< PreviousAYYAM GALLERY For You, Mother Rula Halawani 23 March - April 30 2020 “For this project, [writes artist Rula Halawani], I used archival photographic portraits of people who had lived in Palestine before their Diaspora in 1948. I faded these portraits, collaging them into the skies of special images from the Palestinian landscape, making them look somehow like fl oating spirits. When I started the project two years ago, I had several conversations with my Mama, she talked a lot about the changes of the traditional landscape of Palestine before the Israeli occupation in 1948, Palestine was much more beautiful with its traditional landscape, its villages and cities fusing naturally within the mountainous terrains and plains of the landscape. Nowadays the settlements and the ugly random construction ruin this traditional landscape.” ayyamgallery.com GREY NOISE Nocturnes by Michael John Whelan (March 23 – May 07, 2020) Nocturnes is Michael John Whelan’s fourth solo presentation at Grey Noise, Dubai. The exhibition consists of two extensive photographic projects, presented alongside a sound composition and a series of Polaroids. This project explores light pollution, specifi cally skyglow, as an eco-marker of the population growth and its subsequent urban expansion. These analogue investigations create a poetic and visually comprehensive presentation, where abstraction becomes a tool for accessibility and contemplation. greynoise.org JAMEEL ARTS CENTRE COMPOSITION FOR A PUBLIC PARK Michael Rakowitz March 11 - August 8th 2020 Michael Rakowitz takes over levels 1 and 2 of Jameel Arts Centre with eight major installa- tions made over the last two decades; this the fi rst solo exhibition by the renowned Iraqi- American artist to take place in the Middle East and Asia. A sculptor, detective and sometimes chef, Rakowitz is keenly attuned to the social dimensions of art practice and his work is characterised by a process of deep research. Working with architecture, artefacts and food, Rakowitz excavates personal, social and material histories and connects seemingly disparate stories across time and space. In particular, he is interested in how pop culture can be used to access shared cultural narratives. The exhibition is co-organised by the Castello di Rivoli Museo d’Arte Contemporanea, Turin, and Whitechapel Gallery, London, in collaboration with Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai. jameelartscentre.org Michael John Whelan. And they did live by watchfi res 1. 2020. Pigment print on paper. 60x40cm Rula Halawani. Untitled 5 from For My Mother series. 2020. Archival Print Edition of 5. 100x150cms Michael Rakowitz. The Breakup. 2010-ongoing. Mixed media 110 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/culture/art Spring 2020 HBA_038_108-111_Special Feature_Galleries_11240308.indd 11012/03/2020 08:56:33 AMSpecial FEATURE 111 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/culture/art Spring 2020 SHOWCASE GALLERY Sculpting Spring Group show ‘Sculpting Spring’ is a major group exhibition featuring Shona Sculptures by six internationally celebrated Zimbabwean sculptors, including Dominic Benhura, Lovemore Bonjisi, Royal Katiyo, Tawanda Makore, Bywell Sango and David White. The Shona movement surfaced in Zimbabwe in the 1960s and is considered one the most important art forms to emerge from Africa this century. Curated by Sharon Harvey and Demitris Petrides, works by leading Shona sculptors have been selected to carve out the intricate relationship between Shona traditions and African Modernism. showcaseuae.com MEEM GALLERY Modern Masters Group exhibition March 16 - May 30th 2020 Meem gallery is an established beacon of 20th century Arab art. Not only an impressive gallery space, but home to the largest archive of books on Middle Eastern art and in the form of hospitable managing partner Charles Pocock, HQ of one of most colourful (and knowledge- able) characters in the region’s art scene. This March, the gallery is staging the third edition of their Modern Masters exhibition series, which will include works by some of the region’s most infl uential modernists, Dia Al-Azzawi, Ahmed Cherkaoui, Saliba Douaihy, Nabil Nahas, Shakir Hassan Al Said and Mahmoud Said. meem.ae JEAN PAUL NAJAR FOUNDATION Drawing The Line Group show Opening March 23 Drawing the Line gathers works from the museum’s collection and includes JPNF artists Martin Barré, Daniel Dezeuze, Alain Kirili, Jean-Paul Najar, Richard Nonas, Stephen Rosenthal, Antonio Semeraro, Keith Sonnier and Susanna Tanger. The exhibition investigates radical abstraction. A universal form of mark-making, the use of the line in contemporary practice can often be enigmatic. The exhibition investigates the relational and communicative potential of the linear form – its ability to explore space whether pictorial, sculptural or architectural and its power to alter the physical, sensory and temporal experience of that space. Spontaneous or systematic the line has the capacity to provoke, to alter perception and to challenge our understanding of what we see. jpnajarfoundation.com Martin Barre. Untitled. 