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International - December
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December 2010
HEAVENLY CREATURES
A group
exhibition curated by ARTNESIA
The Aubin Gallery
4th Nov - 24th Dec 2010
A group
exhibition curated by ARTNESIA
The Aubin Gallery
4th Nov - 24th Dec 2010
LONDON. Heavenly Creatures, a group exhibition curated by ARTNESIA opened at The Aubin Gallery on 4th of November till
24th of December featuring works by fourteen artists from across
the globe.
Since 16,000 BC with the depictions in the caves of Lascaux (France), animals have featured in the realm of visual arts in everything ranging from mere decoration to symbols and allegories. Heavenly Creatures aims to showcase how, in the past decades, artists have tackled the representation of animals not only on a purely visual level but also on a more theoretical one.
Among the several themes that run throughout this exhibition are a questioning of the wild/tame dichotomy and a confused duality between human/animal. This latter issue is present in two extraordinary paintings by George Lilanga (Tanzania, 1934- 2005), whose vibrant use of color and rhythmic movement, which represents Mapico dance, is
enhanced by the simple expressionistic forms and tribal references that present the culture and mythology of his people. Lilanga’s imaginary world is inhabited by characters who have fingers coming from their heads, three toes on their feet or elongated ears.
The wild/tame dichotomy can be seen in an early painting from 2002 by the renowned Chinese artist Liu Ye (Chinese, 1964): “Girl with Piggy”. As he describes it: “In the painting, I see a surprised young girl who is also a young woman - her breast provocatively revealed, her shirt undone; but she is nestling a pig against her breast, nurturing or maternal, as a child may cuddle an animal. I think it is erotic but nurturing, innocent but knowing all at the same time”.
A less visually obvious reference to animals is a new sculpture by Italian artist Gianpietro Carlesso
(Italy, 1961). He has conducted extensive research on animal placentas and the way snake eggs
are cracked by newborn and his results are presented in a visually striking piece called
Transgenesi hand carved from a single alabaster stone.
Heavenly creatures will feature works by: Appau Junior Boakye-Yiadom, Alighiero Boetti,
Bhutanese Textile Project, Luigi Carboni, Gianpietro Carlesso, Michele Giangrande, Damien Hirst,
George Lilanga, Liu Ye, NERO (Alessandro Neretti), Pino Pascali, Pablo Picasso, Erinc Seymen
and Giuseppe Teofilo.
24th of December featuring works by fourteen artists from across
the globe.
Since 16,000 BC with the depictions in the caves of Lascaux (France), animals have featured in the realm of visual arts in everything ranging from mere decoration to symbols and allegories. Heavenly Creatures aims to showcase how, in the past decades, artists have tackled the representation of animals not only on a purely visual level but also on a more theoretical one.
Among the several themes that run throughout this exhibition are a questioning of the wild/tame dichotomy and a confused duality between human/animal. This latter issue is present in two extraordinary paintings by George Lilanga (Tanzania, 1934- 2005), whose vibrant use of color and rhythmic movement, which represents Mapico dance, is
enhanced by the simple expressionistic forms and tribal references that present the culture and mythology of his people. Lilanga’s imaginary world is inhabited by characters who have fingers coming from their heads, three toes on their feet or elongated ears.
The wild/tame dichotomy can be seen in an early painting from 2002 by the renowned Chinese artist Liu Ye (Chinese, 1964): “Girl with Piggy”. As he describes it: “In the painting, I see a surprised young girl who is also a young woman - her breast provocatively revealed, her shirt undone; but she is nestling a pig against her breast, nurturing or maternal, as a child may cuddle an animal. I think it is erotic but nurturing, innocent but knowing all at the same time”.
A less visually obvious reference to animals is a new sculpture by Italian artist Gianpietro Carlesso
(Italy, 1961). He has conducted extensive research on animal placentas and the way snake eggs
are cracked by newborn and his results are presented in a visually striking piece called
Transgenesi hand carved from a single alabaster stone.
Heavenly creatures will feature works by: Appau Junior Boakye-Yiadom, Alighiero Boetti,
Bhutanese Textile Project, Luigi Carboni, Gianpietro Carlesso, Michele Giangrande, Damien Hirst,
George Lilanga, Liu Ye, NERO (Alessandro Neretti), Pino Pascali, Pablo Picasso, Erinc Seymen
and Giuseppe Teofilo.
About ARTNESIA
ARTNESIA is an arts projects initiative set up in August 2010 by Jason Lee and Carlo Berardi.
