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January 2012
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"Bahrain has motivated me to create challenging and thought provoking projects, some of which have won international awards"
artBahrain visits the studio of international award winning artist
Camille Zakharia
"Bahrain has motivated me to create challenging and thought provoking projects, some of which have won international awards"
Camille Zakharia is a Canadian-Lebanese artist currently living and working in Bahrain. His desire to
record and preserve transient things in pictures makes photography his vital tool. He creates art that
actively exists in cultural, political and social power structures through photo collages, photo
montages and straight forward photography.
His practice encompasses both site-specific works, including "A Coastal Promenade" of the "Reclaim"
project that won Bahrain the prestigious Golden Lion Award at the Venice Biennale for Architecture in
2010, alongside long-term projects such as "Belonging", a series of 40 artworks featuring expatriates
residing in Bahrain focusing on time and memory.
This interview with artbahrain took place during the early stages of his "Belonging" project and is
expected to complete by autumn 2012.
The project that you are developing is called "Belonging" - could you describe what this is?
"Belonging" started some 20 months ago when I photographed 34 residents of Bahrain, mostly expatriates, and asked each one of them to define the word Belonging. It took me over a year to decide on the format and presentation. Last June I did the first collage of the British writer Julia Stuart, who struck me with her short and yet poignant statement "Belonging has more to do with the people than the place"... truly effective. Julia left Bahrain 2 weeks after I took her portrait. Her husband was transferred to Egypt. Since my documentation of the participants, almost half of them are not around anymore. This reflects on the transient state we are all in. We often talk about the displaced Arabs. This project sheds light on people from different walks of life, rather from a single place, who are gathered at some point under the sky of Bahrain. It reflects on the suspended state most of us live in at this age of globalization.
The participants come from all corners of the world, America, UK, France, Canada, Turkey, Italy, Jamaica, Saudi Arabia, Tunis, Bahrain, Lebanon, Iraq, Nigeria .... The differences in statements on the same subject form a rich gathering of opinions that complement each other. The background of the people are photographs of mural paintings I photographed all around Bahrain over the years. I wanted to use a common backdrop to all the participants since all of them are expressing their different opinions in one island at a specific moment. This is probably the only link among them, murals painted by ordinary Bahrainis who have no formal training in art, and yet have the sensitivity to create some very interesting works, some of which you would expect to see at high end cultural centers.
The collages are divided into half, the upper part is about the portrait and details of murals, while the bottom part are the statements expressed by the owners, with some playful gestures on top to add yet another layer to the collage work. To date I have finished 12 collages. Due to the complex nature of the application of the collage, it takes approximately 10 days to finish each work. The finished project may extend slightly more than 34 works since few friends expressed their wishes after they saw the first collages to be part in the project. It will finish probably in the Fall of 2012. It is an expensive project to execute, but rewarding when you see the finished results.
Last February I was contacted by an art institution based in London called The Island, and they invited me to prepare an audio piece for a broadcasting program for Art Dubai 2011. I thought why not start working on the Belonging project, and I came up with the following piece of recording, heavily edited from the original statements as I was limited to 5 minutes only. It includes the opinions of 12 participants- http://theislandarts.org/projects/menasa-studio-dispatches/camille-zakharia/ The link gives a fair projection onto the variety of opinions expressed. I envisage the finished product to be pretty stimulating visually, with a good concept on a subject often addressed to the displaced Arabs.
"Belonging" started some 20 months ago when I photographed 34 residents of Bahrain, mostly expatriates, and asked each one of them to define the word Belonging. It took me over a year to decide on the format and presentation. Last June I did the first collage of the British writer Julia Stuart, who struck me with her short and yet poignant statement "Belonging has more to do with the people than the place"... truly effective. Julia left Bahrain 2 weeks after I took her portrait. Her husband was transferred to Egypt. Since my documentation of the participants, almost half of them are not around anymore. This reflects on the transient state we are all in. We often talk about the displaced Arabs. This project sheds light on people from different walks of life, rather from a single place, who are gathered at some point under the sky of Bahrain. It reflects on the suspended state most of us live in at this age of globalization.
