Sadiq Toma – I am not an excavator or an archaeologist

‘Memory is a great artist. For every man and for every woman it makes the recollection

of his or her life a work of art and an unfaithful record.’ French author, Andre Maurois

The Iraqi artist Sadiq Toma’s work, explores the art of memory or ars memoriae. This is an ancient collection of techniques which aids recall by managing the impressions memory creates. It allows a person to improve their ability to remember while also helping with the formulation of ideas.  Toma is also keen to point out memory is a construct. He says it is a fragment, a subjective perspective and should always be viewed with an element of scepticism.

The overall concept of ars memoriae has existed for thousands of years. Pythogorans and Ancient Egyptians were certainly aware of techniques such as associating emotionally striking memories with specific locations. Or making inks between groups of images or images with schematic graphics like signs. All forms of markings do, in fact all play their part. Toma has used these practices to represent perspectives in new and dynamic forms.

For Sadiq Toma, it is evident, new themes and inspiration, ironically, come from distant memories and the past. Yet, Toma is not content to merely excavate his own personal memories. He also embraces the memories of an entire ancient civilisation belonging to Iraq. He constantly searches for a sense of fulfilment across a canvas. Although Toma, like all humanity, is influenced by the past, he is equally concerned by the present or future. Both of which are destined, in themselves, to be transformed into memory.

Sumerian art is also an influence, but Toma has no desire to be either excavator or archaeologist. He constantly searches for a fresh view of life, death, love and ritual as seen in his work entitled, Love Poem. He acknowledges Gilgamesh and his own quest and questions about the fate of mortals.

However, simply by having an acquaintance of Sumerian art, such as fragments of clay tablets depicting cuneiform writing, is enough to affect the present. Toma transforms hidden visions into contemporary forms such as Amorous Poem 8.  By employing a variety of materials, Toma’s work explores and reflects an intense belief this specific period was one of the most profound influences within his Iraqi roots.

The paintings exhibited at the Lahd Gallery(link) show an artist who has selected, rejected, reworked and represented, almost as if he has created a  form of ‘tagging’. Arabic letters and technical tools are lifted and represented. The construction of the artworks sometimes spill from the frame as memory burst from the confines we attempt to construct for it see Amorous Poem 3

He may use characters as decorative texts but does not make any reference or specific indication as to  where they have been gleaned see Tree  Sometimes these references are obscure and at other times well known poetic texts. Typography is refashioned. Words and symbols are seemingly scattered across the picture. Therefore Toma’s contrast, between the construction of calligraphic form and the semi abstract natural background, present a provocative dichotomy. They function as a form of palimpsest; here the spiritual and unconscious appear and disappear within works such as Amorous Poem or Oasis.

As Tagore once explained:

‘'Oh my soul, don't seek for eternity but do your best to achieve the most of your limited life.'  

Sadiq Toma has certainly taken these words to heart.

Brief Biographical Detail of Sadiq Toma

Sadiq Toma is an internationally acclaimed artist, with roots in Baghdad Iraq. He was born in 1952 and worked as a freelance illustrator in the Iraqi Museum and was a poster designer, illustrator, animator and designer. He is now a full time artist.

Toma’s work, explores the art of memory or ars memoriae, where his new themes and inspiration come from distant memories and the past. Yet, Toma is not content to merely excavate his own personal memories. He also embraces the memories of an entire ancient civilisation of Iraq. He constantly searches for a sense of fulfilment across a canvas. Although Toma, like all humanity, is influenced by the past he is equally concerned by the present or future which are both destined, in themselves, to be transformed into memory.

His work has been exhibited in Iraq, London, Leicester, Dublin, Sheffield, Scotland, Japan, Korea, Denmark, Sharjah, America, France, and Finland. Solo shows are equally diverse: London Kufa Gallery, Argel Gallery, Jersey Gallery and Artspace Galleries.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgJGlFHnXuQ

Lahd Gallery is proud to present Suhair Sibai , our artist of the month.

SuhairSibai says of her own work that its focus is division and displacement of the ‘self’ within society. 

This is a complex perspective, both for an artist and for the work itself as they sits at the juncture of parallel worlds. Politically there is the residue of essentialism, otherness and absence to deal with. However, this occurs alongside the impact of a new global political order and the highly politicised gender debate which questions the very notion of female ‘self’.