Heavenly Creatures represents the first public appearance of ARTNESIA, whose main activities will be curatorial projects around the globe, artists residencies and representations as well as book
publishing. One of ARTNESIA’s forthcoming most exciting projects is Confession of Dangerous Minds, an exhibition of Contemporary Art from Turkey at the Saatchi Gallery in February 2011 in association with Phillips De Pury and Company. For further information, please e-mail
info@artnesia.com.
About Aubin Gallery
The Aubin Gallery, under the creative directorship of artist Stuart Semple, and patronage of
Aubin and Wills, focuses on nurturing the careers of new British talent through an
innovative interdisciplinary exhibition program. Alex Bunn, Sarah Maple, Ian Monroe, The
Girls, Piers Secunda, Tom Ormond and Gordon Cheung amongst others have all been
shown.
ARTNESIA is an arts projects initiative set up in August 2010 by Jason Lee and Carlo Berardi.
Heavenly Creatures represents the first public appearance of ARTNESIA, whose main activities will be curatorial projects around the globe, artists residencies and representations as well as book
publishing. One of ARTNESIA’s forthcoming most exciting projects is Confession of Dangerous Minds, an exhibition of Contemporary Art from Turkey at the Saatchi Gallery in February 2011 in association with Phillips De Pury and Company. For further information, please e-mail
info@artnesia.com.
About Aubin Gallery
The Aubin Gallery, under the creative directorship of artist Stuart Semple, and patronage of
Aubin and Wills, focuses on nurturing the careers of new British talent through an
innovative interdisciplinary exhibition program. Alex Bunn, Sarah Maple, Ian Monroe, The
Girls, Piers Secunda, Tom Ormond and Gordon Cheung amongst others have all been
shown.
Girl and Piggy, 2002
Liu Ye - oil on canvas
The skies of life or over the raindrops, 2010
Nero (Italian, 1980)
Glazed earthenware, 32 x 20 x 42 cm. Edition of five
Coeli enarrant, 2010
Damien Hirst (British, 1965)
Silkscreen print with glaze, 74 x 71.5 cm
Edition of twenty-five plus ten artist proofs
GHASSAN GHAIB
Ghassan Ghaib (b. Baghdad, 1964) received his Diploma in Fine Arts from the Fine Arts Institute, Bagdad, in 1986 and a BA in Fine Arts from the Academy of Fine Arts, Baghdad, in 1997. His solo exhibitions include Orfali Gallery, Amman, 2001, and Dar Alanda Gallery, Amman, 2005. He has participated in numerous group exhibitions including Environment and Surroundings in Iraqi Art, Jordanian National Museum, Amman, 1997; Before. After. Now., Deluxe Gallery, London, 2003; Homage to Shakir Hassan Al Said and Ismail Fattah, Athar Gallery, Baghdad, 2005; Iraqi Art, East and West Foundation, Amsterdam, 2005; Word into Art, British Museum, London, 2006; and My Home Land, Art Sawa, Dubai.
Ghaib’s awards include the Sixth Al Wasiti Award, 1987; Third Place, Contemporary Iraqi Art Festival, Baghdad, 1996; and Creativity Award, Baghdad, 2000. His work is held in the collections of the Arab Museum of Modern Arab Art, Doha; Art Center for Fine Arts, Baghdad; British Museum, London; and Jordanian National Museum, Amman. His recent work explores ideas regarding migration and nature, as well as the devastation of his homeland.
KAREEM RISAN
Kareem Risan (b. Baghdad, 1960) received his BA from the Fine Arts College, Department of Painting, Baghdad, in 1988. His solo exhibitions include National Museum, Baghdad, 1992; Dar Al Mashriq Gallery, Amman, 1997; Al Riwaq Gallery, Bahrain, 2005; and Gallery Hittite, Toronto. International group exhibitions include Between the Tigris and Euphrates, Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris, 1988; Chair Exhibition: Arabic Contemporary Artists, Darat Al Funun, Amman, 1994; Contemporary Iraqi Art, Museum of Art, Tunis and Museum of Modern Art, Caracas, 2000; Contemporary Iraqi Art, China International Museum, Beijing, 2001; The Broken Letter: Arab Contemporary Artists, Kunst Gallery, Darmstadt, 2003; Contemporary Iraqi Book Art, University of North Texas Gallery, Texas, 2005; Word into Art, British Museum, London, 2006; Modernism and Iraq, Wallach Art Gallery, Columbia University, New York, 2009; Iraqi Artists in Exile, Station Museum, Houston, Texas, 2009; Beyond the War, LTMH Gallery, New York, 2010; and My Home Land, Art Sawa Gallery, Dubai, 2010.
