22 NOV 2012 I CANVAS DAILY I ISSUE 4 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION 1

22 NOVEMBER 2013 I ISSUE 4 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION

FORCE MAJEURE

RAINY DAY SALESWHILE THE SHORTENED day allowed for only three opening hours, galleries in Manarat Al-Saadiyat noted strong interest and showed a positive outlook for the weekend. Istanbul-based Galeri Zilberman (H1-18) made one big sale with Aleppo, a mixed media on canvas triptych by

Twenty-two galleries in the Norman Foster pavilion relocated to Manarat Al-Saadiyat after severe weather conditions temporarily suspend the fair.

ABU DHABI ART was temporarily suspended yesterday due to unsual weather conditions. "Art handlers who were patrolling the facilities early morning noticed leakage at the perimeters of the Abu Dhabi Art site" said a statement from HH Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al-Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, to the 22 participating galleries with booths in the Norman Foster-designed pavilion. At the time of press, no artworks had been reported as damaged. News of the fair's suspension came early on in the day as organisers sent an email to all exhibitors informing them of temporary closure due to inclement weather. Throughout the day, beginning from 05:00, artworks were taken down and secured from various booths in Hall 2. At 13:00, Abu Dhabi Art posted the following statement on their Facebook page: "[...] Abu

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POINT AND SHOOT�������������� ��������� �������������������������of Contemporary art fairs.

A MEDIUM THAT mechanically records events – as opposed to spending long hours in front of a canvas depicting scenarios, portraits, landscapes and nudes – photography treads a fine line between art and documentation. This edition of Abu Dhabi Art welcomes captivating photographic works by Contemporary artists such as Marina Abramovic ,

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Marina Abramovic. . . In the Sea of Silence. 2013. Fine art pigment print. 160 x 213 cm. Edition of five plus two artist's proofs. Image courtesy Lisson Gallery, London.

Jamil Molaeb. (Detail) Tribute to Van Gogh. 2013. Oil on canvas. 110 x 156 cm. Photography by Maria Mumtaz.

The Norman Foster-designed pavilion at Abu Dhabi Art yesterday evening. Photography by Maria Mumtaz.

22 NOV 2012 I CANVAS DAILY I ISSUE 4 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION 3

Turkish artist Azade Köker, which went to a Europe-based Middle Eastern collector new to the gallery for approximately $135,000. Across the way, Dubai-based Lawrie-Shabibi (H1-14) had a number of works on reserve and sold one work by Lebanese artist Nabil Nahas for an undisclosed sum. Meem Gallery (H1-15) also sold a 1983 work by Nahas for $40,000. Beirut-based Janine Rubeiz (H1-02) sold Tribute to Van Gogh, an oil on canvas work by Lebanese artist Jamil Molaeb for $20,000 to a Kuwaiti collector. At the time of press, The Breeder (H1-10) and Lam Art Gallery (H1-08) had reserves on works with expectations of confirmations over the weekend.

Dhabi Art management gathered first class professionals to take precautionary measures primarily aimed at safeguarding visitors, exhibitors and the works at Abu Dhabi Art. As we are committed to preserving the wellbeing of the artworks, the galleries and our patrons, Abu Dhabi Art management has elected to suspend all activities at Abu Dhabi Art for today Thursday 21 November." Fair organisers issued another statement shortly before 19:00 saying Abu Dhabi Art would reopen at 19:00. Hall 1 at Manarat Al-Saadiyat did reopen, however, at the time of press the pavilion remained closed. "[...] We have spent the last few hours to implement the following: A new space within the Manarat Al-Saadiyat building that is currently being fitted out to receive a selection of works of your choice to be displayed; The space will be ready Friday 22 November from 10:00 [...] A virtual platform will be available to showcase your gallery's works of art,"said an email from Abu Dhabi Art management to the 22 galleries in Hall 2. Mohammed Hafiz of Athr Gallery said that while they were disappointed, this was a “force majeure that no one could have control over. We remain positive about the fair and trust that the organisers will find a solution.” Fellow gallerist Kashya Hildebrand, whose booth was at the entrance of Hall 2 said: “In spite of this event, we have been thrilled with the professionalism of Hasenkamp for acting quickly allowing no artwork to be damaged. The fair management has done an impeccable job with this fair and we feel that they will continue to do so. It’s wonderful that we will be pop-ing up in the new satellite space just across from Hall 1 and know that the enthusiastic collectors will follow.” The Abu Dhabi Art public programme will resume as scheduled on Friday and Saturday.

RAINY DAY SALES (CONT.) FORCE MAJEURE (CONT.)

Azade Köker. (Detail) Aleppo. 2013. Mixed media on canvas triptych. 170 x 500 cm. Image courtesy Galeri Zilberman, Istanbul.

A detail of Adel Abdessemed’s Décor celebrates Canvas’s ninth anniversary issue as well as our second edition of Artists Who Collect, in which four Middle Eastern artists open their doors to reveal their eclectic art collections.

A visit to Emirati artist Hassan Sharif’s

home and studio.

Review of Qatar Museums Authority’s

recent exhibitions.

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The provocative nature of Adel Abdessemed’s oeuvre, Taner Ceylan’s hyperrealist

paintings, Siah Armajani’s intellectually engaging practice, the Foster + Partners-

designed blue chip gallery Sperone Westwater PLUS Artists Who Collect II.

IN THE CANVAS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ISSUE

Turkish artist Taner Ceylan's controversial and sensual practice.

Follow us on Twitter @CanvasTweet Follow us on Pinterest canvasmag Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/CanvasMagazine Follow us on Instagram @CanvasTweet

TODAY

13:00 – 13:50

Durub Al-Tawaya: Looking for Pearls - Marine Sports Club Abu Dhabi BreakwaterA performance by Rayyane Tabet on a boat around the manmade Lulu Island off the coast of Abu Dhabi.

14:00 – 22:00

Durub Al-Tawaya Buses - Durub Al-Tawaya Bus Stop, Manarat Al-SaadiyatCao Fei, Zeinab Al-Hashimi, Ilya and Emilia Kabakov and Wael Shawky take over four city buses inside and out using video, audio, photographs and graphic design.

15:00 – 16:00

*Guggenheim Abu Dhabi: Talking Art SeriesMarwan - Manarat Al-Saadiyat AuditoriumThe artist's defining Head series and includes the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi’s Head (1985), will serve as the starting point for a conversation moderated by Reem Fadda and Sharifa Bin Horaiz.

16:30 – 17:30

*The Abu Dhabi Art Panel: Value and Art - Manarat Al-Saadiyat Auditorium How value is created in the art world: Lorenzo Fiaschi, Galleria Continua, Mohammad Hafiz, Athr Gallery, sociologist Alain Quemin and Isabelle van den Eynde, eponymous gallery. Moderated by Anna Somers Cocks.

17:30 – 18:00

Abu Dhabi Art Book Launch: Stretching Thoughts at Ayyam GalleryLaunch of a new monograph on the work of multidisciplinary Lebanese artist NadimKaram. Presented by the artist, Hisham Samawi and Faisal Samra.

18:00 – 19:00

Emirati Expressions: Realised Full Artist Circle - Manarat Al-Saadiyat Auditorium Emirati artists on their practices: Abdul Qader Al-Rais, Najat Makki, Jalal Luqman, Sumayyah Al-Suweidi and Mattar Bin Lahej. Moderated by Reem Fadda andVenetia Porter.

19:00 – 19:15

Art, Talks & Sensations: Dunes and WavesAP 15 by Sébastian Ramirez and Honji Wang - Dunes and Waves PlatformA duo performance inspired by the coded choreography of hip-hop by SébastianRamirez and Honji Wang.

19:30 – 20:30

*Durub Al-Tawaya: EARTH by Ho Tzu Nyen - Manarat Al-Saadiyat Auditorium A post-apocalyptic tableau vivant and a video by the Singaporean visual artistLive musical accompaniment byBlack to Comm.

20:30 – 21:00

Art, Talks & Sensations: Dunes and WavesUntitled - I will be there when you die by Alessandro Sciarroni - Dunes and Waves PlatformPerformance and choreographic practice on the passing of time.

15:00 – 16:00

Art, Talks & Sensations: Dunes and WavesIndiamore by Chassol - Dunes and Waves PlatformIndiamore combines arresting imagery of Indian sitarists, dancers, children, andchaotic cities, with harmonised voices, music and sounds.

*Registration is required.

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ERRATUMCanvas Daily issue 3 erroneously reported on the sale of Bait Muzna's Black Square pieces. The works are by Russian/Omani artist Anna Dudchenko.

22 NOV 2013 I CANVAS DAILY I ISSUE 4 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION4

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POINT AND SHOOT (CONT.)

Tammam Azzam, Elger Esser, Anri Sala and Zineb Sedira, among several others.Syrian artist Azzam, showing through Ayyam Gallery (H2-20) overlays Gustav

Klimt’s iconic The Kiss atop a photograph of a bullet-ridden, crumbling building in Syria. In doing so, Azzam juxtaposes the emotions of love against those of hate in a comment on the disparities between his country’s regime and its people. The artist is determined to materialise this project – entitled Freedom Graffiti (priced at $15,000) – upon his return to Syria. Esser’s El Quarward (priced at $33,800) encapsulates a scenario of longing and emptiness. Presented through Sfeir-Semler Gallery (H2-02), the monochrome sepia tone of the German photographer’s work is intense, wistful and poetic and sets the tone for a surreal atmosphere. Sala, showing through Zurich’s Hauser & Wirth (H2-10) presents 10 photographic works, priced at $47,500 in total. They present screen shots from 57 films selected to depict the varying temperature in Paris. Sala takes the qualities of warmth and coldness into consideration when assigning attributes and temperature to each film. Florian Berktold of Hauser & Wirth believes “each artist is trying to find the medium with which they can best convey their ideas.”