Sibai’s work offers up image after image of strong women whose expressions are still somehow veiled by the invisible yet tangible continued misogyny evident across the globe. 
Each figure, the artist, suggests is a vehicle, a cipher, a conduit for her intent. 
Her philosophy is grand, some might say, impossible as through her art ‘universal truths’ which ‘transcend boundaries of place, gender and time’ will be uncovered.
Suhair Sibai was born in Syria in 1956 and confidently straddles the divide between Los Angeles, New York, Paris, London, Dubai and Damascus or east and west where her work is continuously being exhibited. Sibai is therefore fully conversant with the blurring of boundaries. Globalisation, multi-culturalism and the clash between secularism, tradition and religious fundamentalism all fight to be heard and are strangely present in her output.

Division and displacement are prevalent from the faces which confront the viewer in Sibai’s paintings. The colours suggest vibrancy, life, euphoria even, but the figures themselves exude otherness, melancholy and an other-worldly atmosphere which hints at suffering, loss, isolation, abuse even which is unsettling and provocative in equal measure. The viewer is involved in the narrative and each piece appears to cry ‘Look at me!’ but simultaneously, ‘Don’t look!’

Orientalism, which was such a seminal part of the West Imperialist hegemony in the 19th century, may have been exposed for the deeply colonial construction it was. But perhaps, Sibai feels discord, displacement and division of the self is actually the product of our new world order where identity is no longer ‘a given’ (sic) and we occupy simultaneous notions of self.

Therefore philosophies and beliefs are taken and ‘mashed’; metaphors are re-applied, interstices are breeding grounds for clash and extremism, distortion and alteration. Sibai demonstrates clearly the integral relationship between representation and context, meaning and audience.
As Manet’s  Olympia challenged the male gaze in the 19th century, Sibai’s young women may well be defiant and say, ‘I am here and I am not scared.’ 
But there is a hint of an underlying menace lurking somewhere beyond the frame which suggests these may be brave words. The clever contrast of uplifting tonal palettes with the intensity of the stare is profound. The viewer is tricked into expecting one thing and being presented with a different vision. ‘No Fear’  is itself enigmatic, disturbing yet rallying at the same time.
In fact, one of Sibai’s paintings has been chosen as the cover for a new novel entitled Dreams in the Medina  by Kati Woronka .Set in Syria and is a coming of age story of a group of young Syrian women whose education changes their lives. Sibai’s work is obviously a talisman for young women who are challenging expectations just as the artist does in her paintings.
Suhair Sibai’s work was exhibited at the Lahd Gallery  in an exhibition entitled Sweet Melancholy  which closed in March 2013. 

You can still see her last available works at http://shop.lahdgallery.com/product/suhair-no-fear/

Breathing room for the spirit-Sotheby’s hosts ‘Three Generations’ Monday 22nd of july 2013, Sothebys Bond street

Certainly global trade, influence and collaboration might typify the past fifteen years in future history books. ‘Adapt or die’ is another adage of both contemporary business and the art world. Artists clearly understand how revisionisms, creating palimpsests, appropriation and representation are common threads within the human experience.

Disrupting narratives and deconstruction mean there are no limits regarding interpretation. This is evident in the new exhibition of art from the United Arab Emirates hosted at Sotheby’s London. Perhaps this may not fit basic assumptions of this seemingly traditional auction house but even here you will find difference in this exciting show.

Some may be unaware that Sotheby’s opened an Abu Dhabi office. Therefore it should come as no surprise their latest exhibition showcases 12 works by emerging artists from the UAE. 

Robin Woodhead, Executive Vice President & Chairman of Sotheby’s stated the UAE ‘has distinguished itself as a growing force on the international scene…with one of the most ambitious cultural programmes.’ 

It is obvious the Arab world is constantly developing and this is a pertinent time for the UK to experience that transition first hand.

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, said: ‘The visual arts has the power to transcend borders and boundaries. It ignites the imagination and encourages the pursuit of knowledge.’

Certainly, the artists participating in the ‘ThreeGenerations’ exhibition in Bond Street, reflect a spirit of innovation rooted in the desert landscapes of Al Dhafra [the Western Region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi]. Their creations are infused with the cultural heritage they have inherited. 

However, there is an urgency and revisionist aesthetic at work which brings excitement and a definite pushing of boundaries and expectation.

The Three Generations exhibition gives London the opportunity to see what is happening in the UAE and contemplate its past, present and future. What it does do is suggest the visual art sector is flourishing. Creative expression, drawing on tradition as well as breaking new ground thrives. These works are not an attempt at creating a narrative. What they do is showcase the extent of the creative expression evident in the UAE right now.

What is art?