Risan’s work is held in the collections of the Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha; Darat Al Funun, Amman; Kinda Foundation, Saudi Arabia; British Museum, London; Tauch@Art, London; and Athar Gallery, Baghdad. Risan’s work draws references from wall painting and society’s relationship with nature; he also communicates ideas related to the destruction and devastation of Iraq through his art work.
NAZAR YAHYA
Nazar Yahya (b. Baghdad, 1963) received his BA in Painting from the Academy of Fine Arts, Baghdad University in 1987. He has held solo exhibitions at Riwaq Gallery, Baghdad, 1994; French Cultural Centre, Doha, 2000 and 2002; Orfali Gallery, Amman, 2004; Karmin Gallery, Amman, 2007; and Sultan Gallery, Kuwait, 2008. Group exhibitions include Environment and Surrounding in Iraqi Art, Jordanian National Museum, Amman, 1997; Three Iraqi Artists, Agial Gallery, Beirut, 1999; Asian Art Biennale, Dhaka, 2002; Contemporary Iraqi Book Art, University of North Texas, Houston, Texas, 2005; Word into Art, British Museum, London, 2006; Chair and Painting, Albareh Gallery, Manama, 2010; and My Home Land, Art Sawa Gallery, Dubai, 2010.
Yahya’s awards include three artistic awards he received for Homage to Jawad Salim in 1997 and First Prize for Painting, Emaar, Dubai, 2004. His recent work is based on the Tigris River, a subject which has been a source of inspiration for many Iraqi artists and poets.
Ghassan Ghaib (b. Baghdad, 1964) received his Diploma in Fine Arts from the Fine Arts Institute, Bagdad, in 1986 and a BA in Fine Arts from the Academy of Fine Arts, Baghdad, in 1997. His solo exhibitions include Orfali Gallery, Amman, 2001, and Dar Alanda Gallery, Amman, 2005. He has participated in numerous group exhibitions including Environment and Surroundings in Iraqi Art, Jordanian National Museum, Amman, 1997; Before. After. Now., Deluxe Gallery, London, 2003; Homage to Shakir Hassan Al Said and Ismail Fattah, Athar Gallery, Baghdad, 2005; Iraqi Art, East and West Foundation, Amsterdam, 2005; Word into Art, British Museum, London, 2006; and My Home Land, Art Sawa, Dubai.
Ghaib’s awards include the Sixth Al Wasiti Award, 1987; Third Place, Contemporary Iraqi Art Festival, Baghdad, 1996; and Creativity Award, Baghdad, 2000. His work is held in the collections of the Arab Museum of Modern Arab Art, Doha; Art Center for Fine Arts, Baghdad; British Museum, London; and Jordanian National Museum, Amman. His recent work explores ideas regarding migration and nature, as well as the devastation of his homeland.
KAREEM RISAN
Kareem Risan (b. Baghdad, 1960) received his BA from the Fine Arts College, Department of Painting, Baghdad, in 1988. His solo exhibitions include National Museum, Baghdad, 1992; Dar Al Mashriq Gallery, Amman, 1997; Al Riwaq Gallery, Bahrain, 2005; and Gallery Hittite, Toronto. International group exhibitions include Between the Tigris and Euphrates, Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris, 1988; Chair Exhibition: Arabic Contemporary Artists, Darat Al Funun, Amman, 1994; Contemporary Iraqi Art, Museum of Art, Tunis and Museum of Modern Art, Caracas, 2000; Contemporary Iraqi Art, China International Museum, Beijing, 2001; The Broken Letter: Arab Contemporary Artists, Kunst Gallery, Darmstadt, 2003; Contemporary Iraqi Book Art, University of North Texas Gallery, Texas, 2005; Word into Art, British Museum, London, 2006; Modernism and Iraq, Wallach Art Gallery, Columbia University, New York, 2009; Iraqi Artists in Exile, Station Museum, Houston, Texas, 2009; Beyond the War, LTMH Gallery, New York, 2010; and My Home Land, Art Sawa Gallery, Dubai, 2010.
Risan’s work is held in the collections of the Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha; Darat Al Funun, Amman; Kinda Foundation, Saudi Arabia; British Museum, London; Tauch@Art, London; and Athar Gallery, Baghdad. Risan’s work draws references from wall painting and society’s relationship with nature; he also communicates ideas related to the destruction and devastation of Iraq through his art work.
