‘UNTITLED 077’ at Dalloul Art Foundation CULTURAL NARRATIVES AT MENART FAIR

After the success of its launch in Paris, MENART FAIR hosted its third edition in Brussels from February 3-5, with extracts from the Cultural Narratives collection, conceived by Selections magazine, adorning the walls of the Boghossian Foundation (Villa Empain) for the occasion. The Cultural Narratives collection was designed to travel the world, with a mission of highlighting the prolific art scene in the region while conveying the uniqueness of each country represented.

Cultural Narratives stand at Menart Fair 2023, Photo

Credit Jules Monnier

Bringing together hundreds of works in a unique 20cm x 20cm format, the Cultural Narratives collection includes works by established and emerging talents from the MENA region, offering a breathtaking visual map of Middle Eastern artistic talent, with unique works from Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates.

A new project by the Dalloul Art Foundation in Beirut is placing the act of consciously not titling art in the spotlight. Through a series of exhibits, talks, and events, the project – which itself is titled ‘UNTITLED 077’ - seeks to answer questions such as: Why do we expect an artwork to have a title? When did titles become a necessity in the art world? And how does titling feature in modern and contemporary Arab art? For the occasion, a number of interactive exhibitions will showcase a wide selection of artworks entitled ‘Untitled’ by artists from across the Arab world. Each exhibition will feature 77 unique pieces selected from DAF’s own untitled artworks, united under one specific theme. DAF hopes that this project will open the space for scholars, art historians, and art lovers to decode the visual language of ‘Untitled’ artworks and devise parenthetical titles of their own.

Sharjah Biennial Prize Awards

Sharjah Biennial 15: Thinking Historically in the Present

For its 15th edition, the Sharjah Biennial takes up the theme of ‘Thinking Historically in the Present’, a reflection on the late Okwui Enwezor’s vision and influence on contem-porary art and biennials worldwide. Taking place across 19 venues located in five cities and towns in Sharjah, the Biennial also includes 30 works commissioned to celebrate its 30-year anniversary.

Thinking Historically in the Present is being realised by Sharjah Art Foundation Direc-tor Hoor Al Qasimi as curator in conjunction with the Sharjah Biennial 15 Working Group, comprised of Tarek Abou El Fetouh (independent curator); Ute Meta Bauer (pro-fessor and Founding Director of NTU CCA Singapore); Salah M Hassan (professor and art historian, Cornell University and Director of The Africa Institute, Sharjah); Chika Okeke-Agulu (professor and art historian, Princeton

Dappled Light: Rana Begum at Concrete

University); and Octavio Zaya (in-dependent curator, art writer and Executive Director of the Cuban Art Foundation). The Advisory Committee includes Sir David Adjaye (architect) and Christine Tohmé (Direc-tor, Ashkal Alwan, Beirut).

In total, over 150 artists and collectives from more than 70 countries are showcasing more than 300 artworks, as well as various performances, music, and films for the event, which continues until June 11.

The launch of curator and writer Sara Raza’s new book, ‘Punk Orientalism: The Art of Rebellion’, gave the opportunity for an ‘in conversation’ event with artist Ala Younis. The discussion centred on the intersection of geographical and cultural themes, as well as experimental and fractured poetic forms explored in this fascinating book, which shines a light on one of the most under-researched regions in the contemporary art world. Raza’s curatorial practice informed the publication’s focus on art and ideas from the spaces associated with the former USSR.

After the commendable task of evaluating over 150 artists exhibiting installations, performances, films, and other media, including 70 new works, across 19 different locations in Sharjah, the results of the Sharjah Biennial Prize were announced by Sharjah Art Foundation (SAF) during the opening gala of the Sharjah Biennial’s 15th edition and 30-year anniversary on February 7. Awards were given to Bouchra Khalili for The Circle (2023), Doris Salcedo for Uprooted (2023), and Hajra Waheed for Hum II (2023). Furthermore, Honourable Mentions were granted to Lee Kai Chung, Gabriela Golder, Amar Kanwar, Tania El Khoury, Ibrahim Mahama, Joiri Minaya, and Varunika Saraf.

The winners were selected by a notable jury consisting of Solange Farkas, Curator and Director of Videobrasil Cultural Association, Salwa Mikdadi, Professor of Art History and Director of the Arab Center for the Study of Art at NYU Abu Dhabi, and Elvira Dyangani Ose, Director of Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona.

Dubai Public Art Programme 5th Edition

Excitement is mounting after the announcement of the shortlisted artists for the fifth edition of the Dubai Public Art Programme. Asma Belhamar, Afra Al Dhaheri, Shaikha Al Mazrou, Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim Abdalla Almansoori and Khalid Al Banna are among the regional and international names who will be bringing their talent to creating site-specific works across Dubai’s public spaces, including parks, streets and pedestrian walkways.

For its five-year anniversary, in March Alserkal Avenue’s Concrete space was transformed into a mesmerising display for ‘Dappled Light’, a solo exhibition by Rana Begum - the artist’s most extensive in the region to date. Begum’s inspiration stems from the urban landscape, geometry, and traditional Islamic art and architecture, with her work grounded in light as a catalytic element that stimulates a sensorial and temporal experience for the viewer. The exhibition, curated by Dr. Cliff Lauson, showcased Begum’s exceptional use of light and colour in works that included a number previously unseen. In addition to the exhibition, a public programme of engaging talks and tours took place throughout the exhibition’s duration.