Mohammed Al Astad Al Hammadi for example explores what traditional Emirati society is based upon then takes these core elements and transforms them. This is achieved by prompting both an emotion and the notion of collective cultural memory. He uses organic processes juxtaposed with notions of value and ownership. His work Midnight, demonstrates the impact of nature as iron is buried alongside a canvas. It is left for a couple of weeks. The natural oxidisation processes create abstraction and so each canvas is unique. It is an amalgam of artistic intention and natural process. It explores the notion: what is art? The work also asks what is its own aesthetic value?


Al Hammadi does this while also offering commentaries and juxtapositions. What is the dynamic between death and energy, difference and decay? It is also tangible proof, if you like, that rust never sleeps.Najat Makki on the other hand has used her travels to offer another perspective and illustrate the clash between traditional notions of gender and contemporary international feminist perspectives. ‘Untitled’ uses colour to intensify the metaphor of the female experience rooted in tradition, expectation, belief and culture. 

Although the UK may not have experienced the work of these artists they have an international reputation and represent an artistic aesthetic which began many years back. These artists are simply the next generation. This exhibition illustrates the tension between concealment and revelation, modernity and history, cutting edge and tradition which typifies this region of the world.

Sumayyah Al Suwaidi’s work for example challenges expectation by digitally transforming the mundane and infusing an image with an emotion. She has been exhibiting since 2003 and winner of L’OFFICIEL Arab Women Award 2010 for best new talent, Emirates Woman Achievers Award 2011 and Emirates Woman of the Year 2011.All twelve artists represent a new aesthetic. Traditions are filtered through the experience of these practitioners who explore the role of the imagination which challenges perception. As artists JalalLuqman says:

“I wanted to present an Arabised version, digitally repainted”

                              

A 1000 cocktail sticks you should see, before you die! : Lahd Gallery visits the Tara Donovan exhibition at Louisiana Gallery, Denmark.

Perhaps you may not associate Denmark with cutting edge contemporary art. Yet if anyone has read Patricia Shultz’s book, ‘1000 places to see before you die’ you will already know the LouisianaMuseum of Modern Art epitomises the Danish perspective on modern and contemporary art and is a must see in itself. In fact, as a location, the Louisiana is the 85th most visited gallery in the world and having now visited we can see why.


On the shore of the Øresund Sound in Humlebæk, 35 km (22 mi) north of Copenhagen, Denmark we pitched up, ostensibly to see the exhibition of renowned American artist, Tara Donovan . But the Louisiana itself is a pertinent juxtaposition of the colonial façade and a bright minimal space within. These clean lines actually do justice to an artist who likes to approach her work in terms of science and experiment.


Donovan is an experimental alchemist.


Donovan has been quoted as saying she is ‘an alchemist’ who strives to transcend materials. This is evident throughout this first European exhibition of her work spanning the years 2004-2012. We were so impressed by the clarity of her vision even though, ironically, she does her best to make her chosen materials almost disappear.


This is an exploitation of low profile materials.


What fascinates the viewer is the use, of what Donavan terms, ‘low profile materials’. She exploits the anonymity of easily accessible mass produced objects such as cocktail sticks or plastics and revels in the idea these chosen materials possess little identifying colour. Compare this to the vibrant use of coloured plastic by Tony Cragg in the 1980s or the early highly pigmented sculptures of Anish Kapoor , for example. It marks a definite aesthetic shift.


An architect, scientist and clinical aesthete.


Her work appears clinical but what gives these unassuming shapes their potent sense of drama are the translucent or light-reflective qualities which are activated by body movement as a viewer passes. The beauty of these sculptures is actually inherent in the magical transformation from unremarkable piece, into stunning form. Certainly Donavan is both architect and scientist and takes location as a malleable aspect of the whole sculptural experience.


Donovan’s work is not a polemic on the mass-produced, or even the environment.


No preparatory drawings are made. Donovan feels the sculptures are like drawings in themselves. She is adamant her practice does not mimic nature itself but the ways of nature. As a sculptor she is keen not to be pigeon-holed. Her work is not a polemic regarding the mass produced, or even its counterpart, the environment. The sculptures are very obviously about form but their minimalist structure, bland colours and lack of titles allow viewers to bring their own intentions and experiences with them. In this instance the beauty and intensity of the Louisiana country house, the water and the sculpture gardens inform these installations too. It was a heady combination.


