GULF WEEKLY-
Creatives from across the Gulf have invited people to join their artistic ‘ Azeema’, featuring sculptures, installations and photography boasting the historical and cultural tradition of togetherness and unity.
The exhibition, entitled Azeema comes from the Arabic word azouma, meaning feast - a social event or a party in Khaleeji societies that cultivates a sense of belonging as well as fosters connectivity between families, friends and extended relations.
“Azeema was first shown in Riyadh in December 2022,” said Ghada Elhaffar, a senior contemporary art specialist at the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (Baca).
“Memory assemblages and imagined objects play an integral role in inducing a sense of nostalgia by connecting us to our memories of habitual practices and historical narratives. Through this exhibition, we study the memory of a significant and singular event that is practiced within the Khaleej, a social gathering—the Azeema.
“This edition features a few different artists and their specific works.”
The immersive event, which runs until Saturday (September 23) organised by the Misk Art Institute and hosted by Baca at the Art Centre, features the works of Saad Howede, Tasneem AlSultan, Elham AlDawsari and Bader Albalawi from Saudi Arabia, Aisha AlSowaidi from Qatar, Khalid AlBanna and Noura AlSerkal from the UAE, and new additions to this edition— Bahrainis Masahel Alsaie and Ishaq Madan along with Palestinian/Canadian Shatha Alhussaini who is based in Bahrain.
Noura with her piece
Internationally-acclaimed photographer and philanthropist Ishaq Madan provided an intimate look into the profound transformation that comes with marriage through his one piece, which is a mixed media photo collage.
“Focusing on the early experiences of newlywed life, I explored the joining of two families and cultures,” said the 30-year-old Bahraini visual artist. “I examined the ritual of afternoon tea, a symbol of togetherness and connection in many households. Imbued with new meaning, tea now represents warmth, laughter and intimate conversations. Examining this everyday custom, I hope to offer a touching reflection on family, commitment and the power of ritual in shaping meaningful relationships.”
Meanwhile Shatha, a 34-year old brand strategist and copywriter from Saar, exhibited a 1,001 Uses for Rosewater installation featuring commercial rosewater bottles— each with labels she custom-made, and poetry in the form of pseudo-instructions.
“I have blended nostalgia and surrealism to explore, celebrate and deconstruct the complex duality of cultural traditions and identity,” said Shatha, an interdisciplinary artist and writer who merges a range of mediums in her work including text, photography, digital media and installation.
“Azeema was such a beautiful and thoughtful exhibition. The concept intersects with so many complex aspects of Middle Eastern culture, so it was really interesting to see how different artists engaged with those topics.”
Saudi Arabian Bader featured his ongoing project called Karasi: Everyday Chairs where he snaps up images of couches and chairs set up in strange places or being as ordinary as people.
Bader Albalawi from Saudi Arabia
“I started dealing with my subject as objects with souls, as human, approaching them as I approach portraits of people,” said the 38-year-old who co-founded Marsala Studio in Khobar and lives in Dammam. “It’s not only about the objects or the subjects in front of the camera, but it’s the missing pieces that you can connect either fictional or nonfictional; the people who put them in that places, the people who used them, the people who will do so after the photos were taken.
“The meaning of chairs in our life has a very strong social aspect. For example, I came across some elegant couches in a mechanics shop and it made me think about the social value in hospitality because while the shop is full of grease and not-so-clean things, the people who run those shops still wanted to provide a comfortable place for customers and guests to sit on.
“The strange places I always find those chairs also represent the yearning to connect everyone around us. The installation in the exhibition added more value to the photos because it also has the same effect of the Azeema of inviting people to come close and feel, as they are welcome to sit.”
There are also smaller photos posted on the main image representing the viewfinder attracting the focus to the subject.
“It’s a very harmonic exhibition representing the theme and main subject with various medium and art practices,” said the keen traveller and art collector who has showcased his work in several exhibitions in Saudi, Dubai and Bahrain in the past.
He also published his first photobook called Road to the North: 85 Scenes You May Spot on Your Way to the Northwest Saudi Arabia.
“While each work reflects the talent of participating artists, the whole exhibition is a real masterpiece. I really appreciate being part of it among the other great artists.”
Emirati Noura Alserkal’s installation also brought a sense of nostalgia to art lovers.
The 32-year-old mixed media artist and jeweller’s piece is called the Magic Carpet 2.0.
“I first presented the iteration of the work in 2018 when I was still studying in the UK at the Royal College of Art,” said Noura.
“I was looking at what connects me to home as I was living abroad. Scent was very integral to my home because my mum used to make bukhoor which is dukhoon (incense) and she learned it from my grandmother.
“So I felt the need to preserve this valuable recipe but also use it within my work to question the notions of value and look at how we think about memory as well.
“The work I created for Azeema is actually a carpet from our living room space in our home in the UAE. It looks into the idea of smells and scents associated with the place where the carpet basically lived in the living room. So all the smells you would think of sitting in that living room like coffee, lavender, amber, musk and dukhoon— basically ingredients you will find or smell in the living room.”
She added that she really enjoyed how people at the event received and connected with the work.
“I really love Bahrain,” she added. “It’s such a beautiful place and very authentic.”
Aside from the exhibition, there will be different performances every night such as a Bahraini Ardha dance happening tonight from 6pm to 8pm, a Saudi Samri on September 21 and September 22 from 6pm to 8pm and a Saudi Ardha and Samri on September 23 from 6pm to 10pm.
For details, follow @culturebah, @ishaqmadan, @sh.atha, @balbalawi and @nouraalserkal
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