Enrico Navarra’s (H2-13) Frédéric Leris, who has a section of the booth dedicated to photographic works by Middle Eastern artists agrees: “Many young artists from the Middle East start off with photography because it is a medium more accessible to them and it helps them express themselves.” When it comes to exploring physical and mental limits of artistic practice, Sedira’s Escaping the Land (priced at $45,000) – a series of three from 2006 – poses questions of displacement by highlighting an ambiguous space between France and her native Algeria. Similarly, Abramovic presents an analogy of the transformation of the Gulf countries through Lisson Gallery (H2-21), inspired by her travel to the UAE’s Liwa desert last year. “She was very interested to learn about the region so we sent her to Liwa for this series,” said the gallery’s Nayrouz Tatanaki. The result is a performance piece that addresses questions of time and transformation. Abramovic ’s work, In the Sea of Silence, is priced at $108,300 and focuses on energy points and highlights the importance of capturing reality through the powerful medium of photography.

THE BOOM OF MODERN������������������������ ����������������������and high prices. Pieces from the genre are on show ���������������������� ��������������������AS THE MIDDLE EAST continues to break ground in promoting its Contemporary art to the world, collectors are becoming increasingly passionate about art of the region’s Modern contingent. Deceased artists from the 18th and 19th centuries are finally getting the attention that they deserve, largely due to initiatives such as the 2010 establishment of Doha’s Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art – the first of its kind that houses a collection of over 6000 works. Saleh Barakat of Beirut’s Agial Art Gallery believes that the rise in interest in Modern Arab art is due to institution-buying, major shows (such as Saloua Raouda Choucair’s retrospective at the Tate and Hamed Abdallah’s show at the Institut du Monde Arabe) and the Christie’s Dubai auctions, among others. “Modern artists have always been stars in their own countries,” says Barakat. “In Lebanon and Egypt, people had access to this art form but there was no international awareness because the market is very Western-centric.”

STELLAR WORKSBuyers today are paying very high prices for works by Masters from across the region, particularly from Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt. Art from the genre can be classified into three main ‘streams’: social realism, abstraction and script-based, many examples of which have appeared at auction and that continue to make world records. Only a handful of galleries

present work by the late Masters at this year’s fair: Dubai’s Meem, Beirut’s Agial Art and London’s The Park Gallery.

At the latter’s booth is a work by Fateh Moudarres that merits special attention. Entitled Sa Fila and priced at $42,500, it was produced towards the end of the artist’s six years spent in Italy honing his technique. A common myth associated with Modern Arab artists is that their work was inspired by their time spent in the West. However, while their technique was studied during their time abroad, the subject matter had always been Middle Eastern. Meem Gallery’s Samar Faruqi affirms this by saying: “Canvas painting was a European convention, Modern Arab Masters followed these foreign techniques whilst keeping in mind their cultural heritage.” As part of the space’s Meem Projects exhibition and publication series, key works by 11 significant Modern artists are on show, including a 1960 piece by Kayyali entitled The Ice Cream Seller. It displays the artist’s trademark style in a single figure portrait, which demonstrates his interest in rendering subjects relating to the experience of the common man. As an artist who was plagued with depression, Kayyali’s work is always very wistful and melancholic and focused on the human condition of his countrymen.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 >Louay Kayyali. (Detail) Untitled. 1960. Oil on canvas. 93 x 73 cm. Image courtesy Meem Gallery, Dubai.

Clockwise from top left: Tammam Azzam. (Detail) Freedom Graffiti. 2013. Lightbox. 75 x 75 cm. Edition of five. Image courtesy Ayyam Gallery; Elger Esser. (Detail) El Quarward. 2011. C-print. 141 x 184 x 5 cm. Image courtesy Sfeir-Semler Gallery, Hamburg/Beirut; Zineb Sedira. Escaping the Land 2. 2006. Colour print. 33 x 102 cm. Edition one of three. Image courtesy Galerie Enrico Navarra, Paris.

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22 NOV 2013 I CANVAS DAILY I ISSUE 4 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION6

HOW DO YOU KNOW AN ARTWORK IS ‘THE ONE’?

HE SHEIKHA LULU AL-SABAH, FOUNDER, JAMM ARTWhen the artwork stops you dead in your tracks and you feel an emotional response that is hard to put into words. You are drawn to it aesthetically at first and then intellectually. Sometimes the artwork is not visually pleasing but the idea behind it blows you away. Either way, you feel an overwhelming desire to live with the artwork.

HE SHEIKHA MAISAAL-QASSIMI, PROGRAMMESMANAGER, MUSEUMSDEPARTMENT, TCAI look for a ‘different’ connection with an artwork. Sometimes it triggers a specific memory that I would like to hold on to or have a visual reminder of. Other times, the work draws me back to the gallery to see it again and again. If it does not want to part with me, I would not want to part with it!

NEGIN FATTAHI-DASMAL, COLLECTORWhen I curate a piece of art for my collection, it’s a sudden and instinctive coming together of so many different variables: a time, a place, an emotion, a moment that can undoubtedly affect the direction of the purchase. Ironically, I only know it’s ‘the one’ when it is up on my wall and it captivates me even more than the moment I first laid eyes on it.

RAED SAQFELHAIT, COLLECTOR It needs to speak to me and I should understand what it's saying. Most of the time, I buy my paintings right away and in some instances, they stay in my head overnight and I book them the next morning. Buy what you love, not what others are buying. Most importantly, buy what you can afford as you will never truly love what could cause you a financial handicap!

