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Last Saturday I attended an interesting panel session on Art in the Middle East. The four speakers all came with a Dubai-centered perspective and Dubai-related experience. But that in itself was interesting and thought-provoking to me. Manela Keykavoussi, head of Middle Eastern Markets at the Fine Arts Fund, gave numbers that illustrate how the Middle East has become a burgeoning art market, how the liquidity in the gulf is creating a new trend in buying and selling, and how international galleries and auction houses are taking a great interest in art from this region and in setting up shop here (i.e. in Dubai).
Bashar Alshroogi, who manages the Cuadro Fine Art Gallery in the middle of Dubai’s International Financial District, talked about art in public spaces and how that creates a sense of identity and relationship between people and their city, especially in a place where there’s a massive real estate boom and where buildings are popping up too fast for people to connect with them.
Antonia Carver, editor of Bidoun Magazine, and Yasmin Alireza from Al-Madad foundation also provided insights on art in the region, how the media deals with it, the lack of art critics and curators, and the issue of art education. A lot was said about Art Dubai, the huge annual fair that brings together some of the biggest galleries from around the world.
I left the session with a lot of questions and thoughts to ponder. That evening, I had a very interesting discussion with a friend on the issue. We were commenting on how visual art has never really been part of our culture. I mean, people in the west, even if they can’t afford to buy expensive paintings, know Picasso and Monet and Van Gogh. Is there any Arab artist who managed to become that sort of icon in painting and visual art??
My friend then started telling me about Muhanna Al-Durra, and how he is one of the most prominent Jordanian painters whose work sells very well abroad. I took a mental note to find out more about Durra and other Jordanian painters, as I realized I’d been quite ignorant in this area.
During our magazine breakdown meeting for next month, I remembered this and decided it would be interesting to do an interview with him.
I called him up and explained that we were interested in interviewing him and talking about his art career and his perspectives on art in Jordan and the region. He said to me “I don’t mind, but I must tell you, yesterday a journalist from [one of the big dailies] came to interview, and my God she was terrible! It was a total waste of my time!”
Pressure mounting… note to self, research research research… and prepare some pretty darn good questions!!
Then he said “I might be traveling soon, we can do the interview today if you want.”
Today… um… uh… yeah, sure!!
No pressure. For a second though, I felt like I was back in the library of the engineering faculty at UJ, a few hours before an exam, trying to cram a hundred pages of dreadful power electronics or Electrognetics II.
First stop was Google, and although I found some useful tidbits of information on the internet, it was all brief, and I was reminded, yet again, of the tragic lack of content in Arabic or on the Arab world in general! I was thankful for blogs like Roba’s, and this one, which helped me get some idea before heading out to Darat Al-Funoun, my second stop.
At the Dara, I was told that paintings by Durra are probably in the private collection and not on display, so I just went up to the library and started reading some of the articles I had printed out, and digging up books from the library with potentially useful information.
After Darat Al-Funoun, I headed to the National Gallery of Fine Art, and I scanned the walls very quickly and could tell that there were no paintings by Durra. That’s because once you become familiar with his work, you recognize the feeling you get from his colors and his strokes and expressions. His colors are just amazing. They’re so warm and vibrant and they talk to you… It’s just hard to explain.
On the way to the interview, I called up some of my art-savvy friends to pick their brain and ask them for tips and ideas. This actually turned out to be quite helpful. Thanks Yacoub, Roba, and Nada :)
Walking into his studio, you just feel so overwhelmed by the art that’s surrounding you. It’s such a beautiful space, with stacks of books, old photographs, and paintings coverings the walls. A Concerto by Tchaikovsky plays in the background, and this man, who will turn 70 years old in a couple of months, sits and openly talks about art and culture and beauty, with insights gained throughout an incredibly rich life experience. Durra was the first Jordanian to go study Fine Art academically in Italy. He helped set up the Fine Art Institute in Jordan, and he was the first to introduce cubism and expressionism here. He taught and mentored many Jordanian artists, and he also worked in the diplomatic corps for some time.
We talked for close to two hours, and I left feeling thirsty for more of his stories and insights. I will leave the things he said for the article I’m writing, so look out for the July issue of JO.
Final note to self: go back to Darat Al-Funoun and the National Gallery, and learn more about Jordanian art.
