Nadine Kanso: At the end of the day I'm an artist

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Nadine Kanso: At the end of the day Im an artist
Artist and designer Nadine Kanso in her office at D3.

Dubai - Artist and jewellery designer Nadine KaNso talks identity, being a Cultural Entrepreneur and her made in Dubai brand.

By Maán Jalal

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Published: Sat 20 Aug 2016, 12:36 PM

Last updated: Mon 22 Aug 2016, 7:21 PM

Nadine Kanso is one person you can't forget after you meet her. Known mostly for her photography and jewellery brand Bil Arabi she is a multi-disciplinary artist who is selling more than rings, earrings, bracelets and pendants. Her pieces are statements. From the elegant and recognisable ancient lines, that in their shape alone tell a story, Arabic calligraphy is made in gold and silver. They adorn your hands and remind us that the letter, the word, has more than the meaning that you hear, but one that you see and feel.

Walking into her office in D3, Nadine's visual voice is everywhere. Old records are designed to form Arabic letters on the wall, her photography work is varied, from shots of Beirut on the shore, to juxtaposed images of graffiti and people at parties, to intimate black and white images of ambiguous shapes. Glass display boxes line the wall showing the intricate yet simple pieces of her jewellery. Old typewriters, stacked neatly on suitcases, a bright orange chair in front of the floor to ceiling windows, a large painting by Algerian painter Driss Ouadahi takes over another wall - the importance of details is evident where Nadine works and how she works.

"I think the word contrast is a good word," she says while adjusting her collar when asked how she would describe her aesthetic, "I can be so, liberal and yet I have so many strong ideologies."

Dressed in baby blue, with a navy blazer covering her shoulders, Nadine is the rare combination of thoughtful, humble, proud and believe it or not, relatable in how she explains her work and ideas. Essential to any designer, who wants to create work that resonates with the world, is knowing yourself. And Nadine definitely knows who she is.

Our local design and fashion industry is still growing, finding its own feet, understanding it's own identity. It's a breeding ground for designers, third culture kids or those who've lived in the Middle East and couldn't escape the influences of the West whether negative or positive. In the wake of creating an industry, we are bound to get lost on the way. Nadine, we can positively say, has been leading the pack when it come to her work, vision and aesthetic. Bil Arabi turns ten this September and that is definitely something to celebrate.

Throughout her journey, Nadine has created a brand that is unique, aesthetically pleasing, a voice illustrating the present mind frame and the metamorphoses of a culture. Here's what we talked about.

Designer DNA
At the end of the day I'm an artist. I was given the name of Cultural Entrepreneur, which is something I liked. Because when I started Bil Arabi, even in my photography it was always about social-political issues and identity, which is now something everybody is working on and taking advantage of.
I'm a multi-disciplinary artist . . . At the end of the day I'm one person. They (the works) are separate but when you look at both and you understand the process I go through or the inspiration that I have, you will always find the same person. There is a certain DNA that you always find in the work and you will say, 'Ah, this is Nadine.'
Identity
I come from a very political family, which is not something I usually talk about . . . but you have influences. We were very much into the Arab nationality and Arab identity and all of that. This is very dear to me. So when I do something in jewellery for Bil Arabi, I never thought it would become commercial. It's really from a statement and an ideology and from a point of view. I felt that after 9/11 our identity and the culture is going down the drain. When you have a friend of yours who doesn't want to name his son an Arabic name in the States because it has an Arab connotation, it's like, OK where are we going? What's happening to us? No, this shouldn't be happening. It has nothing to do with politics. It has to do with identity, ideology whatever you want to call it. It's a DNA, it's who I am, who we should be. We should be proud of that and not run away from it.

The Process
It is very organic. When it comes to jewellery, it is always the letters, the form, what is slightly trendy, how can I work this more into something that can translate into a product? Something that is a piece of jewelry that is easy to wear and is still nice but still has that design/artistic side to it and is not totally commercial? It's organic.
Creative versus Commercial
I see something, I think of something, I'm sort of like, I will do this and see how it is. I don't think of marketing or the business aspect but I've learned with time that when I do big pieces which are not very easy to sell then I have to counter balance it for the business purpose in order for me to survive and to be able to afford an office and.... Definitely you need a balance and you need to be smart about it and you always have to have your DNA and what feels right for your brand. You have to . you can't, all of a sudden, when you see yourself struggling, go totally commercial.

Dubai Hub
I'm a big advocate and have a very soft spot for Dubai. I've been living here for 16 years, and I've seen the evolution. My brand is going to be ten years old in September. When you have an ambition, if you have a vision, being in Dubai is a place where you can come with something new and people will welcome you.
My brand grew with this city, not in parallel to it. We are very proud to be Arabs in a city that is focused on things as simple as being happy. If you have something you want to do, you do it. You lead the way and make other people look. You show them what we can actually do.

Dubai Made
Everything is made in the UAE. I know that more and more designers especially when it comes to jewelry are going into producing here. Ten years back you'd find people doing things in Beirut, in Turkey, in Hong Kong or in Italy but I've always worked here. I worked in Beirut for a while but it was a bit of a headache. The guys who work for me here are amazing. It's not my own workshop but they are very good, they are very reliable and do very good work. So yes, of course I'm made in Dubai."

Striking a Balance
Yes, it's definitely difficult to balance. My husband is very supportive of what I do, he also travels a lot. We have a certain balance in our spaces. I started work when the kids were relatively young 6 or 7 so they were at an age where they weren't depending on me completely. I have to say, I was lucky my boys are really cool they are still cool (laughs).

Social Media
Unfortunately it (social media) is important. I'm not a big fan of that but obviously I do it. I'm not on Snapchat although I think maybe I should. I try and keep things balanced in everything I do, in my work, in my friendships, in my family life, you can't go to extremes and it's not a waste of time but how can I do everything and be creative? The thing is people are interested in people's lives, I don't want people to be interested in my life.

Advice to Young Creatives
Be original, think outside of the box and have your own DNA. Absolutely have your own DNA. You can't copy someone and think it's inspiration.

Favorite Local Brands
Obviously I like Khalid Shafar's work, he's a product designer. I love the way he thinks and the way he's built his brand. When it comes to clothing Essa, Khulood Bint Thani, Zayan the Label.
Style Motto
I wouldn't say that I have a style motto but I usually like to mix and match and try to be different. I might have things that everybody has but I will not necessarily wear them the way they wear them. It's about style, not what brands you wear, even if they are brands. You have people wearing brands from top to bottom. Even I wear brands from top to bottom, but it's the way you mix them, it's the way you show your personality in them. You need to show character.


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