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© Canvas Archives.From top to bottom: Fateh Moudarres. (Detail) Untitled. 1971. Oil on canvas. 125 x 225 cm. Image courtesy Meem Gallery, Dubai; Saloua Raouda Choucair. (Detail) Untitled from the Rhythmic Composition series. 1949. Gouache on carton. 23 x 32.5 cm. Image courtesy Agial Art Gallery, Beirut; Shaker Hassan Al-Said. Untitled. 1995. Mixed media. 51 x 41 cm. Image courtesy Agial Art Gallery, Beirut.

Agial, on the other hand, presents works by greats such as Choucair and Aref Rayess from Lebanon and Shaker Hassan Al-Said from Iraq. Where Modernists such as Moudarres and Kayyali tackled the plight of people, Choucair, Al-Said and Rayess sought to achieve the divine and oneness through abstraction.

THE RISE AND RISEThe underlying question remains: why is Modern Arab art so hot? “These artists were not just Arab painters, but internationally trained artists of the highest calibre,” says The Park Gallery’s Joe Start. “Collectors are beginning to draw parallels between their work and prominent artistic movements in 20th century Europe.” Other key reasons for the genre’s importance include its rarity and that, from an art historical perspective and academic viewpoint, it recounts the history of the Middle East. “Look closely at the paintings and you will get an indication of the time that it was produced in and the history of the Middle East,” concurs Faruqi. And then of course, there is the issue of Modern Arab art’s rarity as explained by The Park Gallery’s Robin Start: “It is becoming increasingly difficult to source works. The supply is reduced because it’s all been bought and has gone into private collections. This will cause prices to continue to go up.”

The genre is not without its controversies, however, especially vis-à-vis issues pertaining to authenticity. With political conflict plaguing nations such as Iraq and Syria, more works by the countries’ Masters appear on the market (as they have in the past). Verification of works is simply a matter of visiting experts in the field, who have, in many cases, known the artists themselves and dealt their works for years. “Like any art form, you will find fake works in the market,” says Barakat. “It’s just a matter of visiting respectable galleries that have the know-how.”

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THE BOOM OF MODERN (CONT.)

N O W O P E N I NA B U D H A B I

T H E G A L L E R I A S O W W A H S Q U A R E 0 2 - 6 7 4 3 6 6 6

W W W . G R A F F D I A M O N D S . C O M

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Where are the Arabs? features a selection of ��������� �������������������������� �� ������������������������

CURATED BY THE Sharjah Art Foundation’s President, HE Sheikha Hoor Al-Qasimi, this edition of the fair presents Where are the Arabs? a film programme comprising eight films by 10 artists, each of which respond to the socio-economic and political issues of the Arab world today by highlighting different aspects of history, society and culture. The programme takes its title from Samah Hijawi’s film (showing through the section) and was selected for the redundant question that is frequently raised during times of turmoil in the region.

The questioning nature of the programme translates into Rania Stephan’s film Train-Trains (Where’s the Track?), which reveals the artist’s personal vision of post-war Lebanon and poses essential questions about the abandoned track between Beirut and Damascus. On the other hand, Simone Fattal subverts the gaze – a psychoanalytic phenomenon of looking – with her performative documentary, which “offers viewers an uncompromising and sincere personal history from a less political perspective", says Al-Qasimi. Jayce Salloum’s film too presents the subject, Soha Bechara – an ex-Lebanese resistance fighter – in a similar manner to the audience. Bechara, whose images were originally sensationalised by the media, speaks softly into the camera.

The Lebanese Rocket Society is a collaborative work by Lebanese artist duo Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige and explores the halted space programme of the Lebanese Rocket Society, which was launched to promote science and research in the 1960s. “While in the Middle East, the image of a rocket is generally associated with war and conflict, in this film the rocket represents the possibilities of a peaceful and prosperous future for the region,” adds Al-Qasimi. As for Lamia Joreige’s Beirut, Autopsy of a City (Beirut 1001 Views), the artist presents the Lebanese capital in a non-linear fashion through a fictive representation of the city embodying different time periods.

The artists highlight poignant issues by immersing themselves into essential crafts of filmmaking, a medium that is “very direct, and can be accessible to a wider range of people with different experiences,” adds Al-Qasimi. Though the medium of filmmaking has emerged as a significant and familiar form of art, it comes with certain challenges in funding, production and distribution. Al-Qasimi is positive about the progress of the art form over the years and goes on to say, “It is great that we are seeing more government support for the production and distribution of films, both locally and in the region.”

For more information, visit www.abudhabiart.ae

CAMERA ROLLING

QUIRKS AND ALLThe weird and wonderful art at the fair.

Above: Still from Lamia Joreige's Beirut, Autopsy of a City (Beirut 1001 Views). Below: Still from Jayce Salloum's Untitled Part I: Everything and Nothing. All images courtesy Sharjah Art Foundation.

Jean Tinguely. Pour Lyon II. 1991. Metal parts, motor, lampshade. 240 x 130 x 100 cm. Image courtesy Galerie GP & N Vallois, Paris.