I promise I’ll blog about something other than Amman’s cultural agenda. There are tons of issues I want to blog about, but I guess the one thing that has this sort of deadline urgency is events… because if you slack, well, the event will just pass, right?Tomorrow, Wednesday May 28th, there are four different music events taking place:Jazz Funk at AmigoWith Yacoub Abu Ghosh on bass guitar, Hamza Arnaout on electric guitar, and Tareq Abu Kwaik on drumsAmanda Bloom and the Baidoon Bros at NaiPart of the Nai International Jazz Festival. Tomorrow’s show will feature Classic Jazz, Fusion and Funk, with a mixture of all-time jazz covers and some originalsConcert of Classical Music at the Royal Cultural CenterWith Tristan Pfaff on Piano and Clement Dufour on ClarinetStarts at 8:00 pmFree EntryUJ Music Department – Graduation ProjectsFour graduates from the music department of the University of Jordan will be performing at the theatre of the Union Bank in Shmeisani, from 7:00 pm till 9:00 pm.On Friday, May 30thCups and Kilos in Rabieh are launching a week of cultural events, and it will start with Lebanese musician May Nasr, playing and singing (you can check out her MySpace page). If you’ve never been to Cups and Kilos in Rabieh, well… it has a very nice space outside and I think it’s a brilliant idea to use it for cultural events and music shows. Time: 6:30 till 8:00Also on Friday…Jadal are performing live at the Jara Flea MarketStarting 8:00 pm (so you can make it to both shows on Friday if you’re interested :) )Saturday May 31st:Macadi Nahhas live in concert Place: Royal Cultural CenterTime: 8:30 pmTickets are for 10 JDsMay Nasr at Cups and Kilos, at 6:30pmHere’s the rest of the schedule for the events that will take place at Cups and Kilos, all starting at 6:30 pm:Sunday, June 1st: Poet Jumana Mustafa accompanied by Eyas AlGhol on sax. Monday, June 2nd: Maher Hanhan Trio.Tuesday, June 3rd: Yazan Al-Rousan and Hamza Arnaout.Wednesday, June 4th: Ruba SaqrAlso on Monday June 2nd:Best of Farid Al-AtrashPresented by the Amman Symphony Orchestra and the Arabic Music Choir of the National Music ConservatoryPlace: the Hussein Cultural Center at Ras Al-EinTime: 7:30 pmFor info call 4767222 (tickets tend to be sold out quickly for these monthly concerts)Islamey Circassian Dance Ensemblefrom Kavkas – Adygheaat the cultural palace in Amman on the 2nd & 3rd of June 2008 at 20:00.Tickets are for 12 JDs, 8 JDs, and 5 JDs, available at all the circassians charity association branches in Jordan, al ahli club & al jeel club (hmmmm…) For more information call 0777444712, or 0777779921Even though the focus of this post is music, you might want to check out the Shoman Cinema Forum and their schedule for June. They screen films every Tuesday at 7:00 pm. Entry is free, and June will be dedicated to Russian films. Also, don’t miss the chance to check out Diala Khasawneh’s creative art exhibition “the first bra boutique”. It’s at Makan in Luweibdeh, and it’s on until June 4th.Alma Khasawneh (Diala's sister), has an art exhibition titled “Up Close” which will open at the French Cultural Center on Sunday June 1st, at 6:30 pm.
An Egyptian journalist was asking me the other day: “Why does everyone insist that Amman is a boring city? I’ve been here three times already, and I spend at least two weeks every time, and there’s always something happening in the art and culture scene… there’s always something new and interesting to do. But people here still insist that it’s a boring city, and that’s also the common stereotype of it in places like Beirut and Cairo.” It reminded me of my early days of blogging three years ago, when I decided to start an events calendar on my blog for the simple reason that an expat in Amman told me he found it a boring city. It’s not that I’m on the defensive or that I feel some national duty to prove my city innocent of some vicious charge. I also don’t want to claim that Amman is something it’s not. I’ve been to Cairo and fell head over heels in love with it, but I guess the reason I still write these posts on my blog about all the interesting things taking place around town is because I’m convinced that many of those who find Amman boring simply don’t know what goes on and what they can enjoy. Now you can’t compare Amman to Beirut and Cairo… that’s just unfair because Amman is a very young city. Sure there’s an ancient Roman Amphitheatre and a Citadel with remnants of different historic eras, but Amman as a modern city with an urban culture is less than 100 years old. And yes, there is so much that