The participants come from all corners of the world, America, UK, France, Canada, Turkey, Italy, Jamaica, Saudi Arabia, Tunis, Bahrain, Lebanon, Iraq, Nigeria .... The differences in statements on the same subject form a rich gathering of opinions that complement each other. The background of the people are photographs of mural paintings I photographed all around Bahrain over the years. I wanted to use a common backdrop to all the participants since all of them are expressing their different opinions in one island at a specific moment. This is probably the only link among them, murals painted by ordinary Bahrainis who have no formal training in art, and yet have the sensitivity to create some very interesting works, some of which you would expect to see at high end cultural centers.
The collages are divided into half, the upper part is about the portrait and details of murals, while the bottom part are the statements expressed by the owners, with some playful gestures on top to add yet another layer to the collage work. To date I have finished 12 collages. Due to the complex nature of the application of the collage, it takes approximately 10 days to finish each work. The finished project may extend slightly more than 34 works since few friends expressed their wishes after they saw the first collages to be part in the project. It will finish probably in the Fall of 2012. It is an expensive project to execute, but rewarding when you see the finished results.
Last February I was contacted by an art institution based in London called The Island, and they invited me to prepare an audio piece for a broadcasting program for Art Dubai 2011. I thought why not start working on the Belonging project, and I came up with the following piece of recording, heavily edited from the original statements as I was limited to 5 minutes only. It includes the opinions of 12 participants- http://theislandarts.org/projects/menasa-studio-dispatches/camille-zakharia/ The link gives a fair projection onto the variety of opinions expressed. I envisage the finished product to be pretty stimulating visually, with a good concept on a subject often addressed to the displaced Arabs.
You're currently living in Bahrain, what inspired your move to here?
In 1991, I was living in Greece working for an international consultant. I was asked if I would be interested in relocating to Bahrain for
couple of years. I was young and always looking for adventure. I knew very little about the Gulf and I accepted to move to Bahrain. The
moment I got here, I knew that I will have an extended stay. I associated immediately and firmly with the place - its people, landscape,
architecture, way of life... I spontaneously felt at home...
Has living and working in Bahrain challenged or influenced the way you create art?
Absolutely. Bahrain has been my muse in many ways. The urban landscape has transformed dramatically in the last 2 decades,
perhaps at a fast pace that the island had never witnessed in its history. As a photographer interested in preserving these moments
of change that shape who we are, Bahrain has motivated me to create challenging and thought provoking projects, some of which
have won international awards. Bahrain remains the main subject of many suites I have created in the last 15 years, including
"Assembling Places", "Stories from the Alley", "Improving Lives", "Double Vue", "A Coastal Promenade", "Al Bar", "Commemorating
Ashoura" and ongoing "Belonging" project. The place has inspired me in different ways and for that I am grateful.
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Stories from the Alley
How and when did the idea for this project come about?
One main topic of interest to me is the question of sense of self and identity. This is a subject that I have been dealing with for as long as I remember, and I have presented in different forms and locations. So when Maha Al Sahaf, then curator at Al Riwaq Art Space, invited me to take part in a project that revolves around the issue of Belonging, I was excited and thought what a great opportunity it is to create a new project in Bahrain of substance that many of us question its roots.
Why did you want to base in the project the borough of Bahrain?
All the participants, despite the difference in opinions, expressed their notions about Belonging in this island. This is perhaps the only common denominator, and I wanted to reflect this in showing very site specific element. I found the murals very suitable to be included.
What motivated you to begin the project?
I left Lebanon in the mid 80's. It was in a way a forced situation. I left at an early stage and the question of Belonging has always been an intriguing subject to me. Do we belong to the place where we were born I keep asking myself? Do we belong to wherever we live at any given moment? Do we belong to our family, our friends, do we belong to the things that we accumulate over the years, and do we belong to our ancestors, our religion.... Working on projects of similar nature answer some of the questions I have, and shed light onto the different perspectives as stated from people who have experienced displacement, and lived in more than one country.
How long does it take to complete this sort of artwork? Can you talk a little about your art making process?
There is no specific time frame. Sometimes working on a project takes few months, sometimes few years. As I noted previously, it took me close to a year to formulate the presentation of this particular project. The process can be described as deconstruction/reconstruction using multiple layers to reach the finished artwork. It is time consuming. I start from raw images that I allow myself to tear and reassemble. I wanted to integrate different elements in the final collages: portraits, text, background.... How to weave them together in an attractive way is most challenging part. I did lot of studies to reach the final format.
