Noun Al Neswa 4th edition

The Marsam Mattar Gallery is a hidden gem in the heart of Dubai.

Situated in Al Hudaiba, it was founded by renowned Emirati artist Mattar Bin Lahej. Attached to the gallery is the recently opened Sketch Art Cafe and the More than Art Training Centre. The gallery’s tranquil setting and outdoor facilities invite the visitor to spend time there, taking in the art before sharing coffee and chatting with friends. 

To nurture the creativity of the youth, the centre will provide training courses for children in all aspects of art, and has fully equipped presentation rooms as well as an art supplies store. 

Noun Al Neswa is an annual exhibition held in the Marsam Mattar Gallery. It is for female artists and this year’s edition showcased the work of 22 participating artists from various fields. 

As one of the participating artists, I was honored to be able to show five of my iPhoneography artworks on wood at the exhibition.

 

The opening evening on 11 May 2015 was a great success as artists and guests mingled, admiring works and sharing stories.

I had met the Saudi artist, Noor Hisham Al Saif, that morning in the gallery. New bonds of friendship were formed. The two of us were fortunate enough to have Mattar bin Lahej sit with us over coffee in the cafe, sharing stories of his career as an artist and giving us advice about the art world.

 

Opposite me in the gallery that evening was friend Farah Al Balooshi.  It has been a pleasure to get to know Farah.  The two of us were delighted when Khalil Abdul Wahid, head of Visual Arts at Dubai Culture and Arts Authority spent some time chatting to us. Khalil is responsible for promoting the culture and arts of Dubai internationally. 

 

Khalil later posted this pic on Instagram which gives a lovely overview of the opening reception. 

 

Beside family and friends from Dubai and Abu Dhabi, also present at the opening was a group of at least 20 instagrammers from the IgersDubai community.  It meant a lot to me to have them come along to support the evening.  

 

More photos of the evening can be seen in the album shared on my facebook page. 

The exhibition has been extended until 5 June 2015.  The Marsam Mattar Gallery is located at Villa 21, 4B Street, Al Hudaiba 322, Dubai. 

Huna Al Emarat in the Gallery of Light

The exhibition “Huna Al Emarat”, meaning Here UAE or This is UAE, opens to the public today in the Gallery of Light, DUCTAC, Mall of the Emirates.

It was a privilege, as one of the Mobipixuae members participating, to be present at the preview last night. 

The exhibition, which will run from 10th-16th February 2015, takes the form of a collective memoir which reflects the past decade in the UAE and the evolution which has taken place in that period. Painting, photography, sculpture and video are featured. Artists taking part include Mattar bin Lahej, Ammar Al Attar, Khalil Abdulwahid, Camille Mallat, Nour Sokhon and Mobipixuae. The  exhibition also showcases design works by Caravan, and presents publications including Brusselssprout and WTD. 

The evening was a great success and Ductac can certainly be proud. There was a distinct sense of camaraderie as the artists mingled willingly with all the guests present, sharing information and stories about their works.   

Two works in particular spoke very strongly to me. 

The first was the installation, False Ceiling, from Caravan.  It was originally installed in a traditional courtyard house in the heart of Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood in Dubai, being suspended by helium inflated balloons which enabled it to wave freely as it was exposed to the elements. The need for shelter, often seen as a basic need for human life, is brought into question, and the viewer is encouraged to embrace the challenges of life.

I have long been following the exquisite sculptures of Mattar bin Lahej, and the piece on show was a delight to behold.  Ensihar or Fusion, is an installation made in stainless steel. It has a diameter of two meters and its form, spheres, curves and Arabic calligraphy depict the pearl. Light reflecting onto the verses from the Holy Quran at different angles add to the incredible movement present in the piece. Heritage and present day culture merge.    

The concept and depiction of movement is very strong in all Mattar’s pieces and I resonate very strongly with this. One of the highlights of the evening for the Mobipixuae members was when he came over to our installation to discuss our images with us. 

 

(More photos from the evening can be viewed here)

The exhibition, presented by CBRE to coincide with the firm’s 10th anniversary in the Middle East, is open daily from 9am to 10Pm, Gallery of Light, Ductac, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, 04 341 4777, www.ductac.org  

Tokyo2Dubai Collab

The concept here2here has taken another leap in meaning. I was recently asked on Instagram to participate in a collaboration project with someone from Tokyo, Japan. 

When I joined Instagram just over one and a half years ago, @takiti or Tera as we all know him, was one of the first igers whose work I greatly admired. When after some time I asked him how he achieved a specific effect, he gladly shared the name of a favorite app he was using. Tera, who has an amazing gallery, kindly leaves comments on numerous photos and despite his huge following, always thanks those who leave a comment on any of his shots. 

I believe that we connect to others on an energetic level in cyberspace and that energy is conveyed on a subtle level by online presence tied to our avatars, content produced or shared, quantity, quality and online conversation.

Needless to say, I was very excited when Tera asked if he could edit one of my pics. The process was set in motion by me sending him the four photos that he requested. He then chose one to edit. The resulting image was published in his gallery. 

