Cracking the ‘white cube'

I Put It There, You Name It is an unconventional art exhibition. Rokni Haerizadeh, Ramin Haerizadeh and Hesam Rahmanian are exhibiting not just their artworks but their entire home. The gallery space has been divided by walls and the three Iran-ian artists have moved their furniture, artefacts, art collection and latest artworks there to recreate the ambiance of their home, studio and garden. The Haerizadeh brothers have been living in Dubai as exiles for the past three years and share their home with Rahmanian, a childhood friend. Thus, exhibiting their work in the context of their new home is not just a fun idea, it is an expression of gratitude to Dubai and a defiant message that their creativity cannot be stifled.

"We were on a short trip to Dubai when we got the shocking news that we would not be welcome in Iran. It was a difficult situation but the authorities here were very gracious and gave us the kind of support we have never received in our own country. Now we are comfortable and happy in Dubai, and enjoy working in our studio at home. Through this show we wanted to share our experiences over the past three years with viewers. And we also wanted to change the ‘white cube' style of exhibiting and selling art," Rokni Haerizadeh says.

The three artists are proud of the fact that their home is decorated with art and artefacts from around the world, which inspire and influence their own work. "We hope that seeing this accumulation of different cultures in this modern-day ‘cabinet of curiosities' will make viewers question the binary way of thinking that creates unnecessary boundaries between Eastern and Western, or Arab and international art and culture," Ramin Haerizadeh says.

The intriguing title of the show was inspired by the observation that visitors to their home get fascinated by simple everyday objects such as ashtrays and fruit bowls as if they were pieces of art. "We think this happens because of the creative vibe in our home. So we have tried to transpose that same energy to the gallery, along with all the things in our home, and left it to the viewers to decide what they want to consider as art," Rahmanian says.

Their warm and cosy home reflects the camaraderie between them, and their irreverent attitude and their quirky sense of humour. But it also speaks about their great love for art and their deep respect for their own artistic heritage and art history. Priceless artworks by well-known Iranian and international artists, household items with an artistic twist, objects with witty references to art history, powerful socio-political paintings and sculptures by the three artists, and light-hearted assemblages created collaboratively mingle easily in this house, blurring boundaries between art and craft, individual and group creativity, regional and international art.

It is fun to discover the artistic touches in the house, such as the hand-painted kitchen floor, with the improvised pattern running up the legs of the dining table and the kitchen cabinet; the Campbell's soup cans used as candle stands; and the fruit-filled bowls placed all around the house as a reference to still-life paintings from classical Persian art.

The brightly coloured walls are covered with paintings from their eclectic art collection, and their own latest works. The special "Wall of Fame" in their living room is reserved for artworks by their favourite artists, such as Bahman Mohasses, David Hockney and Damien Hirst. Ramin's bedroom has a chessboard floor and a cabinet full of pictures of people whose faces have been replaced by Ramin's beaming bearded visage. And the installations include an accidental "artwork" created by the maid, when she placed a royal guard's helmet on a traffic cone. Even the bathroom has an installation of a woman's dress on the wall and a skull tied to the tap.

The fun continues in the garden area. The garden wall in their home is covered with paintings and collages featuring "glamorous grandmothers" such as their favourite artist Louise Bourgeois, actress Liz Taylor and Queen Elizabeth II. Like the collages, the sculptures in the garden and around the house are also a collaborative effort, created by combining statues of Roman warriors or Greek deities, with ornamental animal heads from Indian handicraft stores and objects such a water-guns, funnels and women's shoes.

"All the elements of these artworks have been sourced from local media and shops in the UAE, and the themes are connected with local and international events. Being outdoors, these artworks have experienced the rain, heat, cold and sandstorms of Dubai. Thus they represent the environment we live in. Like the stories of the One Thousand and One Nights, they are a combination of various cultures," Rahmanian says.

Rokni Haerizadeh adds: "We want people to feel in our home the joy and warmth we have experienced when we moved to Dubai. Many residents consider Dubai a transitory home, but we want to convey the message that wherever you are happy is your home. We believe Dubai brings good luck to everybody who lives here."

I Put It There, You Name It will run at Gallery IVDE until May 17.