Bahrain's relationship with the sea is expressed through music in Pearls
of Song. Rather than focusing solely upon the hardship historically
associated with pearl diving, Malak turns to Fjiri, the collective musical
tradition connected to Bahrain's pearling communities.
A lead singer performs alongside younger musicians while family
members gather nearby. Rhythm moves through the composition —
drums, finger chimes, gesture and voice establishing a visual cadence
against the still horizon of the Gulf. Fjiri was inscribed by UNESCO in
2021 and remains deeply connected to Bahrain's maritime history.
Malak places the gathering within, or near, a Muharraq courtyard,
surrounded by coral-stone architecture and the suggestion of dhow
masts beyond. A pearl shell, clay water vessel or traditional musical
object links the performance back to earlier generations, while sea
water, oyster shells and date palms create the natural vocabulary of
the painting.
The pearl itself becomes almost secondary. What interests Malak is the
culture that developed around its pursuit: songs, specialised knowledge,
community structures and collective memory. Bahraini sand
incorporated into the shoreline and architectural surfaces connects that
maritime world physically to the island.