Tera has various shots of the Tokyo International Forum and I requested the original of one of these to edit. I chose it because it contained a lit up pathway in the Forum. The resulting edit is now part of my Corridors of Cyberspace series

In Japanese calligraphy there is a symbol called an ensō. It means circle and is often referred to as an “expression of the moment”. Many artists, as a form of spiritual practice, practice drawing an ensō daily.  I have often wondered if it is possible to practice this in photographic form, and for some time now, have been incorporating the circle in my edits with this in mind. To be invited to collaborate with someone from Japan on an image appeared to me to be a form of answer to my question. 

In my art, the circle, for me, represents not only the moment, but all form, and that which is without form. At the same time, it is an attempt to represent the experience of whirling in cyberspace; a space which is not localized but experiential. 

The outcome of a piece I am working on is not known to me at the onset.  As I attempt to express the experience of cyberspace, the very creation of a piece is itself an experience in cyberspace, as I work hand in hand with technology.  Working with various apps which often produce surprising results, I go through countless resulting images until I find one that fully resonates with what I am attempting to express. The result is therefore a collaboration of a human and technology. 

In this particular edit, you will notice within the circle, lines and sections meeting. This represents collaboration. There is also a darker space, symbolizing the unknown when the photo is handed over for editing.  It is also the space in which creativity takes place and from it something beautiful appears to be emerging. 

The speeding circles on the left remind me of all the data exchange going on in the collaboration.  Living in Dubai, I was also reminded by them, of the Burj Khalifa standing proud and tall.  Japan is one of the first countries daily to see the rising sun and this is depicted by the small moving circle on the right of the image. The shades of grey suggest timelessness in their neutrality. 

It is my wish to exhibit the corridors of cyberspace series, perhaps at first in frames on paper, but ideally on special screens which allow the light to shine through them electronically from behind. 

This month Emirates Airlines launched daily direct flights between Dubai and Tokyo.  Both the UAE and Japan are considered to be global hubs of development and growth. It is my wish that the two have also been brought closer to each other on a more personal level in this photographic act of here2here online collaboration.

The image had one further message for me. As I contemplated it, I suddenly started recalling the music for “The Windmills of Your Mind”. As the circular melody went round and round in my head, I thought how appropriate it was for someone who attempts to practice watching her mind with all its thoughts.  Often there are so many different thoughts going round and round like a windmill and it is only by becoming mindful and observing them that we are gradually able to loosen our attachment to them. 

When I researched the song I discovered that it was the song which won the Oscar in 1969 for Best Song from a Film (in this case, the original Thomas Crown Affair). Dusty Springfield also recorded a version of the song in 1969.

Amidst its lyrics were these words which I immediately linked to my edit : 

And the world is like an apple

Whirling silently in space

Like the circles that you find

In the windmills of your mind! 

It was as I read this, that my photographic ensō became the expressed moment!

Thank you Tera-san for the invite and the collaboration.

Interludes

"Are you South African?"

 "Yes. Could you tell from my accent?"

A big smile. "No, I saw your passport."

I looked down at my passport, which I had placed on the table. Sitting opposite me in an airport lounge in Dubai was a little girl with a pink coat and boots.  Her hair was swept back from her face and she wore big red glasses. 

"I'm Nigerian", she proudly told me, "but I live in Los Angeles".

"Were you in Dubai on holiday?" I asked, and so began a chat and many questions. How long did it take for the lift to reach the lookout point in the Burj Khalifa? She had seen the tower but not been up it. She did not like going so high. She did not like take off and landing when flying either. Actually, she declared, with distinct wisdom beyond her years, it was not so much a case of likes and dislikes but more a matter of what she feared. 

I told her that when the plane took off that day she should think about how cool it was that she was travelling so fast. I would think of her during take off.  Would she think of me? Another big grin and a big nod, followed by yet another big smile when I told her her glasses suited her face. 

The fourth child of five children, she was born in Chicago, now lived in Los Angeles and was in the sixth grade. Her favorite subject at school was, "Mmm, Science. Yes, Science". 

As it turned out we were on the same flight. Unfortunately, sleep got the better of me the minute I was settled on board (it was 2 o'clock in the morning!) and I did not even realize we had taken off! When I woke I realized I had not thought of my little friend as I had said I would. Whether she had thought of me and maybe faced one of her fears in a different way I do not know. I did however, during the course of my journey, send her love and light and wish her joy. 

In Frankfurt we passed each other briefly and waved goodbye. 

A seven hour layover in Frankfurt before our flight to Calgary gave me more than enough time to catch up on emails, check in on Twitter and post one photo on Instagram. I instant messaged with my one daughter eagerly awaiting our arrival in Canada, and Skyped with the other who was looking after some children for the day in South Africa. I had not met these children before but they too participated in the conversation and were fascinated when I took my iPad to the window and showed them all the planes coming and going on a busy Frankfurt airport. 

It was turning out to be a day of interludes - happenings in-between the main events. 

