West Asia: Connect beyond borders in art

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The glittering lights of Dubai belie the blistering heat outside the air-conditioned comfort zones that envelop you like an artificial bubble. The glass facades of the buildings render them faceless as they hide any signs of life within. Mostly designed by sun-starved Europeans who, in their bid to let the sun in, have gone overboard and made these gigantic structures

that look wonderful from the outside but need super efficient and hugely expensive air-conditioning systems. These super structures have the sun shining directly into your eyes brightly from everywhere, while you are finding shadowy spots to duck from the merciless light.
It is a different world — the brittle edge of the sand, the glass and chrome structures both modern and yet opulent, men swathed in creamy white long kanduras with matching headscarves and women covered from head to toe in even longer albeit graceful black habayas and matching shailas or headscarves. And yet, the buying power of the Arab world is the envy of the entire capitalistic world. In this scenario, can the art world be very far away? Of course not!
West Asia has the advantage of literally having the best of both worlds. It is witness to art from all parts of the universe. The connoisseurs’ interest in art from within the region was quite focused and extremely intense. Of course, the regional pride and sensibilities played a huge role, as the connect was immediate and nurtured over the years. This interest extended to arts, archaeology, crafts and textiles. The West Asian sensibilities are refined and eclectic, and must be viewed in the context of the region. The arid deserts all over the world have nurtured within their folds vibrant colours as a norm, and part of the lifestyle. It may border on the loud as per the standards set by Western notions of good taste, but has stood the test of time for its followers.
This expanded to some contemporary art being accepted by artists within the region. Here too, the sensibilities of the creators were a take off on the urban landscapes when they were being very contemporary, or rural scenes when they were not. One constant leit motif was horses in all stances and movements. Then came more landscapes in other formats. This was before the abstract bug bit. When abstract imagery captured the imagination, it held everyone enthralled and still continues to capture the imagination. The reason is not far to seek: apart from the sophistication, it is permissible by the Koran.
Indian and African art as well as some Western art have made forays into the market for not only the local Arab population, but also the large chunk of expatriate population. Galleries catering to specific needs sprung up and did reasonably well. Two galleries — Art Select and 1x1 — held regular shows exhibiting Indian art in the region and the Dubai Art Fair over the last four years saw the participation of a large number of Indian galleries, mostly from Delhi and Mumbai. That there is a definite interest in Indian art in the region is certain. How much of it translates into sales in post recession times remains to be seen.
My own experience in the region as a curator and artist has been interesting. The first show I curated was of award winning work from the Lalit Kala Akademi’s annual show, which drew huge accolades from the international art community during the first Dubai Art Fair, but saw no sales, thanks to a lackadaisical gallery. When the gallery shut down last year, I felt poetic justice had been done! Subsequently, my work was shown all over the Emirates regularly. Last year too, I was part of a four-artist show, where we did a live fashion show with art and accessories.
Earlier this year as well, my paintings were shown in a dual show, and when I returned to Dubai this month with a curated show of senior Indian painters, it was an experience so touching that I will cherish it for a long time. Evolved audiences, both Emrati and Indian, came up to shower praises for reconnecting them with an important part of their shared heritage. Work of many senior Indian artists like B. Prabha, Prabhakar Kolte, Lalu Prasad Shaw, Suryaprakash and Laxma Gaud were being shown in Dubai for the first time. And the senior Emarati artists like Muttar Bin Lahij, Fatma Lootah and Mohammed Al Qassab showed their mettle alongside. It was wow time for all of us!
Dr Alka Raghuvanshi is an art writer, curator and artist