is missing - but we’re getting there. Just think of how different the cultural landscape is today than it used to be a few years ago. Sometimes I feel that no matter how many interesting things Amman offers, being bored is just a dominant issue in people’s mindsets here. It’s sort of a general attitude. I’m curious to read what you think…That said, let’s move on to why I started this post in the first place – to bring to you my list of events taking place in Amman this week :) so without further ado:Two exhibitions open today at Darat Al-Funoun:Secrets9 international artists will meet in Amman, Jordan to explore the theme of secrets. The artists from Egypt, Holland, Lebanon, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Palestine and Scotland will come together to create inspirational artwork through a variety of mediums.Time: 6:30pmNakba ArchivesI think the opening for this one is also at 6:30pm but I’m not quite sure!Guardians of MemoryIn commemoration of Al-Nakba, Al-Hannouneh Society for Popular Culture is organizing a series of events this week, running until May 16th. Today, Monday, there will be a screening of a number of films and documentaries at the society’s building, located at sport city circle- behind al-quqa building. Time: 6:00 – 10:15Tuesday, 13th of May Bazaar Traditional products and food & hand crafts Location: `Ebaal society AT 5.30 PM free entranceWednesday, 14th of May Al-Hannouneh Folkloric Dance Location: King Abdullah 2nd Culture center-zarka AT 8.00 PM tickets:5 JD Thursday, 15th of May Al-Hannouneh Folkloric Dance Location: Radisson Sas Hotel AT 8.00 PM tickets:5 JD Friday, 16th of MayConcert Sho Hal Ayyam Location: Directorate of arts and theater AT 8.00 PM free entrance Exhibition: Organized ChaosAn exhibition of Palestinian cartoonist Mohammad Sabaaneh, at Al-Balad Theatre, running until May 15th.Tuesday May 13 Documentary: Occupation 101Place: Darat Al-FunounTime: 6:30pmIndian Film “Life in a metro” Screening at the Shoman Cinema ForumDate: Tuesday May 13 Time: 7:00pmThursday May 15thSharq live in ConcertTime: 8:00 pm till 10:00 pmPlace: Royal Cultural CenterFree EntryAnd for the fun open air activities (hopefully with more summer-like weather this weekend):Souk Jara TheatreAmman’s summer flea market is back starting Friday May 16th and every Friday. The Jara theatre will host shows by young Jordanian musicians, as well as film screenings. This Friday, the opening will be with Aziz Maraka, from 6:30 pm until 9:30 pm. 
100 Live Music FestivalNow this is very cool, at the Park of the National Museum for Fine Arts in Jabal Luweibdeh, artists from Jordan and the world will be performing from 4:00 pm until 10:00pm (or may be even later). This will be on Saturday May 17th
Click to see large poster
Here’s Lina’s occasional list of events taking place in Amman this week :)Monday May 5Best of Abdel Halim OrchestrationLed by Dr. Ayman Tayseer, with the Arabic Choir Ensemble and the Amman Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mohammad Othman Siddeeq.Place: Hussein Cultural Center, Ras Al-EinTime : 7 :30pmI think tickets are for 5 JDs, available at the doorTuesday May 6Film Screening at the Shoman Cinema ForumThis week it’s an award-winning Indian film called Salaam BombayPlace: Shoman Library between first and second circlesTime: 6:30pmFree EntryAustralian Film FestivalUntil Sunday May 11th, films will be screened at the Hussein Cultural Center. Below is the full schedule.
Wednesday May 7Yazan Rousan in a fundraising concertPlace: Muhataraf Remal in Jabal Luweibdeh (call 06553319 for info or directions)Time: 7:30 pmTickets are for JD3Thursday May 8Now this is the event you’re not supposed to miss:Three Stories from Amman: a screening of three short filmsThe work of three talented young Jordanian filmmakers; Mohammad Hushki, Ahmad Amin, and Kasem KharsaPlace: Al-Balad TheaterTime: 7:00 – 8:15 pmFree Entry
Also on ThursdayRUM Tareq Al-Nasser in Concert at the Roman AmphitheatrePlace: Obviously, the Roman Amphitheatre downtown (valet parking is available)Time: 8:00 – 10:00 pmFree EntryFriday May 9Rock BreezeThree Rock bands; Akher Zafeer, Illusions, and Gilbert Simon (read more on their Facebook group)Place: Zara ExpoTime: 7:00 pmTickets are for JD10 if you purchase them at iPlay or Prime Mega Store, and JD15 at the gate (boo!)Also, if you haven’t checked out the current exhibition at Darat Al-Funoun, Art Now in Lebanon, I think you should :) it’s got some very interesting work by contemporary Lebanese artists, and it runs until the 27th or the 28th of May.