Looking at the works on this project, it seems that you have maintained a stringent mission to reinvent the notion of portrait photography. Would you agree?
The final presentation of the portraits is unique. This is true. Whether I went on a mission to reinvent the notion of portrait photography, I am not sure I did. What I am sure of is the fact that I always work hard to create an artwork I believe has a unique characteristic. We are bombarded with images from every corner, and my collages may remind the viewers of other artists. This may be true. I am fascinated with few leading artists who may have had some influence in the making of my work, whether intentional or not. We all get inspiration from different sources. How to create a signature is the toughest task.
What have been the most surprising responses you've received in relation to these works?
So far, I have been cautious sharing the new works. I am still in the process of testing and discovery. This is a stage where I wish to remain isolated, focusing on the making of the works. Few close friends saw some originals and the comments were promising.
Finally, what are the issues facing contemporary photographers and collectors?
It is best perhaps to address this question to an art dealer. What I can say is that artists from this part of the world are fortunate to be in the midst of the cultural renaissance the Arab world is witnessing. This is a fact with the opening of all the museums and art galleries. Artists should remain focused to be producing honest work that truly reflects what they believe in and not what the market demands.
One main topic of interest to me is the question of sense of self and identity. This is a subject that I have been dealing with for as long as I remember, and I have presented in different forms and locations. So when Maha Al Sahaf, then curator at Al Riwaq Art Space, invited me to take part in a project that revolves around the issue of Belonging, I was excited and thought what a great opportunity it is to create a new project in Bahrain of substance that many of us question its roots.
Why did you want to base in the project the borough of Bahrain?
All the participants, despite the difference in opinions, expressed their notions about Belonging in this island. This is perhaps the only common denominator, and I wanted to reflect this in showing very site specific element. I found the murals very suitable to be included.
What motivated you to begin the project?
I left Lebanon in the mid 80's. It was in a way a forced situation. I left at an early stage and the question of Belonging has always been an intriguing subject to me. Do we belong to the place where we were born I keep asking myself? Do we belong to wherever we live at any given moment? Do we belong to our family, our friends, do we belong to the things that we accumulate over the years, and do we belong to our ancestors, our religion.... Working on projects of similar nature answer some of the questions I have, and shed light onto the different perspectives as stated from people who have experienced displacement, and lived in more than one country.
How long does it take to complete this sort of artwork? Can you talk a little about your art making process?
There is no specific time frame. Sometimes working on a project takes few months, sometimes few years. As I noted previously, it took me close to a year to formulate the presentation of this particular project. The process can be described as deconstruction/reconstruction using multiple layers to reach the finished artwork. It is time consuming. I start from raw images that I allow myself to tear and reassemble. I wanted to integrate different elements in the final collages: portraits, text, background.... How to weave them together in an attractive way is most challenging part. I did lot of studies to reach the final format.
Looking at the works on this project, it seems that you have maintained a stringent mission to reinvent the notion of portrait photography. Would you agree?
The final presentation of the portraits is unique. This is true. Whether I went on a mission to reinvent the notion of portrait photography, I am not sure I did. What I am sure of is the fact that I always work hard to create an artwork I believe has a unique characteristic. We are bombarded with images from every corner, and my collages may remind the viewers of other artists. This may be true. I am fascinated with few leading artists who may have had some influence in the making of my work, whether intentional or not. We all get inspiration from different sources. How to create a signature is the toughest task.
What have been the most surprising responses you've received in relation to these works?
So far, I have been cautious sharing the new works. I am still in the process of testing and discovery. This is a stage where I wish to remain isolated, focusing on the making of the works. Few close friends saw some originals and the comments were promising.
Finally, what are the issues facing contemporary photographers and collectors?
It is best perhaps to address this question to an art dealer. What I can say is that artists from this part of the world are fortunate to be in the midst of the cultural renaissance the Arab world is witnessing. This is a fact with the opening of all the museums and art galleries. Artists should remain focused to be producing honest work that truly reflects what they believe in and not what the market demands.
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Belonging
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Elusive Homelands