Musaed Al-Hulis. He Who Closely Observed People Died of Distress. 2013. Prayer carpet and surveillance camera. 150 x 76 cm. Variation three of three. Image courtesy Athr Gallery, Jeddah.

Zoulikha Bouabdellah. (Detail) Ni, Ni, Ni #713. 2007. Lambda print. 50 x 50 cm each. Edition of five. Image courtesy Galerie Enrico Navarra, Paris.

THE 'FLY' TRAPPED inside a glass box is connected to eight cables and is free to move anywhere within its confined space, but lacks the liberty to go beyond it. When the fly senses the presence of a person, it immediately changes its demeanour. By highlighting the interplay between action and reaction, this work comments on an individual’s behaviour and the so-called freedom people have today, and uses a glass box to suggest the transparency of our behaviour.

THE SWISS ARTIST’S sculptural machines comment on the mass and over-production of material goods in industrial societies. Pour Lyon II explores how the mechanics of machines are similar to the dynamics between humans: each person is required to behave in a certain way in public in order to achieve efficiency and rationality. At the same time, this kind of behaviour frightens people due to its power of standardisation, which is the basis of existence. Tinguely has said: “For me, the machine is above all an instrument that permits me to be poetic. If you respect the machine, if you enter a game with the machine, then perhaps you can make a truly joyous machine – by joyous I mean free."

THE SAUDI ARTIST’S prayer carpet and security camera examines the act of prayer, intended to be an intimate ritual but has in fact become subject to public scrutiny. The camera is a metaphor for a society that has its eyes on peoples’ every move, commenting on futile things, such as the gestures of the faithful during prayer or how they conduct themselves during this private act. The artwork is connected to a screen where anyone who steps on the prayer carpet can watch themselves, undermining the original intent of security cameras, which observe people from afar.

THE ALGERIAN ARTIST is well-known for subverting cultural stereotypes and in this photographic work from 2007, she does just that. The artist is seen holding cooking pots used to make the North African meal couscous. She hides her mouth, ears and eyes in reference to the ‘speak no evil, hear no evil, see no evil’ maxim of the Three Wise Monkeys, Mizaru, Kiazaru and Iwazaru. Through Ni, Ni, Ni, Bouabdellah comments on the damaging pigeonholing of women in her culture.

rAndom International. (Detail) Fly. 2011. Glass, cable, machined aluminium, pulley, custom control systemand software. 200 x 200 cm. Image courtesy Galerie Brigitte Schenk, Cologne.

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ART NEWS

TEA WITH NEFERTITIVALENCIA - To mark the 100th anniversary of the discovery of the Nefertiti bust, Institut Valencia d’Art Modern, in collaboration with Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art and Institut du Monde Arabe present Tea with Nefertiti, which runs until 26 January 2014. The travelling exhibition comprises more than 100 artworks dating from 1800 BC to present day.

LASTING IMPRESSIONS SHARJAH - Held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi, the fourth edition of Lasting Impressions at the Sharjah Art Museum presents the work of late Syrian artist Abdul Latif Al-

Smoudi. Running until 30 November, pieces on show span 40 years of the artist’s life.

LALLA ESSAYDI IN BAKUBAKU - The New York-based Moroccan artist stages a show at the Baku Museum of Modern Art until 14 January 2014. Known for disrupting Orientalist fantasies through her artistic practice, Essaydi presents 29 works from her various series from 2012–13, including some older and unseen works.

QUOZ ONE-DAY EVENTDUBAI - Alserkal Avenue in partnership with ArtintheCity

launches the second edition of the Quoz one-day event on 23 November for visitors to discover Dubai’s art scene by meeting, exchanging and discussing ideas. Quoz provides an opportunity to learn about the Alserkal exhibitions, the process behind artistic practice and curating of each space.

Collecting Fine ArtThe Lumas Portfolio Vol 2Edited by Heike Dander, Stefanie Harig, Marc A Ullrich and Gunnar WagnerPublished by teNeues VerlagConceived by the internationally renowned gallery LUMAS, this book runs at 128 pages and presents a curated selection of 73 items from the the space's portfolio. A definite hit for lovers of Contemporary art, the book features analogue masterpieces, digitally interpreted conceptions and Contemporary paintings. Essays by photographer Hans-Michael Koetzle and curator Walter Keller are also included. Priced at AED 254/$69. Available at Artyfact.

LIBRARY

Shigeru Ban: Complete Works 1985-2010Compiled by Philip JodidioPublished by TaschenAt 464 pages, this limited edition monograph is a fascinating retrospective of Japanese starchitect Shigeru Ban’s work. It profiles Ban’s career, as he started out with smaller residencies and grew to gain large-scale commissions. Featuring every project of Ban’s, the book is presented with beautiful images, informative diagrams and drawings, while offering insightful text and analysis. A hand-crafted mesh of polished African Samba wood designed by the architect forms the cover of this monograph. Priced at AED 6200/$1690. Available at Taschen.

THE FRENCH ARTIST, affichiste and Nouveau Realiste, whose 1965 work Quai des Célestins has been acquired by the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, discusses his longstanding practice of ripping lacerated posters off public spaces to create bold and vibrant tableaux that document history.

DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST POSTERS YOU COLLECTED?The first time I found something that proved to me that I could reduce the distance between an object and art was back in 1947: it was a twisted metal wire. I thought of it as a drawing in space, not a sculpture. I showed it to my friends and they were convinced that we could make art with objects that could express something about society. As for the first lacerated poster, I was with a friend who was taking photos of posters in February 1949. I told him we should be taking the object instead of photographing it and that is how it started. That first poster, which I found on a very high palisade on the Boulevard du Montparnasse in Paris, was about concerts and shows and had a lot of letters. From its fragments, it looked post-Cubist as it had different typographies and sizes of text.

HOW DO YOU RELATE YOUR PRACTICE WITH YOUR STUDIES IN ARCHITECTURE?I studied architecture without ever having the intention of becoming an architect. But I knew that the only thing I was good at was proportions and identifying the relationships between different forms. When I take a poster, I take it very quickly, often without thinking. I am quite intuitive when it comes to shapes and most of the time, I only see what is written on it afterwards.

YOU HAVE BEEN QUOTED AS SAYING: “THE WHOLE WORLD MAKES WORK FOR ME, I ONLY HAVE TO COLLECT IT.” CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THIS?Art historians say that there is evolution in art when there is economising; I economised on

creating posters and paper and on creative anxiety, because when I had come up with a theme, I knew that poster-makers and artists would be working on new colours and new drawings. For example, photography only made it to posters at the end of the 1960s. I knew I could wait for everyone to work and I would subsequently collect it.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST MEMORABLE POSTERS YOU HAVE WORKED WITH?It’s like asking parents which child they love most! They can’t answer that! It’s the same for the posters I work with. I have always loved posters with letters, but I moved away from that so I wouldn’t be labelled as a post-Cubist. I had to do something else. I believe artists should bring new beauty, something we haven’t seen. When I take posters, I want to surprise myself. Sometimes I took posters that I didn’t like, but in retrospect, I knew I was right to take them, because it’s evolution. An artist has to work against himself sometimes.

WHAT IS THE CRITICISM THAT HAS AFFECTED YOU MOST THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER?Anything that stems from ignorance, which in turn stems from prejudices. The world is continuously evolving and we have to live with it. Opening the Louvre in Abu Dhabi may have put a lot of people of my generation off, as they don’t understand that the world is in full transformation and you must adapt to it.

WHAT IS THE MESSAGE YOU WANT AUDIENCES TO TAKE AWAY FROM YOUR PRACTICE?Through my work with lacerated posters, I have been documenting the present. I work like a historian; a poster may have shocked me or repulsed me, but I took it anyway because it told a story and a truth. You have to accept the present, have the attitude of a historian and forget your prejudices in order to present the world as it is.

Q&A with Jacques VillegléPhotography by Nathalie Tufenkjian.

Abdul Latif Al-Smoudi. (Detail) Untitled. Undated. Image courtesy Sharjah Museums Authority.

Vik Muniz. Tupperware sarcophagus, object (relicario). 2010. Photography by Jason White. Image courtesy the artist and Sikemme Jenkins & Co.

Lalla Essaydi. (Detail) Bullets Revisited # 21. 2012. Image courtesy Baku Museum.

22 NOV 2012 I CANVAS DAILY I ISSUE 4 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION 13

Simeen Farhat. The Muse. 2013. Cast and pigmented urethane resin. 116.8 x 17.8 cm. Image courtesy Kashya Hildebrand Gallery, London.

THE PAKISTANI-BORN artist transforms the dynamism of poetry and script into visually engaging conceptual pieces of art. Farhat's newer body of works are abstract and manipulate the geometric forms of Arabic script. For the artist, the material is just as important as the form, therefore she experiments with the transparency of the material to depict clarity, richness and rarity. Farhat explores the subject of the empowerment of women by using language as a metaphor. The various words, letters and symbols – albeit evident in her works such as The Muse (priced at $17,000) – are at the same time indecipherable and obscure.

Fred Eerdekens. Believe me Now. 2013. Copper strips. 46 x 14 x 14 cm. Image courtesy Gallery Isabelle van den Eynde, Dubai.

BELGIAN ARTIST EERDEKENS creates an intangible combination of light and shadow to renegotiate the space with sculptural works that comprise fluid linear forms and playful phrases. In Believe me Now, like most of Eerdekens’s shadow art, he uses intricate metal sculptures that reveal a shadow of text when light falls upon them. His works become metaphors for the entanglement between reality and our interpretation of it, where both become ambiguous and yet overtly blatant. The artist skilfully translates the material to elicit alternate modes of looking. The work, which is priced at $20,000, engages viewers by encouraging them to decipher its meaning.

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Adonis. Untitled. 2008. Collage on paper. 50 x 35 cm. Image courtesy Salwa Zeidan Gallery, Abu Dhabi.