From the microscopic to massive organic structures


Of particular fascination to us were ‘Mylar & hot glue’ a sculpture created by rolling up sheets of Mylar to form cones. These small units are then glued together to create more dramatic molecular structures. The second installation we found compelling was constructed with long cocktail sticks of some kind, which together look like iron filings or a mineral such as porcupine quartz or even ice crystals. Donovan focuses in on the microscopic as well as panning out with a director’s eye, to give us clinical yet organic sculptures, another oxymoron, that surprisingly emanates an intensity which defies attempts at anonymity.
A visit to both this exhibition and the Louisiana is a profound experience and is highly recommended by Lahd Gallery, London.

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The exhibition at Louisiana has been created in collaboration with the Arp Museum, Bahnhof Rolandseck. A catalogue is available in English and German with preface by Oliver Kornhoff, director of the Arp Museum Bahnhof Rolandseck and Poul Erik Tøjner, Louisiana’s director. Also included is an interview with Tara Donovan by Jutta Mattern, curator at the Arp Museum, and Mette Marcus, curator at Louisiana, and an essay by Marietta Franke.


http://www.louisiana.dk/uk/Menu/Exhibitions

The exhibition is part of the exhibition series LOUISIANA CONTEMPORARY.

Shubbak- A window on contemporary Arab culture Monday 24 June 2013, Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington, London SW7 2RL

“Shubbak is a revelation of the solid bond between London and the Arab world”.

Lahd Gallery was delighted to contribute and celebrate the launch of Shubbak 2013, showcasing over 70 events in more than 30 venues throughout the city from the 4th – 24^th of July 2013.

The wide-ranging programmes offered by the Shubbak festival include the visual arts, film, music, theatre, dance, literature, architecture, lectures and dynamic talks. Unquestionably one of the most electrifying events this summer!

Shubbak features works by contemporary Arab artists, writers, filmmakers, musicians, choreographers and architects.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson and Omar Al Qattan, Shubbak Festival’s Chairman and organiser were among the main speakers of that startling opening evening.

The Mayor of London with an exceptional humour declared that he was ‘very proud to be hailed I think as the "Mayor of the eigth Emirate’ referring to London’s popularity at this time of year.

He also spoke frankly about being a ‘proud possessor of a Muslim Great Grandfather - who would frankly be astonished that his great grandson became the mayor of London’

The evening went on with a magical oriental atmosphere, delicious food, exotic drinks and guests from all over the world celebrating the weeks to come of Arabic festivities.

For more information on the next events visit http://shubbak.co.uk/

PINTA ART FAIR 05/06/2013 The Modern & Contemporary Latin American Art Show

 “I'd rather want everything and have nothing, than have everything and want nothing. Because at least when you want something your life has a meaning: it's worthwhile. From the moment you think you have everything, you have to search for meaning in other things. I spent half my life wanting everything and having nothing; and now I have everything and I don't want anything”. Vik Muniz

Walking through the PINTA Art Fair was similar to drifting in between South America, Spain and Portugal. 

Implications of certain series of events occuring in these countries, were concealed in the displayed artworks.

Extraordinary artists illustrated all angles of their countries of origin, culture and social struggles that affect the population.

Brazilian photographers displayed particular pictures, documenting the less fortunate and disadvantaged  communities that are on the increase , with Spanish being spoken by the majority of attendees.

The ambience was gorged with energy and the entire  art on display seemed to echo this strong message:  “This is only the beginning and this is our time…. NOW! ”.

Isle Of Wight Photographic Society's 'Portrait Of The Year' Competition 3rd April 2013

“There is no real warfare between the artist & the documentary photographer,  
He has to be both”

With this phrase Dorothea Lange expresses all her fever and dedication to the art of photography.

This delightful artwork attached that we are viewing at the moment is made by Michael J Duke, a photographer and enthusiast of Lahd Gallery’s openings.

The ability of a photographer is to capture a particular emotion in a brief moment, this image , taken at Lahd Gallery’s vernissage “Suhair Sibai: Sweet Melancholy” on January the 10^th , is a demonstration of this unique flair.

The Isle of Wight Photographic Society is an association that encourages members to be more creative. Like all clubs, the WPS has a number of regular season competitions and towards the end of the season have various categories for whichever theme.

This year , J Duke decided to enter the image in the Isle Of Wight Photographic Society's 'Portrait Of The Year' Competition. The WPS is a non-profit making organisation whose aim is to help photographers in improving their talents .

Established in 1945, the Society is the oldest photographic club on the Island and is a well respected member of the Southern Region Photographic Federation. Members over the years have won awards in the Southern Region Finals and acceptances in National and International Exhibitions. 

The majority of images are more classical in their interpretation of portrait, and the quality of the WPS images is exceptional and far from cliché.

When the final results came through, this image gained THIRD PRIZE in the category! Well done Michael and Mystery girl with hat!