The final artworks will be unveiled later this year, when they will not only add to the already impressive public art collection in Dubai but also no doubt achieve the Dubai Public Art Programme aim of promoting cultural dialogue in the city.

MAHMOUD OBAIDI: MOSQUITO EFFECTS

New work by the acclaimed Iraqi-Canadian contemporary artist Mahmoud Obaidi is currently on show at Dubai’s Meem Gallery. Titled ‘Mosquito Effects’, the exhibition runs until May 30 and makes for compelling viewing. Obaidi’s art strives to explore and comprehend the intricacies of trauma from a historical, structural, and geographical perspective, rejecting simplistic political or identity-based interpretations. Never one to shy away from complex

Ya Mama By Katya Traboulsi

Solidarity, difference, group identification, superstition, love, and the afterlife are all themes tethered by the ‘Rej3a ya mama’ exhibition by multimedia artist Katya Traboulsi which opened at Saleh Barakat Gallery in Beirut on March 10. For the occasion, Traboulsi draws us into the visual world of Lebanese trucks, a common sight all too readily overlooked as they crisscross multiple geographies within and around Lebanon. Far from mundane, the mesmerising visuals that adorn the rears of these vehicles belong both to Lebanese heritage and the identity of their drivers. The evil eye, a fivethousand-year-old concept that has been adopted by many religions and cultures to protect possessions and loved ones, is one of the most common adornments on these trucks, tying in with the exhibition title that translates as “Mother, I will return”. As the artist explains, “Throughout our dramatic Lebanese history, old and recent, the clash between invasions, dependencies, travels and migrations has created a national feeling of anxiety around the stigma that our children will never return. However, if this anxie-ty holds us hostage, it also represents a national hope, sometimes the only remaining breath that we hold.”

Triennale Milano’s 100th anniversary

In 2023, Triennale Milano will celebrate its 100th anniversary, marking a century of promoting art, design, and architecture. This international cultural institution, established in 1923, has been a creative hub that has influenced and inspired generations of artists, designers, and architects through its exhibitions, events, and conferences.

To celebrate this milestone, Triennale Milano has planned three exhibitions that will showcase the core disciplines of design, architecture, and art. The first exhibition will take place at the Museo del Design Italiano, curated by Marco Sammicheli, covering the history of Italian design from 1923 to the present. The exhibition will also feature the launch of the Design Platform for temporary exhibits.

TIMO NASSERI: ALL BORROW THEIR LIGHT

subjects, the artist’s latest body of work explores colonisation and genocide, delving beyond the external shapes and colours to uncover layers of personal displacement. With every piece, Obaidi creates a visual inquiry that explores the difficult topics he seeks to tackle while also forcing him to look inward and confront his own sense of displacement.

Dubai’s Lawrie Shabibi Gallery is currently hosting its first solo exhibition for the Berlinbased, German-Iranian artist Timo Nasseri, which runs until April 28. Titled ‘All Borrow Their Light’, the exhibition offers a comprehensive glimpse into Nasseri’s oeuvre, show-casing a carefully curated selection of the artist’s paintings and sculptures, spanning various stages of his career. The exhibition is anchored by a new 4-metre-long painting titled ‘Atlas’ (2023), which builds on his previous series titled ‘I Am a Sky Where Spirits Live’ (2022-2023). In these paintings, inspired by the camouflage technique used by the British and US Navy in both World Wars, Nasseri uses brightly coloured recurring forms on the canvas that evoke geometric patterns in a vast kaleidoscope. The artist’s fascination with geometry traces back to his interest in Islamic architecture, which it-self was spurred by a visit to Iran with his father.

The second exhibition, titled ‘Triennale. Home Sweet Home,’ will be curated by Nina Bassoli and will feature site-specific installations and immersive works by contemporary architects exploring the theme of home. The third and final exhibition, opening in October 2023, will focus on contemporary Italian painting. Curated by Damiano Gullì, the exhibition will feature over 100 Italian artists from different generations, showcasing new site-specific commissions and murals in dialogue with Triennale’s architecture.

Grounded in the Sky: Nabil Nahas in Provence

France will host its first solo exhibition of Lebanese American artist Nabil Nahas beginning in April, with two sites in Provence hosting works. Presented by Château La Coste and CMS Collection, ‘Grounded in the Sky’ will run until June 13 at the Renzo Piano Pavilion and the Galerie des Anciens Chais. At the Renzo Piano Pavilion, visitors can discover four large-scale canvases of spiral compositions evoking celestial skies from the artist’s new series titled ‘Constellation’, as well as his largest sculpture to date situated outside the gallery. At the Galerie des Anciens, a more personal series of work connected to Nahas’ Lebanese homeland is on display, featuring native trees, such as olive, palm and cedar, as well as references to the devastating Beirut Port explosion of 2020. Here, the collective pain and trauma of a nation are conveyed through Nahas’ sombre palette and expressive brushwork, while the trees allude to national pride and heritage.

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