1967 Dominic Benhura. Joyful Fish. 2019. Springstone. 163x113cms HBA_038_108-111_Special Feature_Galleries_11240308.indd 11111/03/2020 06:03:51 PMIMA GES C OUR TES Y OF S TEPHEN GODENZIE FROM FILM LAB AND A.R.M. HOLDING 112 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/culture/art Spring 2020 INVESTING Mohammad bin Shehi, CEO of A.R.M. Holding and Dubai Real Estate Centre, is a man with a visionary plan. The former CEO of Dubai Design District, philanthropist and art-lover helped create the thriving design hub in Downtown Dubai. Arsalan Mohammad interviews the Emirati businessman to discuss the scope of an exciting new collaboration with Art Dubai A.R.M. Holding is launching a new multi- year partnership with the Art Dubai Group this year. What specifi c factors made A.R.M. Holding choose to support Art Dubai’s activities? We are very open to programmes or plat- forms that ameliorate communities; Art Dubai furthers society by promoting the key attributes of a high-level society from art and culture, to openness and tolerance through the works of art on display. In essence, our reason for being involved is to enable pros- perity and to encourage, support, and develop vehicles through investment to fur- ther society. With A.R.M. Holding’s investment and support, what short-term objectives do you hope this partnership will achieve? How can A.R.M. Holding get behind Campus Art Dubai and Art Dubai Resi- dents? Similar to any sustainable platform, our involvement has to enable the success of our own business as well. Our investments, while multi-sectored, are interconnected through what they help society achieve. From real estate developments to ameni- ties and infrastructure required to make any development highly effi cient and accommodating, you will fi nd that the entities and initiatives we support create a seamless synergy for the people living within. From the Campus Art Dubai and Residents Program perspective, our fl agship enterprise, Dubai Real Estate Company (DREC) has pro- vided the accommodation and the amenities, which are enabling these talents to deliver on their creative ambitions. As our involve- ment in this initiative progresses, we look forward to addressing how our role can evolve organically, to improve upon an already successful space in a sustainable and meaningful way. How do you envisage A.R.M. Holding’s partnership benefi tting the art commu- nity of Dubai as a whole in the long term? How can expansion in the cultural sector create value for other areas of social development? I think that the art community and the art scene in Dubai in particular, has grown immensely over the years, from being a one- off fair yearly to now with an entire scope devoted to art and cultural pursuits. What is most notable about this growth is that out- side of the support and sponsorship that has been given to art activations over many years, the growth experienced within a cultural framework is organic and not ‘forced’. When it comes about naturally, and moves with the requirements of the community, we will fi nd our unique mark as a society in the art and culture space. Culture and art discourse con- nect people and institutions and provides a common ground for expanding thoughts and decisive thinking. How can art education be amped up in the UAE and how can A.R.M. Holding support educational initiatives in Dubai? Engagement in schools and communities is one of the best ways to build up arts educa- tion in the country. Education in general is undergoing a major shift. There are high level conversations in aca- demic circles about how children are being taught and what sort of material and concepts should be taught in order for today’s children to be able to contend with the future landscape of work across every major industry. The chief difference between the way we were educated and how children today need to be educated is that we were taught what to think, and today’s children are being taught how to think. We