• Home

Brush with an Industrial landscape

What’s remarkable is that this industrial district is easily home to about a dozen (and counting) art galleries, whose exteriors aren’t quite artistic, but hold out the promise of a brave new cultural world beyond their doors.

Hisham Samawi, co-owner of Ayyam Gallery in Al Quoz, writes off the cons of being in an industrial area by focusing on the positives it offers instead.

“Where else in Dubai can you find 800 square metres to open a gallery at a price you can survive in the business?” he asks, gesturing around him. “Sure, it may be a little hard to locate and we face problems with electricity and transport but it gives the area some character as well.”

The emergence of Al Quoz as an art destination has been in step with Dubai’s waking up to all things artistic.

Samia Saleh, owner of the Courtyard Gallery, hosted her first art show here in 1998. “Back then, people couldn’t understand how anybody could spend a million bucks on a Renoir painting.

But they’re more art-savvy and interested in buying art now,” she says. “Art is no longer just a piece of decoration but more a matter of taste and investment.” Government bodies and banks are getting involved; what’s more, students in local universities are majoring in art - with their families’ blessings.

Samawi reckons Dubai has been an art hub for some years now in two key areas: Dubai International Financial Centre (which he likens to New York City’s Madison Avenue) and Al Quoz, which “although is a little more hidden, has its own flavour of art.” “One of the most beautiful things about Al Quoz is how it’s managed to grow organically,” he adds.

It’sclearfromeachgallery’sefforts to represent their artists that the relationship between artist and gallery depends heavily on mutual understanding. Take 4 Walls art gallery, for instance. By policy, as far as talent hunts go, the gallery is open to anyone who they feel is brimming over with untapped potential.

Owner Sawsan A Qadan elaborates, “We have a board of consultants who help choose the artists on our roster but we don’t have restrictions, per se.

We’re open to anybody whose artwork we feel deserves representation.” For Sawsan, the primary intention was for the gallery to double up as a cultural meeting place for art lovers and artists - evident in the very ambience of the place.

Anemphasisondialogueiswhatcomprises the big picture at The Third Line gallery. Tarane Ali Khan, who handles the gallery’s PR, comments on the alternative programming they host: “To boost appreciation for Middle Eastern arts, among other things, a documentary film series and an Arab feature film series are aired at least twice yearly.”

Galleries in Al Quoz are trying their best to transform the area into the perfect artistic neighbourhood. Workshops are organised routinely and book clubs meet and brainstorm at least once every month. Clearly, the idea is to creatively energise more and more people to get into the ‘artistic block’.

karen@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE