Order of Magnitude by artist Jitish Kallat kicks off the 2022 edition of Ishara Art Foundation
Ishara Art Foundation opens 2022 with Order of Magnitude by Jitish Kallat, the artist’s first major solo exhibition in West Asia and the Levant. Running from February 16 to July 1 2022, the exhibition includes new works that include paintings, multimedia installations, drawings and site-specific interventions, the exhibition reflects Jitish Kallat’s profound deliberations on the interrelationship between the cosmic and the terrestrial. Jitish Kallat’s oeuvre sits between fluid speculation, precise measurement and conceptual conjectures producing dynamic forms of image-making. Using abstract, schematic, notational and representational languages, he engages with different modes of address, seamlessly interlacing the immediate and the cosmic, the telescopic and the microscopic, the past and present. In Order of Magnitude, one finds a contemplation of overarching interconnectivity on the individual, universal, planetary and extra-terrestrial dimensions.
The viewer is first confronted with Integer Studies (Drawings from Life), which run through the space resembling both the horizon and the equator. Since the beginning of 2021, Kallat followed a ritual of making one daily drawing as part of a durational study in graphite, aquarelle pencil and gesso stains. Each work comprises diverse forms anchored by the same three sets of numbers: the algorithmically estimated world population, the number of new births, and the death count noted at the particular moment of the work’s creation. Human life and death are abstracted in drawings that are both graphic and painterly, prompting questions of extinction and evolution. Seen alongside these studies is a wall-sized painting titled Postulates from a Restless Radius, whose perimeter takes the form of the conic Albers projection of the Earth. The work begins as an unstable, cross-sectional grid (in aquarelle pencil) that opens up the globe on a flat plane. There is no cartographic intent here; in place of planetary geography it assembles signs and speculations, at once evoking botanical, suboceanic, celestial, and geological formations. Postulates from a Restless Radius is an exploratory abstraction of forms that suggest signatures of growth and entropy.
Jitish Kallat: Order of Magnitude will be accompanied by physical and virtual tours, educational and public programmes, a newly commissioned text by Amal Khalaf and artist conversations over the duration of the exhibit.
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IMKAN partners with artist Jack Lee to bring urban art to Abu Dhabi community
Abu Dhabi-based IMKAN Properties has partnered with the award-winning Chinese artist Jack Lee to create an art mural at the newly-opened Sheikha Fatima Park. The project is part of the developer’s commitment to bring urban art to the community and enhance the appeal of the capital’s landscape.
Set in the middle of the Khalidiya neighbourhood, the former park that historically catered to women and children only was transformed by IMKAN in partnership with Abu Dhabi Municipality into the emirate’s first urban lifestyle park, integrating conventional park elements with new components and activities. It also became the first park in the capital with a dedicated area for pets, which is reflected in the new animal-themed mural.
Jack Lee expressed hope that his work enhances the visitor experience at Sheikha Fatima Park and engages the capital’s community through engagement and conversations around the art mural. “Nature and art make us human, heal our psyche, and provide rejuvenation when we most need it,” Lee said. “The success of my work will depend on its ability to engage the public. Moreover, artwork is created by individuals, but they are ultimately valued and empowered by society.”
Art lies at the heart of IMKAN’s effort to create a fresh and lively landscape in Abu Dhabi and reframe notions of what a park should be and how it should relate to visitors.
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Meet artist Anna McKeown, whose clientele includes Tom Ford, Jo Malone, Mona Kattan, and more
Well-known entrepreneur Anna McKeown and artist behind ‘Pop & Toast’ has expanded her thriving art business and has relaunched her brand to the ‘Anna McKeown Collection’. The expansion comes three years after launching in Dubai and Ireland, with her artwork now shipped worldwide.
Originally creating ‘Pop and Toast’ in 2018, as a hobby outside of her full-time art-teaching role, McKeown’s artwork has become synonymous with its vibrant bottle prints and bright, colourful abstract magazine cover pieces, inevitably becoming well-known throughout the Middle East and beyond.
In addition to bottle prints, her celebratory-themed art portfolio now features luxury perfume prints, hand-painted custom design champagne bottles, bespoke commissioned art pieces, wallpaper and more – with brands such as Tom Ford, Chanel, and Jo Malone making an appearance.
McKeown has even commissioned artwork for many celebrities including a bespoke perfume bottle for Huda Kattan’s sister, Mona Kattan on the launch of her new fragrance ‘Kunali’, plus a custom ‘CleanCo’ bottle for reality TV couple Vogue & Spencer Mathews and their alcohol-free clean beverage line.