are mov- ing from computation-oriented education to analysis-oriented learning systems. Art as an element of education brings in a huge level of abstrac- IN THE FUTURE Mohammad bin Shehi, CEO of ARM Holding and Dubai Real Estate Centre HBA_038_112-113_Special Featuure_ARM Holding_11240766.indd 11212/03/2020 03:45:31 PM113 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/culture/art Spring 2020 Mohammad bin Shehi tion to guide young minds on the benefi ts and merits of analytical thought processes and linking themes and ideas to build upon the learning adaption skills required to compete in tomorrow’s world. You were a key mover in the development of D3. What were your key objectives in creating this unique zone and how do you feel about it today – has it had to evolve and adapt, from your initial premise and goal? Everything that one develops needs to be allowed the space to evolve and adapt. The more space that something has to develop into its own full potential, the more successful the outcome. Spaces that are made without this ability to allow for change are the ones that often fi nd themselves struggling to keep footfall, or to stay thematically relevant. d3 was built to house designers and offer a create space and avenue for design enthusiasts to meet and develop ideas. I think that it is maturing nicely. There are several activations that take place within the district, most notably Dubai Design Week, which has a huge base of activity and events within the mainframe that has grown really well and is a much-anticipated event on Dubai’s calendar. Fashion For- ward is another great example. What can design and architecture tell us about a city, a society or a civilisation? Why is it so important we recog- nise and understand the evolution in our artistic assets? Design and architecture are refl ections of society’s require- ments and dominant values in any space of time. Architec- ture and design are evidence of human relationship with its physical environment. Spaces today are designed not only for functionality but to encourage thought and creativity, and complement the environment from a sustainability point of view but also with relation to the infrastructure around them and how the space will infl uence its immedi- ate community, etc. People want spaces that inspire and cre- ate a positive vibe and energy as well as serve a purpose. How can we strategize and build a plan for cultural development in the UAE in the coming years and how can institutions such as A.R.M. Holding play a part in this future? Supporting the arts and empowering community, stu- dents, and creative minds in general to pursue their pas- sions, expand upon ideas, and cultivate creativity is a great way to start. There are several ways to do this; many of which are already in process. From a regulatory point of view, Dubai’s government is already allowing for entrepre- neurial permits to work and live, the same for those with creative pursuits, so this is huge already. Entities can pro- vide the space and infrastructure to allow these galvaniz- ing individuals to access for appropriate housing, connectivity, etc. Currently A.R.M. is extending opportu- nities through the investments we are making in various initiatives and community platforms alongside our invest- ments within key industries. FEATURE Special HBA_038_112-113_Special Featuure_ARM Holding_11240766.indd 11312/03/2020 03:45:23 PMIMA GES C OUR TES Y OF AR T DUBAI Coordinated with strategic partner Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, CAD is the only program of its kind in the region. With its help, UAE-based artists, curators, writers, architects, designers and cultural producers have built and developed their careers. Through a lively mix of seminars, lectures, workshops one-on- one tutorials, artists on the program typically present their work and discuss it with their peer group at least four times over the course of the program as well as one-on-one critiques with lead and visiting tutors while they engage in an intensive production residency at a dedicated Campus Art Dubai studio space. Each year a special curriculum is designed around a pertinent theme and CAD participants explore the signifi cance of local knowledge with individuals and institutions in the region through course material and a series of seminars, lectures, workshops and off-site visits. Sessions are led by academics, critics, curators and artists with many acting as mentors to the CAD participants This year, the participating artists come from across the Middle