SYRIAN ARTIST ADONIS’S innate love for poetry accurately translates into his body of work, in which he weaves together fabric, paper and tissues despite the contradiction they imply in this artwork. In this untitled work, which is priced between $10,500–12,000, Adonis experiments with form and content by juxtaposing poetry with the curves and movement of Arabic calligraphic text. Things that have no value individually amalgamate to become a work that evokes individual memories, the pain and sorrows of people, places and events. The artist skilfully transforms what is vain and chaotic into a harmony between words and text.

Bassam Geitani. War Victims. 2013. Super mirror stainless steel and wrought iron. 145 x 155 x 24 cm. Edition one of three. Image courtesy Galerie Janine Rubeiz, Beirut.

THE LEBANESE ARTIST'S War Victims (priced between $18,000–22,000) is a visual riddle that highlights the recent upheaval in the Arab world and oscillates between the act of reading and looking. Geitani uses traditional thuluth script to create a wall installation in memory of the victims of the Lebanese Civil War. The work demands viewer participation to locate the word ‘victim’ placed in the centre. The artist incorporates his signature style of using rotations and elliptical movements to revisit and unfold the memories of war, as well as pose fundamental questions about the nature of the artwork itself.

Charles Hossein Zenderoudi. (Detail) Untitled. 1981. Oil on canvas. 129.5 x 96.5 cm. © 2013 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York and ADAGP, Paris. Image courtesy Leila Heller Gallery, New York.

IN THIS UNTITLED work, Iranian-born Charles Hossein Zenderoudi transforms traditional Persian calligraphy to create new abstract shapes and gestural marks. Zenderoudi’s canvas is reflective of bold colours and poetry that bridges the gap between nationalities, generations and beliefs. The written text goes beyond the mere characteristic of letters and signs and continues the search of the spiritual and mystical – an idea that Zenderoudi incorporated in the Saqqakhaneh movement as well. His stylised signature, infused with Western influences renders expressive abstract symbols evolving from the act of writing in Persian language. The artwork pushes the boundaries of the traditional through the innovative rendition of calligraphic art.

22 NOV 2013 I CANVAS DAILY I ISSUE 4 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION14

CINEMA13. 11. 13

WORDSEARCHArt Speak

CROSSWORDMuseums

ACROSS3. Tokyo-based and presented Arab Express

4. Large number of works by Goya in Madrid

5. The largest collection of Modern Arab art

7. 11 W 53rd Street, New York

9. Istanbul-based and showed Botero in 2010

10. Saudi Contemporary art in Amsterdam

11. On 5th Avenue and recently opened an Islamic wing

DOWN1. Named after former French president

2. The largest museum on the American West coast

5. IM Pei in Doha

6. London museum that staged a retrospective for

Ibrahim Al-Salahi

8. Rome institution by Zaha Hadid

10. Two locations in Los Angeles

5 minutes with...

AT ART FAIRS, I WISH THEY WOULD SERVE: An empty grey room to relax your eyes.

I OWE MY SUCCESS TO: Being rebellious.

I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO BE A FLY ON THE WALL WHEN: The Big Bang occurred.

THE ARTWORK THAT BEST DESCRIBES ME IS: The Sistine Chapel.

THE ARTIST I’D WANT MY PORTRAIT CREATED BY: Marina Abramovic´ or James Turrell.

BAD ART IS: A good start.

I’D LIKE PEOPLE TO REMEMBER MY: Fears.

WITHOUT ART, THE WORLD WOULD: Be an ant hive.

THE ACTOR WHO WOULD PLAY ME IN A MOVIE ABOUT MY LIFE: Sacha Baron Cohen.

I WISH PEOPLE WOULDN’T: Feel pain.

THE IDEA MEAL WITH ONE ARTIST IS Crudite with Picasso at la Colombe D’or in St Paul de Vence.

LOOKING BACK AT MY CAREER IN THE ART WORLD, I WISH I HAD: More faith in my instincts.

IN THE ART WORLD, IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO: Go to bed.

IF THERE WAS ONE ERA I’D GO BACK TO, IT WOULD BE: South of France, 1920s.

I OWE MY SUCCESS TO: Taking chances.

THE SONG I CAN LISTEN TO OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS: Lou Reed’s Sad Song.

I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO BE A FLY ON THE WALL WHEN: Damien Hirst conceived the work A Thousand Years.

THE MOST OVERUSED ART TERM IS: ‘Juxtaposition’.

BAD ART IS: Another person’s favourite.

I WILL ALWAYS SAY YES TO: Great new projects, irrespective of the challenges.

YASMINA ALAOUIARTIST SHOWING THROUGH LEILA HELLER GALLERY

PAUL STOLPERFOUNDER, EPONYMOUS GALLERY (H1-07)

AESTHETICAFICIONADOCONCEPTUALCONTEXTUALGENREINSITUINSPIREDJUXTAPOSENARRATIVEOEUVRESEMINALTHEMATICTRAJECTORYUNIQUEVERNACULAR

Across: 3. Mori; 4. Prado; 5. Mathaf; 7. MOMA; 9. Pera; 10. Greenbox; 11. The Met.Down: 1. Pompidou; 2. LACMA; 3. MIA; 6. Tate; 8. MAXXI; 10. Getty.