On our way to our connecting flight I stopped off to get something in the duty free shop. Standing next to me in the queue and in front of a shelf was a young man holding a box of chocolates and an exquisite pottery jar with a lid covered by a material cloth. 

Perhaps he saw me gazing in admiration at the jar, because the next minute he looked at me and said, "Excuse me, do you speak German?".  My affirmative reply resulted in me having to tell him what was in the jar. Reading the label I could tell him that it was a delicate mustard made in a monastery in Germany. Oh no, he did not want mustard and the jar was replaced on the shelf.

"Do you live in Germany?"

"No, in Dubai but I am originally from South Africa. And you?"

"I am from Kazakhstan but have just been to Vienna on a conference for law students. There were 1500 student from different universities all over the world attending."

"How interesting and great to meet so many different people. Kazakhstan! And your accent?"

"I studied law in the US for four years, picked up the accent while there and funnily enough have never lost it". 

At this point it was time for me to pay, but while I was paying he told me he had picked up a few German phrases while in Vienna, such as Gruess Gott. I told him that that was also a common form of greeting in Bavaria where we had lived and that it actually means I greet the God in you. Oh, that was interesting.

Till slip in hand, it was time to part ways. We wished each other a good flight and I walked away feeling pleased to have met him. 

People tell me that strangers often talk to me. Over the years I have come to see this as something special for which I am grateful. We make so many plans, but most often it is the unexpected happenings in between that are the ones we most remember.

For the next while I will be in Red Deer in Alberta, Canada.  After traveling for twenty four-hours I have gone back ten hours in time and have arrived on the same day on which I departed. My body-clock is adjusting. I am perhaps physically closer than usual to many of you reading this and for the next while might even be sharing the same time zone. 

The architecture of online space, however, allows us to be always close in a special way. Its design is such that interludes are encouraged. Time and space are no barriers to here2here encounters.  Invisible connections are being made every time we make the effort to connect with another. The web of relationships is growing and bonds are being strengthened.  At the heart of this all is the realization of interconnectedness and the need for compassion for self and other in the world we find ourselves in today. 

Next time you enter a social media site, stop for a moment or two beforehand and become mindful of what you are doing. This awareness could alter your way of interacting and provide the gap for an interlude and the mystery of creation! 

Spaces to Places

Recently opened in Downtown Dubai, The Pavilion is a contemporary art space which not only encourages dialogue between art and its audience, but is also a vibrant space for the neighborhood, with galleries, a cinema, library, espresso bar and restaurant. The architect Abboud Malak has said, “It’s anything you want it to be; just come and bring your computer or socialise. It’s a versatile space and encompasses everything.... The people will make the space what it is.”

I often go there to do research, write or hang out with friends. The design with its natural woods has a very calming effect. It is a place where creatives can work, socialise or simply be.

Spaces become places when individuals or communities endow them with meaning. Spaces become places through the participation of people.

One’s experience of a particular space evokes emotion and memory and gives rise to what is often referred to as a sense of place. Some spaces are so designed that they encourage the individual to spend time there alone, others invite participation and interaction with others, and others encourage both.

Right now, we find ourselves having to move, more and more, in online space. 

 

In a sense we have become online nomads, meeting fellow travelers from different places, countries and cultures in a space not limited by time. We often tend to wander from site to site, perhaps unaware that we are actually in search of online oases. These are sites that nourish and refresh, and where we are met with online hospitality.  When this is not so, we simply click away and are transported down another corridor.

Whereas many see today’s technologies encouraging placelessness, this need not be the case. What is required of us now is a special generation of architects and designers, creators of online spaces which become special online places for current and future users. 

Physical spaces designed by architects to encourage reflection or interaction are not empty. Their features encourage occupants of the space to interact with it in a particular way.

Online spaces need to be created in this way too.

Just as decorators move shapes around to find the right place and the right fit, so too the positioning of words, widgets, links, videos etc can be approached with mindfulness.

It is encouraging, for example, to see new blog technologies coming in to being that will move away from the linear and allow positioning of videos, pics and words all over a blank page. Such collage like blogging will most definitely promote creativity.

The spaces we occupy online deserve our respect.  We can declutter by regularly emptying our mail boxes. We can consider not retweeting that which we have not read or watched.  A mindful online presence will require that we don’t simply fill the space we encounter with mere words, simply for the sake of filling it. 

If we have our own website, we should be aware that the home page is an online door. What image does it portray to the first time visitor. Does it encourage the visitor to enter? Is it welcoming? Does the architecture of the website enable the visitor to meet others there? Does it encourage the visitor to return? Does the visitor feel at home there?  Does its mindful design include windows that provide vistas, and bridges that lead to new sites. 

Is it a pavilion, a dome, a light filled space where others are encouraged to be?

 

          I saw that my life was a vast glowing empty page and I could do 

anything I wanted. - Jack Kerouac

The space where we meet online is like this too. It is certainly vast, and when we look at our handheld gadgets, it is certainly glowing. What are we going to do with it? What are we going to create?