East and so here, we preview for you, their 2020 projects. Meet the artists behind this year’s Campus Art Dubai initiative CAMPUS ART DUBAI 114 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/culture/art Spring 2020 ZENA ADHAMI (Syria) In her CAD project, Zena will explore her personal relationship with nature, using her garden as a focal point to understand the effects and interdependent relationship of the environment and human beings. By examining the materials used in development (dirt, fl ower, seeds for instance), Zena explores connections and hopes to establish a dialogue between them. AMEENA ALJARMAN, (Ras Al Khaimah, UAE) Ameena’s CAD project Grandma Ameena Wishes, depicts a visual narrative of a series of her grandmother’s history and ‘soul-searching’ journeys, narrated orally and passed on to Ameena’s family. This documentation of womanhood, travel and rituals create rich visual elements of certain aspects in the female family line, ultimately linking them to the environ- ment. The works will be a combination of photography and video installations that represent symbols close to her grandmother. NAHLA AL TABBAA (Jordan, Bangladesh) Nahla is working to develop a paint palette and a series of dyes for her project that are based on the traditional way of making paints. The process would begin by foraging for various materials and objects in the local environment, crushing them, and using a combination of Gum Arabic, honey and distilled water to create a paste. The palette aims to demonstrate a methodology that would need to be applied if our only choice to forage for ‘natural and pure materials’ would be what is available to us in the city. The alchemic process of learning how to make paint from natural materials was holistic to Nahla, in the sense that each part of the process was a cathartic and spiritual adventure. ZAHRA JEWANJEE (UAE) Zahra is a recipient of the Salama Bint Hamdan Emerging Artist Fellowship, Abu Dhabi. For her CAD project, she aims to develop a body of work that further responds to natural systems, using paint, print and sculpture as the prime mediums to unpack a visual vocabulary that can shape her narrative of connecting the natural world to social constructs. LAYAN ATTARI (UAE) In her CAD project, Layla studies artifi cial, water- based environments in the Emirates and investigates why these environments have become necessary to our wellbeing and what questions they raise about our relationship to the Earth. She questions the aspirational thinking that guides the process of creating these environments as well as their potential consequences. HBA_038_114-115_Special Feature_Campus Art_11241177.indd 11411/03/2020 08:22:21 PMSpecial FEATURE 115 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/culture/art Spring 2020 INCUBATING IDEAS We meet the winner of the 2020 Ithra Art Prize, Fahad bin Naif Fahad bin Naif is a diffi cult man to pin down. He’s an architect, trained at London’s Central St Martins art col- lege. He’s an artist, creating and exhibiting work in Saudi Arabia and Dubai. He’s an urbanist, studying and refl ect- ing on the way we can optimise our existence within the evolving cities of today. And he’s a writer and researcher, hunting down new ideas and paradigms of ecological and sociological prog- ress. He’s also the winner of this year’s Ithara Art Prize, a $100,000 award, for the production of an artwork, which is given to a Saudi Arabian artist each year, by the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture (Ithara) and Art Dubai. The Ithara Art Prize’s two previous winners have been Ayman Zedani and Daniah Al Saleh and in testa- ment to its growing profi le, the organisers said that they received twice the number of applications for this year as for 2019’s edi- tion. For the Ithara Art Prize, Fahad has used the idea of the greenhouse to think both about environmental sustainability in arid areas like the Gulf, where both local land- scaping and agriculture rely heavily on plants that are not endemic to the region. His installation, titled Rakhm (‘incubation’ in Arabic) mimics existing agricultural nurseries that typically use polytunnels to incubate non-native plants, but here, will grow instead indigenous vegetation. Visi- tors will be prohibited from entering, underlining the alienation between local inhabitants and plant-life. Fahad Bin Naif was chosen as winner by a selection committee consisting of Eiman Elgibreen, Maya El Khalil, Nada Shabout, Reem Fadda and Tarek Abou El Fetouh. ‘The committee’s response to Fahad bin Naif ’s work was enthusiastic, and we were touched by the contextualised thoughtful- ness and interdisciplinary approach the art- ist has taken when developing his concept,’ said Laila Faddagh, Head of Ithra Muse- ums, in a statement. You’re an architect, urban designer and researcher and artist. How did this combination of disciplines evolve for you and for what reasons? Do you feel more of an artist than an architect for instance? I believe it is a mixture of both my academic and professional back- ground and my interest in the regional art world, that helped me develop a skill set to explore architectural and urban theories through the lens of contemporary art. Personally, I think I feel more of an urbanist, threading art and architecture in whatever narrative I’m exploring. Can you take us through the background to your winning work, Rakhm? What were the starting points for the project? It is based on my interest in urban typologies and their different levels of economy. Urban nurseries have been an integral part of Riyadh’s civil fabric, and my approach was to tackle a larger environ- mental issue, by using the greenhouse itself as a tool to highlight and showcase these issues. Did you create the work especially for the Ithra prize? What aspects of the prize criteria presented a challenge or especially inspired you? It is the weight of the prize itself, Ithra’s regional and global position, and the prestigious jury – this tripartite force was the incentive to propose an installation specifi cally for the open call. You address a number of issues in this piece, including the relationship between man and the environment, the paradox of imported fl ora incubated in artifi cial envi- ronments and sustainable solutions for long term ecosystems. Could you talk us through these ideas? The underlying concept of this project is highlighting the need for localism, by investing, incubating and executing a sus- tainable and intelligent green infrastructure. The installation does not propose a ‘solu- tion’ to the issue, rather it highlights and showcases it, in the hopes of it being a vessel and a dialogue initiator. Your project in 21,39, concerning the eco- system around a former cement factory outside Riyadh presented a holistic per- spective on the effects of industry, migra- tion, economics and agriculture on a specifi c environment. How do you approach all these aspects of research and documentation within the context of cre- ating an artwork? I conduct rigorous research before delving creating an artwork. Going back to my background as an architect and urban designer, I take a more holistic approach, factoring in the social, economic, environ- mental contexts. Which other artists are making work that especially inspires and excites you? I am somewhat biased to regional artists and believe in a collective ethos. I draw inspiration from both urban contexts and artworks that tackle urban theatrics. What advice do you have for young artists living and working in Saudi Arabia? Research, research, research. Create your own opportunities, con- nect with artists, curators and decision makers, and most impor- tantly focus on one approach and experiment through different mediums. Mohammad bin Shehi, CEO of ARM Holding and Dubai Real Estate Centre HBA_038_114-115_Special Feature_Campus Art_11241177.indd 11511/03/2020 08:23:23 PMW ORD S B Y ARS ALAN MOHAMMAD , IMA GES C OUR TES Y OF RESPECTIVE GALLERIES AND AR TIS T S 116 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/culture/art Spring 2020 Meet the group of artists who comprise this year’s cadre of visitors to the UAE who have been inspired by the emirate’s cultural scene MEET THE RESIDENTS TONIA NNEJI (Rele Gallery, Lagos) Tonia Nneji is a Nigerian visual artist, photographer, art blogger, and graffi ti artist. Coming from a family of traditional carvers who carved totems and fi gurines used for traditional worship, Anthonia has always had a natural interest in the arts. Today, her work addresses societal issues including health issues that negatively impact women and children. Since its inception, Art Dubai’s Residents section has presented a vibrant proposition for the richly diverse group of artists who have been invited to the UAE from around the world to conceive and construct work within a unique context. Last year, the ‘Residents 2019’ program delivered work by the Brazilian artist Luiz Roque, which has since been exhibited at the New Museum in New York City, and Argentin- ian artist Luciana Lamothe, whose work Limber Sharp is now showcased at