Three years since launching, McKeown, now a full-time artist, has rebranded to The Anna McKeown collection to offer all aspects of an art project from consultation to installation of high-end unique art for individuals, venues and businesses in residential and commercial spaces. Pop & Toast will still feature as a sub-arm of her brand, offering all the favourite ready-to-buy prints too.
She commented: “I enjoy creating artwork that brings vibrancy and energy to a room. The actual process of painting, the use of colour, the fluidity of the paint, the energy that I exert and the solitary nature of my practice, is central to the driving force behind my work. My neon undertones and ‘Pollock’ like splashes are a signature of my style. I believe my work is fashionable and symbolises a celebration or a moment in time. I love the idea that each bottle has a different meaning to every client.”
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Shepard Fairey, the artist behind Obama’s iconic ‘Hope’ poster unveils two stunning murals at d3
Contemporary US street artist Shepard Fairey, who designed the iconic ‘Hope’ poster of Barak Obama in 2008, has unveiled a new mural in Dubai Design District (d3). Marking his first-ever exhibition in the Middle East, the urban artist collaborated with d3, the region’s largest creative district, to create a striking public artwork that pays homage to Dubai’s vision for cross-cultural communication and cooperation.
Encompassing motifs from his ‘Future Mosaic’ exhibit, there are two murals that can be found between Building 10 and 11 in d3. The first mural, Rise Above Peace Fingers, features an intricately patterned peace sign, featured in the exbibit, layered with another image of a fist holding a flower that doubles as a paintbrush. Keen bystanders can also note the text ‘Rise Above’ with two arrows on the mural.
The second mural, Rise Above Dove, features two images, one of which is directly lifted from the Future Mosaic exhibit. All the murals have been created using bright tones of red, blue and yellow juxtaposed with black and white in Shepard’s signature style. Each mural conveys the universal message of peace, harmony and co-existence.
Shepard Fairey said: “Dubai and the US have more in common than many people realise. As well as promoting vibrant creative industries, they both promote justice, peace and tolerance. I was so excited to explore these important values and am grateful that Opera Gallery Dubai and d3 gave me the opportunity to create a piece of work that reflects and honours our similarities rather than polarising our differences. I cannot think of a more suitable place for my first regional mural than right here in d3.”
Khadija Al Bastaki, Executive Director of d3, said: “We are delighted that a world-renowned artist such as Shepard has found inspiration in Dubai’s rich cultural heritage and diversity. When he reached out to explore the possibility of creating something here, we were excited because public art is intrinsically linked to our unique identity. It breathes life into our business district, promotes curiosity and engagement, and brings people together to strike up new conversations. As a place that rethinks the regular and challenges creative minds, we are proud that Shepard has chosen d3 as the first place in the region to design a new mural. As part of the UAE’s vision to create a knowledge-based economy, we have seen tremendous growth in the creative industries and this new mural further affirms Dubai’s position as a global destination for creative design.”
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Ellington Properties commissions artist Neel Shukla to design a sculpture for DT1 project
Ellington Properties has commissioned Dubai-based artist Neel Shukla to create a bespoke masterpiece for its award-winning residential development, DT1 in Downtown Dubai.
Gracing the reception lobby of DT1, the distinctive sculpture named ‘The Levitate,’ represents global cultures and a celebration of Dubai’s local culture that has become part of the social fabric and transformed the city into a true metropolis. The contemporary design of the centrepiece complements DT1’s luxurious interior design and adds to its exceptional lifestyle experience.
The collaboration with artist Neel Shukla is part of Ellington Art Foundation’s programme, established in 2015, to showcase the talents and works of regional artists and photographers across its residential projects. From appointing spaces as an avenue for art display to bringing together aspiring and recognised artists to display their art pieces that reflect local culture and artistry, Ellington Art Foundation is dedicated to promoting the UAE’s contemporary art scene and strengthening Dubai’s position as an international destination of culture.
Robert Booth, Managing Director, Ellington Properties, said: “Through our partnership with Neel Shukla, we aim to bring a truly immersive and inspiring work of art that inspires DT1 residents and visitors. As a design-led developer, we differentiate our developments, especially by incorporating art as an essential part of our lifestyle environments. Through the work of Ellington Art Foundation, we are further empowering the UAE’s art community by engaging local aspiring and emerging artists. Home to over 200 nationalities, Dubai’s amazing cultural diversity is reflected in Neel Shukla’s sculpture that will delight all.”
