AUTHOR: ANNA SEAMAN
Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi is a UAE-based columnist and founder of the Sharjah-based Barjeel Art Foundation whose mission is to promote art by artists from the Arab world through exhibitions locally and internationally.
Shawati FeatureDuring the Arab Spring uprisings, which began in 2011, he became internationally known for his political commentary on regional affairs through social media. In February 2014, Al Qassemi joined the Global Commission on Internet Governance and later that year became a Director’s Fellow at Massachusetts Institute of Technology [MIT] Media Lab. In 2017, he was a practitioner in residence at the Hagop Kevorkian Center of Near East Studies at New York University, where he offered a course on Politics of Middle Eastern Art. In March 2018, Barjeel Art Foundation will host its final exhibition at their current gallery in Sharjah and Al Qassemi has announced a two-year break in hosting exhibitions and events.
When did you first became passionate about arts and culture and what are your memories of your introduction to visual art?
I lived in Paris between 1994 and 1998, where I observed as much as possible and spent a lot of time visiting museums. However, I feel my interest in art and culture started before that. I grew up in Sharjah with the book fair, theatre and a vibrant cultural scene. I came back to the UAE because my father fell ill and while he was recovering from his illness, one of the ideal places to go was exhibitions and galleries. They were small, confined spaces, where there were a lot of things to discuss and experience. I particularly remember going to a joint exhibition of work by Suleiman Mansour and his wife Tamam Al Akhal at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce in the early 2000s; that was when my interest in regional art really began.
When did you buy your first piece of art?
In 2001, I bought a watercolour painting of a door by Emirati artist Abdul Qader Rais. I had bought other works before then but this was the first Middle Eastern artist I invested in. Do you have a favourite artist or at least, an aesthetic that you feel drawn towards?
My favourite era is the 1960s. My heart literally jumps when I see a work from this time period. I think the main reason is because so much happened during that time. In the region, borders were being redrawn, artists were asserting themselves and national identities were being formed. There are so many artists that I love from this era who were practicing both abstract and figurative art: Hamad Owais; Kadhim Haider; Etel Adnan; Saloua Rouda Choucair; and Nejib Belkhoja; but again, there are many more.
Why did you found Barjeel Art Foundation?
It coincided with the beginning of the popularity of social media. People were sending pictures to each other through Blackberry and Facebook and I started to wonder where people could see major works of art by Middle Eastern artists. I started the foundation as my collection grew and I wanted to allow other people to be able to see and enjoy the works of art as I do. Even now, 10 years later, there are very few places that you can see such works on permanent display. I hope I have made a small impact on this and I urge other collectors and regional enthusiasts to do more.
How have your objectives for Barjeel Art Foundation changed over the years?
As I have grown older and matured, my sensibilities and my preferences have also matured. I have become more interested in minority artists and modern art [made between the 1940s and 1980s] as well as taking a specific interest in female artists. I have also put more of my energy into scholarship and study. I have started writing, interviewing other collectors and investing not only in art itself but in the knowledge surrounding art. Also, over the past two to three years, buying art has become much more expensive as has funding the foundation, which covers all the related costs when anyone wants to borrow and exhibit any of our works. This has caused me to overextend myself and I have reached a point now where I need to pause, take stock and recalibrate.
What does that mean for the next stage of the foundation?
Taking time to recalibrate does not mean that I am stopping. I am assessing what I can do best with the resources that I have. Honestly, there have been some artworks that I have forgone over the past few years that have sold to private collections and are now not accessible to the public. That makes me sad because they will disappear. I have always felt like I am buying for the public and not for me and I will certainly continue to do so. We recently acquired one of Dia Azzawi’s most important works – A Wolf Howls: Memories of a Poet [a 1968 work based on a poem by Muzaffar Al Nawab] as well as The Last Sound, a 1964 piece by Ibrahim El Salahi, which is a true masterpiece. There are other pieces that I have on reserve and in the process of buying but overall, I am trying to buy less and we are taking a break from hosting exhibitions. I have to prioritise.
Will the public still be able to access the Barjeel Art Foundation’s work?
Yes. We have all of our collection on our website and we have a partnership with the Google Cultural Institute, where 984 of Barjeel Art Foundation’s artworks are featured. I have also been negotiating with the Sharjah Art Museum for the past 18 months to have a long-term exhibition. That means that whatever my personal plans are, the work will still be available and accessible in a semi-permanent show inside this important institution.
What, in your opinion, are the primary concerns for the local and regional art scene right now and what does it need for further development?