the Jameel Arts Centre in Dubai. So, this year, the Residents program returns for its third edition, with a focus on Africa, managed by Johannesburg-based curator Kabelo Malatsie. Supported by A.R.M. Holding and Tashkeel, the pro- gramme follows its standard format of inviting six dynamic young artists, repre- sented by galleries from around the African continent, to come to Dubai for three months, exploring and engaging with the local art and culture scene. Malatsie com- ments on her curatorial approach to this programme: “I am interested in internal logic, why some people naturally work on the left, or why or if being left-handed means you have a natural disposition to seeing the world in relation to your left- handedness…how we pick out certain colours and experience colour and how our individual and collective experiences cre- ates biases in how we see and experience the world.” This approach has made for a unique experience for both Malatsie and the selected artists, who have been busy explor- ing the UAE, allowing the work they pro- duce to naturally emerge through their own experiences. Having been in the Emir- ates since January, these are the artists who have been working towards presenting their solo presentations in March. Tonia Nneji, Night Series (3). 2019. Courtesy of the artist HBA_038_116-117_Special Feature_Residences_11241286.indd 11611/03/2020 08:33:30 PMSpecial FEATURE 117 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/culture/art Spring 2020 TIZTA BERHANU (Addis Fine Art, Addis Ababa/London) Tizta Berhanu is an Ethiopian artist who has worked as a full-time studio artist since her graduation and is constantly experimenting and searching for new ways to fi nd her voice. During her undergraduate degree, Berhanu became fascinated by notions of ‘love’ and began exploring all the facets of this emotion in her work. Inspired by human emotions, subjects in her work most commonly portray love, hate, and sadness. GIDEON APPAH (Gallery 1957, Accra) Gideon Appah is a Ghanian mixed media artist who draws from personal experiences of life in Accra. In his recent work, Appah responds directly to his upbringing through collaged layers of prints, posters and photographs, creating a narrative from his personal family archive. Growing up in a large family, the works are refl ective of a life characterized by strong emotional bonds, religious activities and folklore. LONGINOS NAGILA (Circle Art Gallery, Nairobi) Longinos Nagila is an experimental multimedia visual artist living and working in Nairobi, Kenya. Focusing primarily on video art and the exploration of digital imagery, Longinos’ work is infl uenced by a deep love of early cinema and black and white photography, which he blends with paint and transferred images on paper and canvas. Nagila’s practice investigates the process and implications of mass production, industrialization, and rapid urbanization and in his more recent work, he has been examining the relationship between shapes and surfaces. YADICHINMA UKOHA-KALU (Arthouse – The Space, Lagos) Yadichinma Ukoha-Kalu is a Nigerian experimental artist, who utilises varied mediums including digital media, fi lm, painting, photography and sculpture to produce conceptual and thematic works. Her process is in a constant state of fl ux, as the artist fi nds the theme of change to be a foundational aspect of her work. Nagila Longinos. Untitled IV Fictional Memory. 2018. Courtesy of Circle Art Gallery and the artist Yadichinma Ukoha Kalu. Twins. 2019. Courtesy of the artist and Arthouse - The Space, Lagos Gideon Appah. Portrait of an Older Couple. 2019. Courtesy of the artist and Gallery 1957 Tizta Berhanu. Affi nity, 2019. Courtesy of the artist and Addis Fine Art HBA_038_116-117_Special Feature_Residences_11241286.indd 11711/03/2020 08:33:38 PM118 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/culture/art Spring 2020 The REVIEW The REVIEW arrakech agic Home to one of the most dynamic art scenes, the third edition of Marrakech’s 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair was a melting pot of innovation and diversity. Athwifa Saleem explores how the fair is fostering the city’s creative energy through its artists, galleries and institutions 118 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/culture/art Spring 2020 HBA_038_118-123_The Review_African Art_11208588.indd 11811/03/2020 09:22:00 AMLeslie Amine, Untitled. 2019. 30x46.21cm. Courtesy of So Art Gallery and the artist HBA_038_118-123_The Review_African Art_11208588.indd 11911/03/2020 09:22:07 AMNext >