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H1-05H1-06 H1-07 H1-08

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H1-01 H1-02 H1-03 H1-04

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H1-11 H1- S1H1-14H1-13H1-12

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H2-05H2-04

H2-03

H2-01 H2-02

H2-07 H2-08

H2-09 H2-11

H2-12H2-10

HALL 1 - MANARAT AL SAADIYAT

HALL 2 - UAE PAVILION

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Talk & Workshop Registration

Plaza

Abu Dhabi Art Majlis & VIP Desk

02Hall 1 - Modern, Contemporary

& Design Galleries

Hall 2 - Modern, Contemporary & Design Galleries

Artists’ Waves

Small is Beautiful

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Sharjah Art FoundationFilm Programme

Abu Dhabi Art Community

Art Zone

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Abu Dhabi Art Design Souq

Art, Talks & Sensations:Dunes and Waves – Platform

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Julius Baer Exhibition & Lounge

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Chairs for Abu Dhabi

Media Partners

Emirati Expressions: Realised

The Saadiyat Story

TASCHEN

Artyfact

Cloak Room

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Public Car Park & Valet

VIP Car Park

Durub Al Tawaya Bus Stop

Toilet

Food & Beverage

Prayer Room

Saadiyat Shuttle Bus Stop

Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Ali Khadra

Editor Myrna Ayad

Consultant Editor James Parry

Editorial Assistants Rania Habib and Nahda Suleiman

Editorial Coordinator Maria Mumtaz

Senior Designer Rebecca Teece

Designer Tulip Hazbar

Production Manager Parul Arya

Commercial Director Lama Seif

International Sales Manager Firas Khouja

Distribution & Marketing Manager Fiza Akram

Distribution Coordinator Aditi Mane

Finance Director Eid Sabban

IT Assistant Manager Hussain Rangwala

Printers United Printing and Publishing, Abu Dhabi

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ABU DHABI ART MAP

H1 - 04 Agial Art Gallery Beirut, Lebanon

H1 - 09/S2 Art Sawa Dubai, UAE

H1 - 03/S1 ARTSPACE Dubai, UAE / London, UK

H1 - 21 Bait Muzna Gallery Muscat, Sultanate of Oman

H1 - 11 Cheim & Read New York, USA

H1 - 13 eoa.projects London, UK

H1 - 18 Galeri Zilberman Istanbul, Turkey

H1 - 02 Galerie Janine Rubeiz Beirut, Lebanon

H1 - 19 Galleria Continua San Gimignano, Italy / Beijing,

ChinaLe Moulin, France

H1 - 16 Horrach Moya Palma de Mallorca, Spain

H1 - 01 Kerlin Gallery Dublin, Republic of Ireland

H1 - 08 Lam Art Gallery Riyadh, KSA

H1 - 14 Lawrie Shabibi Dubai, UAE

H1 - 15 Meem Gallery Dubai, UAE

H1 - 05 October Gallery London, UK

H1 - 07 Paul Stolper Gallery London, UK

H1 - 17/S3 Salwa Zeidan Gallery Abu Dhabi, UAE

H1 - 10 The Breeder Monte Carlo, Monaco / Athens, Greece

H1 - 20 The Park Gallery London, UK

H1 - 12 The Third Line Dubai, UAE

H1 - 06 Tina Keng Gallery Taipei, Taiwan / Beijing, China

H2 - 17 AB Gallery Lucerne, Switzerland

H2 - 05 Athr Gallery Jeddah, KSA

H2 - 20 Ayyam Gallery Dubai, UAE / Beirut, Lebanon; Damascus,

Syria / Jeddah, KSA; London, UK

H2 - 09 Carpenters Workshop Gallery London, UK / Paris, France

H2 - 06 Edward Tyler Nahem Fine Art, L.L.C. New York, USA

H2 - 15 Gagosian Gallery London, UK / New York; USA Beverly

Hills, USA / Paris, France; Rome,

Italy/ Athens, Greece; Geneva,

Switzerland / Hong Kong, China

H2 - 22 Galerie Brigitte Schenk Cologne, Germany

H2 - 03 Galerie El Marsa Tunis, Tunisia / Dubai, UAE

H2 - 13 Galerie Enrico Navarra Paris, France

H2 - 08 Galerie GP & N Vallois Paris, France

H2 - 14 Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac Paris, France / Salzburg, Austria

H2 - 07 Gallery Isabelle van den Eynde Dubai, UAE

H2 - 01 Hanart TZ Gallery Hong Kong, China

H2 - 10 Hauser & Wirth London, UK / New York, USA

Zurich, Switzerland

H2 - 18 Hunar Gallery Dubai, UAE

H2 - 16 kamel mennour Paris, France

H2 - 19 Kashya Hildebrand Gallery London, UK

H2 - 12 Kukje Gallery / Tina Kim Gallery Seoul, Korea / New York, USA

H2 - 04 Leehwaik Gallery Seoul, Korea

H2 - 11 Leila Heller Gallery New York, USA

H2 - 21 Lisson Gallery London, UK / Milan, Italy

New York, USA

H2 - 02 Sfeir-Semler Gallery Hamburg, Germany / Beirut, Lebanon

MODERN CONTEMPORARY & DESIGN GALLERIES

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