It’s been over a week since I got back from Dubai, where I participated in the workshop “Learning from the Future”, organized by the British Council and the Young Arab Leaders. Though it was my first time in Dubai, I didn’t get the chance to explore the city much because the workshop was quite intense. Naseem sums it up nicely, and Mais gives another great perspective on the trip. Although Dubai had never really sparked my curiosity and never felt like my type of city, I decided to go there with an open mind and to put aside the judgments of “materialistic,” “fake,” or “soulless” until I experience it for myself.
We were staying in hotel apartments in the “old Dubai”, i.e. Bur Dubai. The workshop itself was taking place at the Sheraton Creek hotel. Now for the first couple of days, friends would text me and ask, so how do you find Dubai? And I’d say: I’m feeling absolutely nothing towards the city; nothing positive, nothing negative… just blank. Then I eventually realized that this in itself says something about it; a city that doesn’t stir any emotions in you! I wasn’t blown away by the number of cranes, the clean streets, or the glossiness, simply because there’s so much hype surrounding the city and we all know how rapidly it’s developing, it comes as no surprise. 
One thing I did feel though was that the city is very safe. You don’t see police officers anywhere, but every driver tells you there are strict traffic regulations. And wherever you are, you generally feel quite safe. Even more interesting for someone coming from Amman was the lack of metal detectors and extra security at malls and hotels. I guess that as a Ammani, I had completely internalized this and gotten used to the security checks that I thought this is how it’s supposed to be everywhere. One of the evenings, after a hectic day at the workshop, we had a free evening at the Mall of the Emirates – supposedly a “true Dubai experience”. I couldn’t get over the “whatever” feeling when I was there, but then again, I am not a fan of shopping no matter where I am. I was looking for a specific thing that is unavailable at Amman’s music stores, and one of the UAE locals in our group told me there are a couple of specialized music instrument stores at Ibn Battouta Mall. Ibn Battouta looked nice on the outside, in terms of architecture, but inside, it was just so TACKY! And I didn’t find what I needed. 
Then I was told there’s a whole bunch of music stores on a street behind Ghurair City Mall. Now that was a more interesting place to hang out because it was obviously another side of Dubai – the buildings had laundry hanging out the balcony. There were Indians on bicycles, and people rushing to take the bus – no one local, as far as I could tell. In Omar Ibn Al-Khattab St., just off Fish Circle, there were all these music instrument stores. After I got what I wanted, I stood waiting for a cab. I eventually learned that this is not something you do in Dubai. You can’t just get a cab on the street. You have to call one. Cabs get their orders via a computer system, and they get penalized if they don’t accept an order. So you have all these empty taxis passing you by but declining to stop because they’re on their way to pick someone up. Occasionally you get lucky. But I didn’t wait; I saw a bus heading to Al-Karama, which, as far as I could tell, was close to where our hotel was… and I hopped in. The bus fare is 1.5 dirhams, which is less than 20 piasters. Not bad… But I didn’t get to my destination and had to stand waiting for a taxi again.
Another thing that caught my attention was that taxis are all very clean and neat. Let’s just say they don’t have the “character” of Jordanian taxis exhibited through the most random dangling items and stickers and what not. Still, taxi drivers are apparently chatty anywhere in the world. All you have to do is ask one random question, and they tell you their life story. One driver from Bangladesh was telling us that he’s been in Dubai for ten years, and that he used to like it a lot more at first. Now he hates it. He went on and on about how there’s no identity, how it’s all about money, how he works 12 hours a day and struggles to make ends meet. Interestingly, he said what he misses the most is the feeling of being in an Islamic country… that nothing about Dubai now feels like an Islamic country. One of the things that got me thinking was the green lawns and the flowers on the streets of Dubai. You have all these fuschia, red, and white flowers everywhere. And personally, I couldn’t help but wonder how much water is spent keeping them fresh in this desert. The UAE has one the highest per capita rates of water consumption in the world. Then again, may be I shouldn’t be commenting on this, coming from one of a country that’s on the list of the 10 poorest in water resources yet has the audacity to build yet another water park! 
The workshop aside (there will be another post focused on that), I enjoyed a final evening walking along the creek, crossing to the other side on a boat, and having a nice dinner with great company.
That said, the conclusion I came to regarding Dubai is that it is not my type of city. There’s something missing there. I don’t know how to rationalize it, but I finally felt it; it is artificial. I think I’ve managed to write a whole post without using the word “reflect” :) next attempt would be to exclude the word “interesting,” if such a thing is possible for me – and I will try that when I write my thoughts on the workshop, which was a great intense experience.
