The head of the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi, Mohammed Khalifa Al Mubarak, stressed that the Emirati capital is not only seeking to build the most beautiful museums, but to establish a broad popular base of art connoisseurs, in addition to embracing creative talents.
During the session that he recently chaired - within the virtual "dialogues of culture for all" sessions, and a group of artistic talents of the artistic community - Mubarak discussed the reality of the cultural scene in the country, and the challenges facing creators in light of the "Corona crisis". Among the topics discussed during the session were the role of institutions in the development of the arts, how artists themselves can benefit from the cultural infrastructure in the UAE, and their national duty as artists in supporting social issues, as the participating creators revealed their wishes for developing the Emirati art scene. A group of artists who had a role in drawing the features of the art scene in the Emirates, and they were: Afra Al Dhaheri, Najm Al Ghanem, Farah Al Qasimi, Sheikha Al Mazrou, Mohamed Kazem, and Tariq Al Ghossain. , Ramin Haeri Zadeh, Harkini Haeri Zadeh, and Hussam Rahmanian.
system
Al Mubarak added that the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi seeks to “establish an artistic system that meets the aspirations of artists to share their work with society, and we feel specifically here in Abu Dhabi that art should be part of our cultural identity, and part of our being because in my opinion what distinguishes us as human beings; Art creates a transient communication of languages, and here is its aesthetic.
In addition to establishing high-level museums such as the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the Zayed National Museum, he explained that the department's cultural strategy also includes the provision of studios and exhibition spaces for artists from all over the world, as well as accommodation opportunities, grants and other means of support.
Al-Mubarak stressed that the goal is not only "to build the most beautiful and great museums, but to create a broad popular base for art connoisseurs, and our strategy focuses in a large part of them on how to embrace and dedicate the energies of this large amount of creative talent."
It is essential
For her part, Farah Al Qasimi, the photographer currently residing in New York City, considered that building a popular base for culture gradually is necessary for the prosperity of the Emirati art scene, adding that the support of artists in the UAE generally comes from the relevant bodies and institutions. For his part, the conceptual artist said Mohamed Kazem, “The UAE government has been supporting artists since the 1970s, and the difference today is that there are more cultural institutions and opportunities that artists can take advantage of, and this is very important for young artists in particular.” He pointed out that while he was forced in his youth to join With the army to support himself, artists are now able to earn money from their work in art.
As for the Emirati director and poet, Nujoom Al-Ghanem, she saw that the most prominent challenge facing artists in general is the weak appreciation of the arts across society. And, it gives love to art, connects our culture with people, and makes art a part of their daily life. ”
One of the discussion discussions centered on the impact of the "Covid-19" pandemic on the artistic community, and the artist and assistant professor at Zayed University, Afra Al Dhaheri, said that the ban allowed her to spend more time in her studio, adding, "Artists must seize this important period." To pause and meditate a little, we have time to stand back and review our technical practices. ”
In the last part of the session, Al Mubarak asked the participants separately about their wishes for developing the Emirati art scene.
Among the ideas put forward are transforming abandoned buildings into artistic studios, giving art an adequate focus in schools like the rest of the other subjects, including artists to membership in advisory councils for institutions, and creating a global project led by Abu Dhabi to bring humanity under the umbrella of the arts.
Passion Development
Axis in the discussion focused on teaching art to young people in the UAE, and Sheikha Al Mazrou, an artist and lecturer at the University of Sharjah, spoke about her role in encouraging students to develop their artistic passion.
The artist, Tariq Al-Ghussein, stated that his responsibilities as a teacher dictate that he manage the aspirations of his students, as many of them expressed their desire to display artworks at the Guggenheim Museum or other museums; But he tries to convince them that the artist's work is not limited to displaying his works in museums as much as it is both a message and a passion.
The dialogue touched on the duty of national artists to support social issues.
The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the artistic community is one of the main themes of the session.
Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak:
"We aim not only to build the most beautiful museums, but to create a popular base of art connoisseurs."
Alghanim Stars:
"Today we need a national project that unites everyone and makes art a part of people's daily lives."
Afrah Al-Dhaheri:
"The ban allowed me to spend more time creative, and artists have to take advantage of this period."