This article appeared in The Artistic Unity Issue #67 which was dedicated to the art scene in the UAE in which we unravel the threads of unity by exploring the perspectives of various stakeholders within the UAE’s art community. Through insightful interviews with galleries, art institutions, and auction houses, a vivid mosaic emerged, depicting how unity has been woven into the fabric of the art scene.
Rima Nasser: How do you see the concept of artistic unity within the art scene in the UAE and how has it evolved from the 1990s to the present?
Mohammed Kazem: The Emirates is known for its multicultural scene. The art scene in the Emirates began specifically in the 1970s when the first generation obtained foreign scholarships from the government. Upon their return, they founded the Emirates Fine Arts Society in 1980, which was based in Sharjah and was responsible for organising the annual exhibition, an opportunity for all Arab, national and foreign artists who were also members of the society. We also shouldn’t forget the role of the Department of Culture and Tourism, which established the Sharjah Biennial in 1993, with the participation of most of the artists in the first and second generations, especially those who were interested in Modern art, including Asaad Arabi, Nazih Khater, Mahmoud Amhaz, Abdulatif Al Somoudi, Ahmed Moualla, and myself, among others.
The radical change occurred after the return of Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi from her studies in Britain, where she invited the biennial’s first curator, Peter Lewis, and built an integrated and experienced work team. This biennale represented a major transformation, not only at the local level, but at the Arab level as a whole. It was a shock to the traditionalists, as participation became very strict. Today, we are witnessing a great diversity in the Emirates. There is, for example, the Guggenheim Museum, which is considered a wealth for the country with a collection of works from various parts of the world, offering many opportunities for the new generation to interact significantly with these activities. Also, the Sheikha Salama Foundation, which invites not only Emiratis but also residents of the country to join the list of artists and display their works after a year, under the supervision of foreign groups. Additionally, the Cultural Foundation and its director, Reem Fadda, organise group or individual exhibitions over a period of six months. Not to forget the phenomenon of galleries that developed about 20 years ago, and the exhibitions organised by New York University Abu Dhabi, along with scholarships. There is also the Sikka Art & Design Festival in Dubai. This is in addition to the external invitations we receive as artists, such as from the Arab Expression exhibition in Tokyo and the Venice Biennale, and of course the great role of the Ministry of Culture. All of this changed people’s perception of the visual art community.
RN: In your opinion, who are the main players who contributed significantly to shaping the vibrant artistic renaissance in the UAE?
MK: We can say, firstly, that all institutions played an important role, such as the Ministry of Culture, the Department of Culture and Tourism, the Cultural Foundation, the Abu Dhabi Authority, the Sharjah Arts Foundation… As for the artists, the first generation contributed greatly to our education in the second generation. Among those who contributed, there was Hassan Sharif, who played an individual role. After coming from England in 1984, he founded the Art Atelier, Youth Theatre and Arts, in 1987, and from 1984 he supervised art courses, and I was one of the students who studied with him. He then translated hundreds of historical texts from English to Arabic and published them weekly in local newspapers, such as Al-Bayan newspaper, Al-Khaleej newspaper, and Al-Tashkeel magazine, which he founded with his brother, Hussain Sharif.
Therefore, he was the main player from an educational standpoint. Then in 1999, when we realised there was no third generation in the Emirates, he handed over to me the Studio, where I taught the young generation for 10 years and gave them an opportunity to participate in the Sharjah Biennial, whose system had become very strict.
In your opinion, how has your presence in Venice and the representation of the UAE in Venice impacted the contemporary art scene? Contemporary art began in the Emirates in 1979, specifically with Hassan Sharif. We had poets and writers who began their revolution in modern poetry, and most of them worked in journalism. The artistic community in the 1980s was very influential. This cooperation between us and the writers had a great impact, as we would meet and discuss several issues, whether in philosophy, literature or poetry, which was reflected in us as artists and on our experience as a whole, although our number did not exceed five people: Hassan Sharif, Hussain Sharif, Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, Abdullah Al-Saadi, and myself. People thought we were a group or created a manifesto, but what united us was our similar way of thinking. For this reason, we used to organise group exhibitions together, and we participated with foreign artists who lived with us, such as Jos Clevers, Vivek Vilasini and others, in artistic workshops between the Netherlands and the Emirates. Then, at the same time, we were careful not to mix tradition with contemporary. In 2005, I organised an exhibition entitled Window for the first, second and third generations. The third generation of those I taught participated in the Sharjah Biennial, the Singapore Biennial, and the Mori Gallery in Japan.
RN: Based on your previous achievements, how did your artistic journey contribute to the broader narrative of art history in the UAE?
MK: In my early days as an artist, I was influenced by the Western experience. At the age of fourteen, I began officially participating in local and foreign exhibitions. In that period, I was influenced by traditional European standards and impressionist artists such as Cézanne, Van Gogh, Matisse, and Picasso. Then, in the late 1980s, I began to enter the abstraction phase and my work changed. The elements found in traditional works are present in my experience, such as a work entitled Scratches on Paper, or works related to performance and physical gestures. I began to use photography in my artistic experience and interact with the city from a social and urban perspective. My interests became different from traditional experiences, and Hassan used to document all of my work through photography. The change that occurred in my personal experience was influenced by important events in the Emirates such as the Sharjah Biennial, the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi and the support of the Ministry of Culture. The general atmosphere and surroundings helped me, as well as many people. Today, our role as artists is to keep pace with this, to present works fit for the Louvre’s or the Guggenheim’s collections. As for me, I do not only create artwork for a specific event. I also make sure to work on a daily basis as I must not leave a gap between my way of thinking and production because new work is only born from daily practice. I also curated a number of exhibitions, with other curators, one of which was the Sharjah Biennial in 2007. The last exhibition I curated with Cristiana de Marchi was called UAE Unlimited under the patronage of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa. This, in addition to many other events and residencies and the support of the country.
RN: In your opinion, do resident artists contribute to creating an artistic history for the Emirates?
MK: Of course, they are part of the visual movement. When we held the UAE Unlimited exhibition, we deliberately chose resident artists to participate because they had contributed to the Biennale, to the Richard Mille Prize, where I am a member of the jury with the curator Maya Khalil. This is one of the most important exhibitions, not only for Emiratis, but also for the Gulf region and different nationalities, without forgetting the residents who represented the UAE at the Venice Biennale.
RN: How do you see the future of the art scene in the Emirates?
MK: We feel very optimistic as every day brings new ideas and experiences. This is thanks to the efforts of the wise leadership in the country, which has developed a huge plan to organise these types of exhibitions. Today, we are witnessing new exhibitions and new ideas. We are not focusing on quantity, but rather quality. The Emirates has everything. We have original works that everyone can see over many years, in addition to the huge art wealth in the country.
About Mohammed Kazem
Mohammed Kazem, a prominent contemporary Emirati artist based in Dubai, seamlessly combines conceptual art and profound introspection in his evocative creations.
Caption featured image: Mohammed Kazem.