UAE | Heritage and Culture
Art sans borders
Artists from India and Pakistan are sharing space at the Cross Roads art show in Dubai.
- By Vinita Bharadwaj, Special to Gulf News
- Published: 00:16 March 23, 2008
India and Pakistan may still have issues to iron out on the political front, but artistically, they seem to be affable. Three Indian and three Pakistani artists peacefully share space at the Elementa art gallery, which is one of Dubai's newest entrants on the art scene.
On the second show, Cross Roads, gallery director Mehnaz Tan, says it wasn't hard at all to convince the artists from both countries on the concept. "Artists are beyond borders and we experienced that in putting together this show,'' she says.
"We were quite particular to bring in the young, cutting-edge contemporary artists from India and Pakistan, which is why the names may not ring a bell to the common man. But, in the art community they're all quite well-known and have all had successful international showings,'' she adds.
'Presence'
Elementa art gallery opened earlier this year. "We didn't want to be typecast as a specific art gallery — catering to one type of art — and wanted to establish our presence as an international gallery. So, our first show featured British artists and now we've moved to South Asia,'' Tan says.
Jeet Banerjee, owner of India's Galerie 88 and one of the partners of Elementa, said the decision to set-up in Dubai was taken after he visited last year's Gulf Art Fair — now Art Dubai.
Banerjee, who's been involved in the business of art for more than 20 years, believes the beginning is positive. "It can only get better. There's a curiosity about art all over the world, purchasing power has increased and it's no longer a domain of the elite. Contemporary artists all over the world are exhibiting in different places and selling,'' he says.
'good times'
Like artist Naiza Khan from Pakistan, who was the only one present at the opening, and has had shows, group and solo, around the world. "I'd say these are good times to be an artist. It's a lot more professional and structured than a decade ago,'' she says.
Khan has two pieces on display, a large sketch, which is the second in her series of "Iron Clouds'' and two armour skirts, which were suspended from the ceiling.
"I guess as a Pakistani artist, the political context cannot be isolated. In my case, it has run parallel in my work, but there's also a lot of personal context as well,'' she says.
'Flirtatious'
Her pieces of the two armour skirts, are a progression of earlier works, in which she had created chastity belts, with zips. "The zip, could be interpreted as emancipated struggle,'' she says. Though made of iron, the skirts have a flirtatious whiff as they're slightly lifted up, to reveal or not?
The artists
Bani Abidi
Pakistan's prominent video artist explores social transformations and the subject of identity. Her work "Reserved'' shows how the entire city comes to a standstill awaiting the arrival of a nameless VIP, who comically never arrives. It was included in the Singapore Biennial.
Subodh Gupta This Indian artist uses paintings, installations and sculptures to traverse the distance from his rural origins to the world beyond using objects from everyday Indian life — such as stainless steel utensils, milk cans etc. His works have been acquired by Francois Pinault and exhibited at the Venice Biennale.
Bharti Kher
Indian artist Kher uses ready-made "bindis'' (dot on forehead worn by Hindu women) as a central motif to portray a range of meanings. Arranged in either orderly geometric patterns or organic teeming masses, she creates new ways of understanding the world around us.
Rashid Rana This Pakistani artist uses digital prints and videos to deal with multiple issues of faith and popular culture. He also incorporates a social political commentary and parody by transforming and distorting traditional symbols of everyday life. He has had a solo show at Art and Public in Geneva.
Mithu Sen An Indian artist who uses everyday materials and combines them with paintings to generate unusual provocative associations around the subjects of gender, domesticity, sexuality and kitsch. She has participated in a group show in Seoul and a solo show with Bose Pacia in New York.
don't miss it!
Cross Roads runs until April 19 at the Elementa art gallery in Dubai Airport Free Zone. For more information visit www.galleryelementa.com
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