Neel Shukla, Artist & Founder of Four Gallery in Dubai Design District, said: “It gives me great satisfaction and honour to be part of the DT1 project. I feel extremely fortunate to be associated with such a prestigious development and an incredibly distinguished incentive to promote local artists and talent. My inspiration for this piece is truly a reflection of the foundation’s very same concept of supporting talent and diversity within our medley of cultures and distinct expression. Art is timeless and boundless, and it will continue to bridge societies and generations if we do our share to encourage it.”
Colombian artist Gustavo Vélez to showcase sculptures at Oblong Contemporary Art Gallery in Dubai
Colombian artist Gustavo Vélez, known for his sculptures which embody a certain creative fluidity will showcase his artworks at the Oblong Contemporary Art Gallery on the Blue Waters Island from October 1-December 1, 2020. Along with a virtual online exhibition that can be viewed on Oblong website curated by Italian curator Susanna Campolonghi, featuring 15 artworks of Gustavo Velez, from end of October 2020 to the end of January 2021.
One of the most prominent artists from Medellin, Colombia, Gustavo Vélez sculptural process is the result of the figurative artist’s interpretation, abstracted from the reality of our world. Vélez transforms the matter into works that play between the figurative and the conceptual, between forms easily identifiable and others more abstract, full of movement, light, shadow and search of the infinite.
Entwining elegant lines, the thin, light sculptures depict Vélez’s particular way of creating tri-dimensional shapes. From every angle, their forms are seamless and lines, dynamic; their shapes change when light changes, giving the spectator an infinite, pleasant possibility of viewing the pieces.
Artist Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim to represent UAE at la Biennale di Venezia 2022
Painter and sculptor Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim will represent UAE at the 2022 edition of la Biennale di Venezia (Venice Biennale), in an exhibition curated by Maya Allison for the National Pavilion UAE.
Ibrahim is known for being one of the UAE’s earliest experimental artists and an influential member of the UAE’s now-historic avant-garde art community, which formed in the early 1980s. Through his form-led practice and handcrafted works, he responds to his environment, with keen affinity for the natural landscapes of the UAE. Major institutions that have acquired his work include the British Museum, Centre George Pompidou, Sharjah Art Foundation, Art Jameel, and Barjeel Art Foundation. His work was included in the Kochi-Muziris Biennial 2016 and numerous solo and group exhibitions internationally.
The National Pavilion UAE’s 2022 exhibition will be curated by Maya Allison, Executive Director and Chief Curator of the New York University Abu Dhabi Art Gallery (“The NYUAD Art Gallery”).
“I am inspired by the coasts, sierras and mountain lights of my home in Khor Fakkan, where my family has lived for generations,” says Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim. “Here in the UAE we are surrounded by diverse and ancient landscapes as well as advanced urbanisation. This tension is one of the concepts I explore in my work through organic materials, by allowing my subconscious to find the forms. I am delighted to be able to share my locally-rooted practice with a global audience at the Venice Biennale.”
Maya Allison says, “When I first encountered a work by Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, its playful, abstract-yet-organic form electrified my curatorial senses. Later, discovering the depth and extent of his legacy was a watershed moment in my study of the UAE’s contemporary art movement, which dates back half a century. Ibrahim continues to innovate, with a prolific daily practice and several flourishing bodies of work. He is one of the most important artists working in the UAE today, and has influenced generations of artists here. I am looking forward to an even greater international audience discovering this work with his solo exhibition at the Venice Biennale.”
With this exhibition, the National Pavilion UAE is moving towards a more artist-led approach to curation in recognition of the strength of the UAE’s artistic community. This comes as a reflection of National Pavilion UAE’s growth as a pavilion, seen as a catalyst to the UAE’s cultural scene. The selection committee appointed Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim for the 2022 exhibition and following discussions, the artist chose Maya Allison, one of the leading experts on the contemporary regional art scene, as his curator. This is not a first-time collaboration between Allison and Ibrahim, who have formed a strong working relationship across exhibitions such as The NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery’s But We Cannot See Them: Tracing a UAE Art Community 1988-2008.
The 59th International Art Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia will be held between 23 April 2022 and 27 November 2022, under the artistic direction of Cecilia Alemani.
Wetland, the National Pavilion UAE’s upcoming architecture exhibition for the 2021 Venice Biennale, will open on 22 May 2021. The exhibition is curated by Dubai-based architects Wael Al Awar and Kenichi Teramoto, who are exploring a renewable, environmentally friendly cement alternative inspired by salt and mineral compounds found in the UAE’s Sabkha (salt flats). Wetland marks the National Pavilion UAE’s tenth exhibition at the Venice Biennale.
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