The artistic coordinator of the visual arts program at "Expo 2020", Tariq Aboul Fotouh, revealed the artistic program that will provide a brilliant presence for works of art in the public space at the site of "Expo 2020 Dubai" over a period of six months, indicating that about 22 works will be distributed in parks and spiral roads And among them will be seven permanent works, noting the participation of eight artists from the Emirates, and there will be two Emirati works within the permanent creations in the region.
Aboul Fotouh explained, during a special tour for the media of the site "Expo" to view the details related to the works of art and their locations, that the program draws its work from the famous "book of views" for the famous Arab mathematician, astronomer and physicist, noting that there is a perception of how people see the world during the upcoming global event, which It gives an opportunity for each country to present itself through it, "and this is a return to the idea of vision and the book of views."
The artistic coordinator said, "Ibn Al-Haytham is the one who founded the visible science, and in the West he is considered a physicist only, as a result of discovering an important theory of light reflection, and there is a perception that he is not a philosopher, although there are those who worked on his biography at the American University of Beirut as a philosopher." .
He emphasized that this Arab world "distinguished between vision and sight, and that the image is formed in the brain and not in the eye. The awareness of the whole picture lies in imagination, which is a theory close to the theories of philosophers about the ability of humans to imagine." He mentioned that as a coordinator, he wanted to put the idea and embody it in the artistic program, as it connects people and helps them to imagine cultural differences, and through artistic coordination he commissioned some artists, besides seeing others who had works that met the idea of the works.
As for the extent to which these artworks serve the vision of "Dubai Cultural", Abu Al-Fotouh said that "the idea of creative industries and innovation is very important and influencing the lives of people and their intellectual formation, as well as in some personal decisions as well as the way they imagine people, and innovation in general is the basis of Dubai's vision." He attributed his choice to Ibn Al-Haytham because he is the product of the houses of wisdom that were witnessing intellectual, artistic and cultural discussions, and those houses used to produce knowledge and a source of knowledge for generations. He added that the business is in harmony with the slogan "Expo Dubai", which includes the topics of sustainability, mobility and opportunities, and Ibn Al Haitham and its distinction between vision and awareness is closely linked to sustainability and mobility. He noted the presence of young artists alongside international artists, and the promising will be at the same creative level, as we seek to appreciate the work of young people and their talents, with the presence of artists from across the region, Africa and Southeast Asia, and half of the artists are Arab creators.
The ability to imagine
On the program, Aboul Fotouh assured to «Emirates Today», on the sidelines of the tour, that contemporary art is different from others, as it depends on three main axes, which are the aesthetics and the message behind it, and the ability to imagine the world differently, and good art is the one that moves between these three axes .
He believed that the Arab world possesses a civilization rich in poetry, and depends on imagination, and this is what makes the Arab able to read art, which in turn is based on imagination as well, amidst the rapid contemporary life in which there is no significant margin or opportunities for imagination.
The Expo described that it presents a picture of the world, especially that the participating countries will be represented in special pavilions, numbering 192.
Aboul Fotouh indicated that the artists who will attend their work on the program have participated in international and contemporary exhibitions, and contributed to the formation of a visual language. The language of contemporary art is open, and includes many cultures, as creativity from Africa and many places has entered it, and the participants will address topics with close sensitivity From their artistic context, but at the same time the conversation will be global, not just local.
He considered that part of the importance of the late scientist Ibn Al-Haytham lies in the fact that he brings us back to the lenses that are related to the vision of the planets and stars, and the realization that we are on the planet we share in it, which means the awareness of the universe and responsibility towards it.
He stressed that working with Expo 2020 Dubai is an honor for him, especially with the expectation of a very large number of visitors and participants from all over the world.
He mentioned that the upcoming international exhibition comes at a stage "it must be rethought with many things, and the region may give a new proposal related to history and the present, and will move towards the future", as he put it.
Visual dialogue
Deputy Head of Art and Culture Affairs at "Expo 2020 Dubai", Dr. Hayat Shamsuddin, told "Emirates Today" that the artistic program will provide a dialogue between the visitor and the displayed works, as they are not just works, but will create a kind of awareness among the recipient, and therefore there is a look He has new ones, and all visitors and families will greatly interact with them. She added that the work will give a personal and international character to everyone who sees it, as it will carry many ideas about how to look at the region, and how it will affect the level of knowledge, which can be described as deep knowledge.
Shams al-Din's life considered that talking about the arts and focusing on the region as a creative axis comes from the existing works and the dialogue that will open them, as they are related to each other, and not random, whether in terms of the chosen names, or even the places where they are presented, and these are all important steps to establish Dubai as an artistic axis .
Regarding fixing the works on their sites, she stated that during the coming summer, there are works that require work on the site to install them on the ground, especially the permanent ones, noting that there are brochures and details next to each work that will explain to the visitor his idea and details.
Ibn Al-Haytham is a product of the houses of wisdom that were witnessing artistic and cultural discussions.
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Artists from the Emirates
They will participate in
Doing business
Creative.