labas
contemporary middle eastern art
table of contents
2 labas Vol. 2
introduction
4
assilah walls
6
an epic remix
10
moroccan motorcyle mashup
12
walls of freedom
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3
contemporary art of the middle east 4 labas Vol. 2
1
The modern and contemporary Middle Eastern art market has experienced significant growth since the category began gaining recognition among collectors regionally and globally over the past decade. Twentieth century Arab and Iranian Art has witnessed an extraordinary development that is in keeping with the rich artistic legacy of the region and is reflected in the world’s longstanding fascination and interest in Middle Eastern art and culture.
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6 labas Vol. 2
assilah walls Like most towns in Morocco, Asilah has a walled medina. But in Asilah, the walls are painted with colorful, elaborate murals. For the last thirty two years, the Asilah Arts Festival has rehabilitated and promoted the city of Asilah by fostering artists from around the world. Asilah is a resort town on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, only fifty kilometers from Tangier. For the first two weeks in August, the town explodes with culture while it hosts the Arts Festival. Artists use the festival as a way to exhibit their work for the public and exchange ideas with other creative individuals. Every year a group of painters collaborate and design a wall mural at the Medina. Visitors are invited to watch the work as it progresses. 7
assilah walls, cont.
Beyond paintings, the Asilah Arts Festival works to encourage cultural dialogue, exchange ideas and promote peace. Guests and speakers include politicians, journalists and writers who exchange ideas and inspire one another to create a global cultural landscape. The musical art world is also on display through musicians and dancers. Hands-on workshops are set-up and artists can draw attention to international problems they face in their regions 8 labas Vol. 2
while working with other artists to find sustainable solutions. In the past, the festival has focused on renewable energy and the creation of zero-carbon cities. Each year a different guest country represents its culture and art. The selected country represents its artists and region by showcasing art, screening films and sharing heritage, crafts and publishing programs. The Asilah Arts Festival is one of the most important art festivals in Morocco, and reaches many corners of the globe. 9
an epic remix
Khorasan, 1010 A.D. After one of the darkest and most pitiful periods Iran had ever seen – the lamented ‘two centuries of silence’ brought by the Arab invaders in the seventh century following the demise of the Sassanian Empire – the Persian poet Ferdowsi forever changed the course of Iranian literature, history, 10 labas Vol. 2
and identity. Along with the quelling of the monotheistic Iranian Zoroastrian faith and the persecution of its adherents, the Arab invaders, sparked by an imperialistic zeal and religious fervour, also strove to impose the Arabic language on the subdued Iranian populace.
“in the land of the noble, it seemed the sun had forever set” For a while, it seemed all hope was lost; gone were the standard of Cyrus the Great and the Kaviani flag, and in their stead, the austere black banner of the Abbasids; gone, from the courts of Ctesiphon and Balkh the ornate Persian panegyrics and the sound of the harp, and banished from the Magian temples the flame of Ahura Mazda. Indeed, in the land of the noble, it seemed the sun had forever set. According to legend, in the mid-10th century, a king from the Samanid dynasty in
Khorasan had grown weary of hearing the Arabic language in his court, and longed once more for the sound of his flowery native tongue. Shortly afterwards, the Samanids soon emerged and instigated what is often referred to as a ‘revival’ of Persian culture. the visual ‘DJ’ behind the book about the project and the influence of the Shahnameh throughout the ages. 11
12 labas Vol. 2
moroccan motorcycle mashup
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motorcycle mashup, cont.
In the 1990s, Hassan Hajjaj assisted on a magazine photo shoot in Marrakesh when he had a realization: All the models, the photographer and even the clothes were from another country. Morocco, the country he grew up in, was simply the backdrop.
“From then I said it’d be great to present my people in their environment in their kind of way of dressing and play with it in that fashion way.” So Hajjaj began photographing his friends — savvy, smart women who live and work in his neighborhood in Marrakesh — for his playfully titled photo series “Kesh Angels.” 14 labas Vol. 2
He photographs them dressed in veils and traditional robes, called djellabahs, poised atop motorcycles and smiling behind stylish sunglasses. He says he combines the influences around him, including hiphop, motorcycle culture — and the friendly, familiar feel of brands like Fanta and Nike — to introduce viewers to the less-familiar sight of Marrakesh bike culture. According to Hajjaj, motorcycles are just another part of life in Marrakesh. Everyone uses them to get around, including the women he photographs.
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walls of freedom
white masks
While other young protesters hurled street artists picked up paintbrushes summer of 2011, people had started to of Egypt being under an ‘art attack’.
16 labas Vol. 2
bricks, Egypt’s fledgling and spray cans. “By the talk about the walls People in Egypt love
street art, there is an old heritage of expressing yourself in images here, so they are no strangers to it. It has become an integrated part of the continuous struggle for freedom. The graffiti reminds people that the revolution isn’t over yet.�
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labas, may 2014