< Previous60 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Art Autumn 2020 Jemisha Maadhavji. Nasreen. 2017. Oil on paper. A4 HBA_040_54-61_TheArtist_Jemisha Maadhavji_11380249.indd 6001/10/2020 05:40:42 PMW ORD S B Y A YESHA S. SHEHMIR ALL IMA GES C OUR TES Y OF THE AR TIS T AND L ONDON C ONNOIS SEUR 61 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Art Autumn 2020 Dreams (2020), the artist’s newest self- portraits created during lockdown represent the freedom of her mind to wander and escape to an ethereal, more peaceful world. “They are a representation of me and how I think, see and feel about someone or something and my desires,” she smiles. “During the lockdown, I felt very dreamlike. My mind felt more liberated and so, this work is quite different from my previous works.” The former work depicts Maadhavji’s yearning desire to visit the majestic Flower Room at Annabel’s Mayfair in London, drawing inspiration from its otherworldly charm. “It feels like the enchanted, dreamlike world has been brought to life by Martin Brudnizki,” she says. “It’s human nature to look into the mirror to see how gorgeous we’re looking, but this mirror is so beautiful that anyone looking into it will not be credited as much as the mirror itself. Everything in this is spectacular; from the wallcovering by La Maison Pierre Frey, the jewel-like chandelier by Sogni Di Cristallo, lined with my favourite perfume Goutal Paris, Rose Pompon.” The second work, Perfumed Dreams is a miniature drawing on paper, revealing the artist’s ‘dream room’. The work features House of Hackney wallpapers reimagined with yellow skirting boards, a Gucci chair and carpet from the fashion house’s AW17 campaign and the artist’s favourite Tutti Frutti necklace by Anabela Chan. “Whenever I like something, owning it will never get me enough of it,” she laughs.“So I need to make a drawing or painting of it. The process is very different than usual. Everything in this drawing was unplanned. I started off with a line drawing of the chair followed by the lamp, carpet and wallpaper, having no idea how it was going to end up. It was almost like shopping.” Each work showcases the beauty in diversity and multiculturalism. At times, the subjects are sourced through social media and at other times, from natural encounters on the street. Through her work, the artist hopes we can celebrate ourselves, our beauty and imperfections, in the same way modern society praises a celebrity. “I feel a lot of young people believe what they see on a screen is real and that’s how they start following trends,” she sighs. “However, I think people are becoming more confi dent with themselves in accepting one another. There still is a long way to go, so I hope my work plays a small part and people start to accept themselves no matter what skin colour or size they are. Everyone is special.” Maadhavji leaves us with one piece of advice which resonates with her and is told through each of her jovial and carefree characters: “Life is colourful, live and breathe every bit of it.” londonconnoisseur.co.uk Jemisha Maadhavji. Only Me. 2018. Oil on wooden board. 100x50cm The ARTIST “ L I F E IS CO LO U R F U L , L I V E A N D B R E A T H E E V E R Y B I T O F I T ” HBA_040_54-61_TheArtist_Jemisha Maadhavji_11380249.indd 6101/10/2020 05:40:48 PM62 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Art Autumn 2020 Rebuilding BEIRUT’S Heart with Art Christie’s is set to hold an international online charity auction for art, design and jewellery, contributing to the resurrection of Beirut’s art and cultural district, reports Odelia Mathews HBA_040_62-67_Special Feature_Rebuilding Lebanon_11388085.indd 6201/10/2020 05:41:23 PM63 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Art Autumn 2020 SPECIAL FEATURE The Art has a magical way of speaking without words. Expressions of love and pain, heaven and earth, sunrise and sunset have all been revealed in a single universal language made up of brushstrokes and colours, memories and moments. It goes beyond that when people unite to elevate it for a higher cause such as a charity auction and that is what auction house, Christie’s is hoping to achieve with its upcoming charity sale taking place online in November. In an attempt to counter the devastating blasts which ripped the heart of the city apart on 4 August 2020, there has been an outpouring of art relief from around the world, all donating to the rebuilding efforts of the city and Christie’s has been keen to participate with a special auction aptly CURATED BY CHRISTIE’S Pierre Paulin. Tapis-Siége. 1972. Lacquered wood structure with foam and textile. 210x210x37cm. Edition Paulin, Paulin, Paulin. Estimate: £20,000- 30,000. Credit ©Paulin, Paulin, Paulin. Part of ‘We Are All Beirut’ Charity Auction HBA_040_62-67_Special Feature_Rebuilding Lebanon_11388085.indd 6301/10/2020 05:41:31 PMtitled, We Are All Beirut. This isn’t the fi rst time the auction house has hosted a charity sale, and as per previous records, the house raised $1.3 million respectively for the Camel Caravan Charity Auction in 2004 and then in 2019, for Art for Al Balad to aid the development of a new heritage museum in Jeddah’s historical district. This time around, however, the auction aims to focus specifi cally on rebuilding Beirut’s art and cultural district by partnering with AFAC, the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture. “We intend to offer full transparency and the funds raised will be utilised to build up prominent places like the Sursock Museum and surrounding institutions, galleries and studios, with proceeds allocated accordingly,” explains Michael Jeha, Chairman of Christie’s Middle East. On the night of the explosion, some of the most prominent places that suffered irreparable damage included the magnifi cent 15-year-old, Sursock Museum, Marfa Gallery, Galerie Tanit, Opera Gallery and several others, all located in Beirut’s bustling art centre surrounding the Port. In a statement released by UNESCO, preliminary estimates show that $500,000,000 are needed over the coming years to support heritage and the creative economy; with museums, galleries and cultural institutions expected to experience substantial losses in SPECIAL FEATURE The “ W E I N T E N D TO O F F E R F U L L T R AN S P AR E N C Y AN D T H E F U N D S R A IS E D W I L L B E U T IL I S E D T O B U IL D U P PR O M I N E N T PL A C E S L I K E T H E S U R S OC K M U S E U M A N D S U R R O U N D IN G IN S T I T U T I O N S , G A LLER I E S A N D S T U D I O S ” Pierre Paulin. Tapis-Siége. 1972. Lacquered wood structure with foam and textile. 210x210x37cm. Edition Paulin, Paulin, Paulin. Estimate: £20,000- 30,000. Credit ©Paulin, Paulin, Paulin. Part of ‘We Are All Beirut’ Charity Auction 64 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Art Autumn 2020 HBA_040_62-67_Special Feature_Rebuilding Lebanon_11388085.indd 6401/10/2020 05:41:41 PMHervé Van Der Straeten. Console Propagation. A limited-edition Plexiglas console table. Plexiglas, chants rouges. 170xl.50x85cm. Estimate: £10,000-15,000. Part of ‘We Are All Beirut’ Charity Auction 65 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Art Autumn 2020 HBA_040_62-67_Special Feature_Rebuilding Lebanon_11388085.indd 6501/10/2020 05:41:50 PM66 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Art Autumn 2020 W ORD S B Y ODELIA MA THEW S IMA GES C OUR TES Y OF CHRIS TIE’S Michael Jeha, Chairman of Christie’s Middle East SPECIAL FEATURE The “L E B A N E S E A R T H A S B E E N A T T H E H E A R T O F O U R M I D D L E E A S T E R N A U C T I O N S S I N C E 2 0 0 6 A N D C H R I S T I E ’ S F E E L S A D E E P S E N S E O F R E S P O N S I B I L I TY T O B E P A RT O F T H E GL O B A L E F F O RTS T O H E L P R E B U I L D B E I R U T , A C I TY S O R I C H I N C U L T U R E . ” M I C H A E L J E H A , C H A I R M A N O F CH R I ST I E ’ S M I D D L E E A ST HBA_040_62-67_Special Feature_Rebuilding Lebanon_11388085.indd 6601/10/2020 05:41:56 PMrevenues. The United Nations cultural organisation has stated that some 640 historic buildings were impacted, approximately 60 of which are at risk of collapse. With Christie’s aiming to raise above half a million dollars through the upcoming charity auction, the stakes are high in terms of offerings featuring some of the best post-war and contemporary art on offer. The online auction will include not only international art but also jewellery and watches, and Christie’s will donate 50 per cent of the buyers’ premium which will go towards the fund. Furthermore, the cost of the auction will also be borne by the auction house as a sign of solidarity with the community. Talking about the success of such online sales, Jeha says, “The online response has been very impressive and we’ve made fi ve years of progress in six months. Pierre Paulin. Tapis-Siége. 1972. Lacquered wood structure with foam and textile. 210x210x37cm. Edition Paulin, Paulin, Paulin. Estimate: £20,000- 30,000. Credit ©Paulin, Paulin, Paulin. Part of ‘We Are All Beirut’ Charity Auction Not only do we see a huge interest in Middle Eastern art, but we also see a 70 per cent regional interest and a 30 per cent international interest with UAE representing the largest buying power in the region.” If the international community is united in its efforts to be part of a higher cause, strung together by art and artists, culture and heritage – all joining in the rich emotional tapestry of a truly global community, then this online auction is certain to break new records with patrons and collectors eager to participate and rewrite history through their contributions and generosity. The We Are All Beirut charity auction by Christie’s will take place from 4 to 24 November 2020 with online browsing to open from the 4 to 10 November, and online bidding to begin from 11 to 24 November, 2020. For details and to register, visit christies.com 67 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Art Autumn 2020 HBA_040_62-67_Special Feature_Rebuilding Lebanon_11388085.indd 6701/10/2020 05:42:04 PM68 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Art Autumn 2020 HBA_040_68-71_Special Feature_Women art_11388573.indd 6801/10/2020 05:42:33 PM69 HarpersBazaarArabia.com/Culture/Art Autumn 2020 Facing page: Catalina Swinburn. Anauša No.II - Inmortal Warrior. 2018/2019. Woven paper armour made from historical documentation archiving displaced archaeological stones from Persepolis. 200x150x40cm. Estimate: £25,000-35,000 SPECIAL FEATURE The LEADING a New GLOBAL Trend Ahead of Christie’s Middle Eastern Modern and Contemporary Art Auction in November, we look at the rise of a new trend led by record-breaking female artists from the Arab region HBA_040_68-71_Special Feature_Women art_11388573.indd 6901/10/2020 05:42:39 PMNext >