artBahrain.org

What does winning the Abraaj Capital Art Prize mean for you?

I was delighted with the judges’ response to my project and by winning; it means not only that project will come to realization and it will be an opportunity to show it to the viewers at Art Dubai 2012 but also because ACAP has organized a travelling exhibition; which means my work will be shown in all of ACAP’s exhibition locations. I haven’t been active in the GCC region and this is my second time to show my work in the UAE. The first time was at the 2007 Sharjah Biennale.

Can you talk a little bit about the artwork that won you the Abraaj Capital Art Prize 2012?

This is something of a surprise that will be unveiled at the 2012 Art Dubai.

Apart from drawing and painting, you work in a wide range of media, producing things such as photography, videos, installations, etc... what do you have in mind when you think about your next work? Do you start creation from an idea or from the material?

I work with a range of media and genres but my projects always begin with an idea which I experience through my own self-directed investigations and analytical experimentation with language of forms and develop it into a formidable conceptual vocabulary. Then I investigate the potential and limits of the material I choose to work with. Although like many artists, when I encounter an idea or a ‘moment’ which have to be randomly documented, I either draw or take photos, I use whichever is convenient at the moment. For example Transit#2, 2003 is a series of drawings I did when I was in transit in Rafah, the checkpoint between Gaza and Egypt, where I was stranded for three days waiting for clearance and photography was not allowed, I used pencil and paper.

Who or what was your greatest influence in pursuing arts as a career?

When I was young, my father use to draw but he is not an artist. And in grade school my teacher would always compliment my art works and it made me feel I had real creative talents.

Looking at the list of your solo and selected exhibitions on your website, it seems as though you have mostly shown your work in exhibitions revolving around the theme of Palestine. Have you had difficulty exhibiting your work in less specific political themed shows?

I am Palestinian and sometimes what I create is an expression of my personal and collective experiences that exists in Palestine but it is not necessarily political. It is no different than any other artist in the world whose work reflects on what is happening in their respective country which is meant to be an expression of cultural identity and, Palestine being in the centre of political controversy so even if my art is not politised it is subject to interpretations that may not be in line with my thinking.

Also, with the current happening in the Middle East, these themes could not be ignored. Together with the artists who participated in the ‘Future of Promise,’ the largest pan-Arab exhibition of contemporary art in this year’s Venice Biennale’s, I exhibited work that is of the present-day reality of Palestine which is hopeful for a bright future. GH0809, 2010, is a series of photos of destroyed houses in Gaza just after the Israeli attack in 2008 - 2009, presented in a way that a real estate agency would. Again, we cannot say this is political, but it is part of what is happening in the Middle East today which is the theme the exhibition.

Would you say your work is more about your personal experience, reflections and thoughts, rather than on wider political appeal that refers to your home country?

I have been living in Paris since 2006 and anywhere I live I remain true to Palestine because it is the place that inspires me most and my subject are mostly about ‘life.’ The all-too-human events and things right in front of me expressed in a visual language reflective on how I see it and see myself. And between the ways the work looks and the meaning that that looks implies, depends on the viewer’s interpretation, it could be poetic or politics. Even if the work I create is consistent with the ongoing and evolving visual language which is beyond and no national identity, I am an artist working from a Palestinian perspective whether I like it or not.

What do you try to convey in your work?

I try to distance my work from any meaning because, the work will grow with each viewing and the rich undercurrent will reveal itself. My subjects, even if they are mostly about daily life also vary in genre. For example, Fathers-2006, are photographs of interior of establishments and houses with portraits of the head of the family, company or state. It could have different meanings to different viewers. But the bottom line is it is just a recording of the daily life/events as I see it.

Is there art being produced in Palestine that is representative of contemporary art in Palestine?

The visual awareness that has developed in Palestine is producing a decent generation of contemporary artists working in cross boundaries, experimenting and exploring new media.

Finally, do you have any upcoming exhibitions or projects, other than ACAP 2012 you’d like to share with us?

I am currently focused on ACAP 2012. But on May 2012, after Art Dubai, I will be participating in a collective exhibition at Villa Medici, in Rome. There are other exhibition proposals but I would not want to make any commitments at the moment. I will be present in Art Dubai and I hope to make new acquaintances.