NAZAR YAHYA
Nazar Yahya (b. Baghdad, 1963) received his BA in Painting from the Academy of Fine Arts, Baghdad University in 1987. He has held solo exhibitions at Riwaq Gallery, Baghdad, 1994; French Cultural Centre, Doha, 2000 and 2002; Orfali Gallery, Amman, 2004; Karmin Gallery, Amman, 2007; and Sultan Gallery, Kuwait, 2008. Group exhibitions include Environment and Surrounding in Iraqi Art, Jordanian National Museum, Amman, 1997; Three Iraqi Artists, Agial Gallery, Beirut, 1999; Asian Art Biennale, Dhaka, 2002; Contemporary Iraqi Book Art, University of North Texas, Houston, Texas, 2005; Word into Art, British Museum, London, 2006; Chair and Painting, Albareh Gallery, Manama, 2010; and My Home Land, Art Sawa Gallery, Dubai, 2010.
Yahya’s awards include three artistic awards he received for Homage to Jawad Salim in 1997 and First Prize for Painting, Emaar, Dubai, 2004. His recent work is based on the Tigris River, a subject which has been a source of inspiration for many Iraqi artists and poets.
GHASSAN GHAIB, KAREEM RISAN AND NAZAR YAHYA
MEEM GALLERY
Dubai
15 November - 12 December
DUBAI. Meem Gallery is pleased to present the second part of four exhibitions displaying contemporary Iraqi art this November. Curated by Dia Al-Azzawi, Art in Iraq Today: Part II. Works on exhibit are by Ghassan Ghaib, Kareem Risan and Nazar Yahya. The exhibition, and its supporting catalogue, is dedicated to the memory of Jabra Ibrahim Jabra and his seminal essays on modern Iraqi art, titled ‘Art in Iraq Today.’
Part III (Feb - Mar 2011) will exhibit the work of Himat Ali, Amar Dawod and Delair Shaker; and Part IV (Mar - Apr 2011), modern masters Dia Al-Azzawi, Rafa Al-Nasiri and Ali Talib. Part I, held in October, exhibited the recent work of Modhir Ahmed, Nedim Kufi and Hanaa Malallah.
Part III (Feb - Mar 2011) will exhibit the work of Himat Ali, Amar Dawod and Delair Shaker; and Part IV (Mar - Apr 2011), modern masters Dia Al-Azzawi, Rafa Al-Nasiri and Ali Talib. Part I, held in October, exhibited the recent work of Modhir Ahmed, Nedim Kufi and Hanaa Malallah.
About Meem Gallery
Since its launch in 2007, Meem Gallery has established itself as a leading specialist in the Arab art world. The gallery's aim is to promote the work of modern and contemporary Middle Eastern artists, and inspire viewers to engage with, and gain a deeper appreciation for, the art of this region. Meem's strength lies in its unparalleled access to both private and public collections of the world's leading artists. In its first year, the gallery distinguished itself by gaining exclusive representation rights in Dubai for the work of Ali Omar Ermes and Nja Mahdaoui, bringing their art to the Emirates for the first time. Other prominent artists exhibited at Meem include Dia Al-Azzawi, pioneer of modern Arab art; eminent sculptor, Parviz Tanavoli; internationally acclaimed filmmaker and photographer Abbas Kiarostami; leading Turkish artist Ismail Acar; respected Gulf artist Abdullah Al-Muharraqi; and the rising star of the contemporary Arab art world, Hamza Bounoua.
Since its launch in 2007, Meem Gallery has established itself as a leading specialist in the Arab art world. The gallery's aim is to promote the work of modern and contemporary Middle Eastern artists, and inspire viewers to engage with, and gain a deeper appreciation for, the art of this region. Meem's strength lies in its unparalleled access to both private and public collections of the world's leading artists. In its first year, the gallery distinguished itself by gaining exclusive representation rights in Dubai for the work of Ali Omar Ermes and Nja Mahdaoui, bringing their art to the Emirates for the first time. Other prominent artists exhibited at Meem include Dia Al-Azzawi, pioneer of modern Arab art; eminent sculptor, Parviz Tanavoli; internationally acclaimed filmmaker and photographer Abbas Kiarostami; leading Turkish artist Ismail Acar; respected Gulf artist Abdullah Al-Muharraqi; and the rising star of the contemporary Arab art world, Hamza Bounoua.
GHASSAN GHAIB
http://www.4ghassan.com/
http://www.4ghassan.com/
KAREEM RISAN
http://kareemrisan.com/
http://kareemrisan.com/
NAZAR YAHYA
http://nazaryahya.com/
http://nazaryahya.com/
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