into an oil rig, illustrating the massive shift in the culture and economy of the region, which rendered older ways of life obsolete. The work’s title suggests a mournful acceptance of these changes; using lines and shading, Muharraqi highlights the muscular tension of the body under immense physical exertion, as well as implied emotional strain. As seagulls encircle the wooden boat, anchored to shore, we see in the distance, a modern ship, which further threatens the future livelihood of the traditional pearling boat.

A pioneer of modern art in the Gulf, Muharraqi began painting in his teenage years. Drawing his inspiration from local scenes and traditions, he depicts everyday life and its struggles through a variety of styles, from Cubism and Surrealism to figurative. The artist trained at the faculty of Fine Arts in Cairo and in 1967 received a B.A. in Decorative Arts from the University of Damascus, after which he returned to Bahrain. Since 1970, the artist has regularly illustrated comics for regional newspapers, designed stamps for Bahrain, and has served as an art advisor to Bahrain’s Ministry of Information since 1963.