“Emirati Expressions: Realised”, the third edition of the “Emirati Expressions” series, presented by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), is showcasing new commissioned works by well known Emirati artists Abdullah Al Saadi, Ebtisam Abdulaziz, Layla Juma, Mohammad Al Mazrouei, Mohammad Ahmad Ebrahim, and Mohammad Kazem.
The six artists, representing the second generation of Emirati artists, have been at the forefront of the contemporary visual arts scene in the UAE. But this show marks a major milestone in their artistic journey because it has enabled them to bring to life ambitious projects that had so far remained unrealised either due to their scale or other logistical considerations.
A highlight of the exhibition is a recreation of Kazem’s acclaimed “Walking on Water” show designed for the National Pavilion of the UAE at the Venice Biennale this year. The exhibition has been curated by Reem Fadda, Associate Curator, Middle Eastern Art, Abu Dhabi Project, Solomon R. Guggenheim, with Maisa Al Qassimi, Programmes Manager in the Museums Department of TCA Abu Dhabi.
Fadda conceived the idea for this exhibition while doing the curatorial research for Kazem’s solo show at the Venice Biennale. “During my extensive research on the local arts scene, I visited many artists’ studios and I discovered that despite the support and recognition these artists have received throughout their careers, each of them had some unfulfilled dreams waiting to be realised. This show has given them the opportunity to bring those ideas and projects to fruition and to display the true extent of their visionary ideas and artistic expertise,” Fadda says.
Although their work is similar in its conceptual nature, the artistic vocabulary used by each artist is different. Al Saadi comments on the rapid urbanisation in his country and explores the relationship between humans and their natural surroundings by using the sweet potato, which was once an important part of the Emirati diet, as a symbol of nature, tradition and culture.
His ongoing “Naked Sweet Potato” series features drawings, paintings, clay and metal sculptures, engravings on rocks, video performances and handmade bronze jewellery inspired by the amorphous shape of this vegetable. The title of the project alludes to the fact that the sweet potato grows underground surrounded by earth and looks naked and vulnerable when it is dug out of the soil. The long-held dream that Al Saadi has realised for this show is a collection of sweet potato-inspired biomorphic gold jewellery.
Displayed in special cases under spotlights in a darkened space, the glittering “sweet potatoes” speak volumes about the UAE’s journey from the past to the present.
Al Mazrouei, who is also a writer and poet, is presenting a series of mixed media paintings inspired by an image of the Virgin Mary, found in his late mother’s belongings. The poetic paintings speak about the need for religious tolerance in our society and refer to philosophical ideas about the status of culture, especially in the Arab world.
Ebrahim, who is based in Khorfakkan, Fujairah, is interested in archaeology and land art. His work explores the fleeting nature of time, the omnipresent process of decay and the philosophical connection between physical space, memory and culture. The circle is a recurring motif in his work and in this show appears as a gaping hole in the middle of a large-scale photographic print of the mountain that faces his home.
“I imagined puncturing the mountain so that I could see the sun set,” he says in a cryptic message about the destructive nature of human beings.
Juma’s geometric, computer-generated drawings and aluminium sculptures explore the fragmentation and intersection of human experience and our interaction with nature. She is showcasing artworks from her “Twins” series that contemplates the phenomenon of the birth of twins and the idea of individuality.
Abdulaziz’s work revolves primarily around performance. For this show, she immersed herself in a transparent bubble at Manarat Al Saadiyat and painted its interior with Yves Klein’s signature blue colour. She is exhibiting ten photographs of this performance, titled “Blue Freedom”, along with the bubble she used.
“It was my dream to create a very special space for myself and to have the freedom to change the colour of my world,” she says.
The show also brings Kazem’s dream project, realised at the Venice Biennale, to the UAE. The immersive installation, “Directions 2005/2013”, features a 360-degree projection of the sea and illuminated interchangeable GPS coordinates within an enclosed chamber. The visual effect created by 15 projectors, combined with the sound of the waves, gives viewers the feeling of being lost at sea. The work is a symbolic representation of the breaking down of barriers between countries and people. And by casting viewers adrift in that endless expanse of water, Kazem engages them with his work physically and conceptually, inviting them to experience the feeling of being disoriented and displaced, but also to walk fearlessly on the water, to travel freely across geographical and mental borders, and to question and challenge their perceptions of openness and universality.
The installation is part of his iconic “Directions” series, begun in 1999, where he uses Geographical Positioning System (GPS) co-ordinates to document his whereabouts, symbolically referencing his very existence, and addressing political, social and environmental issues.
“This is a project that originated in the UAE and is deeply rooted in my practice. I believe exposing local audiences to projects such as these, which question conventional norms and views, are essential for the development of society,” Kazem says.
The show also includes an archival room featuring a display of newspaper clippings, offering a record of the journey of these six artists and putting their now realised dream projects in the correct context.
“This exhibition means a lot to every artist in the UAE, not just those of my generation. It has added a lot of the history of art in the UAE by documenting the practices, thoughts, concerns and dreams of six artists during a certain era,” Abdulaziz says.
–Jyoti Kalsi is an arts enthusiast based in Dubai
Emirati Expressions: Realised will run at Manarat Al Saadiyat on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi until January 18, 2014.