The new VAT law is very discouraging. If I loan a work overseas then I have to pay 5 per cent on its value every time it returns to the UAE. This is a huge burden to bear and frankly, the regulations are too strict for us as a non-profit institution. We need to encourage public foundations and to give tax breaks. There should also be stricter copyright laws to protect our artists and their intellectual rights. There is too much bureaucracy and not enough support. Although, there are now ways for artists to Find your art online, so it is easier to track down when people are using it without your permission.
Politics have also now become a major obstacle to the art scene here in the region. The number of countries that have discord between them is rising and the political situation has direct ramifications on the cultural world, particularly when borders are closed. For example, four of the most important countries in terms of art production: Iraq, Syria, Iran, Lebanon; are inaccessible.
Do you consider yourself a role model in terms of giving artistic support?
I can’t use that word about myself. I like to present an example but it is not a flawless example; there are many mistakes that I have made. I think one of the main ones was that I didn’t forge partnerships with other institutions. I would advise anyone who wants to start an institution now to lay the groundwork and to create partnerships that can help financially further down the road.
Who are your role models?
My role models are my parents and my best friend Thamer Salman, who passed away tragically in 2013. I also consider Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nayhan to be a personal role model as I greatly admire the way he thinks. From an art perspective, I admire Sheikh Hassan Al Thani who began collecting in the 1980s. My inspiration comes from many different sources.
You manage the architecture of Sharjah Instagram page and you are advocate of support for architects and the architectural industry. Why is architecture so important?
If you look at the trajectory of the last 20 years of my life almost everything has to do with storytelling and reaching out to the other to present a different side to the Arab World. I just want to showcase and highlight what we are about and move away from the general stereotypes and misconceptions that people have of our region. Whether it is art, politics or architecture, it all offers a story that needs to be told. Also, believe that scholarship is missing from this region so I like to use the recognition I have to help to change that.
Many people know you for your outspoken stance throughout the “Arab Spring” and your political views. Is it a fair assessment to say that you are interested in raising the profile of the stories and history of this region to an international level, whether that means through art or through social and political commentary?
Yes, but I have cut back a lot on my political commentary and have deactivated my Facebook and Twitter accounts. I still write a little bit of politics but I am really not interested any more. I think it is a better use of time and energy to preserve who we are; our art and our culture.
Finally, what are you most looking forward to for 2018 and 2019?
I am applying to teach politics of art in a university in the US but I won’t hear back until the summer as to whether I got the job. I am also applying to fellowships so that I can focus on my writing. In essence, I am looking forward to making time to spend on the things that are really important and to taking a step back. Lastly, we are exploring the idea of “culture” globally as it relates to individuals from different walks of life.
Could you tell us what does “culture” means to you?”
Culture to me is identity. More importantly we should move the discussion from Arab culture to Arab cultures as in from a single identity to celebrating our multitude of identities and cultures. Moreover, someone once told me that the best way to preserve one’s culture is to share it. That is precisely what we have been trying to do with the Barjeel Art Foundation over the years.
?????? ????????? ????? ?????????? ??????????
????? ?????? ????????? ???? ?????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ???????? ?????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ?????????? ???? ???????? ???????? ???? ????? ????????? ???????? ?????????.
????? ?????????? ???????? ????????? ?????? ?????? ???? ????? 2011? ???? ?????? ? ?????? ??????? ????????? ??? ???????? ??????????? ???? ????? ??????? ????????? ??????????. ????? ???????? 2014? ??? ???????? ?????? ??? ???????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ???? ????? ????? ???? ????? ??????? ??????? ???? ?????? ???????????? ?????????????. ????? ??????? 2017? ??? ?????? ??? ????? ??? ???? ?????? ????? ????????? ??????? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ???????? ????? ????? ? ?????? ????? ??????? ??????????? ???????. ??? ???? 2018? ????????? ??????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ????????? ???? ???????? ????????? ???? ?????????? ?? ?????? ????????? ?? ????????? ?????? ??????? ???? ????????? ????????? ????????????.
????? ???????? ??????? ???????? ????????? ?????????? ??? ??????? ???? ??????? ??? ?????? ???????
????? ???? ??????? ????? ????????? 1994 ?1998? ????? ??????? ?????? ????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ? ???? ??????? ???? ??????? ?????????. ????? ?????? ?????? ?? ????????? ??????? ?????????? ????? ????? ?????? ????? ?????? ??????? ?? ???? ?????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ???????? ?????????.
??????? ?????? ????? ???????? ????? ?????? ????? ??????? ???? ????? ???????? ??????? ???????? ?????? ???????? ???? ?????? ??????? ??? ?? ????? ?????????? ??????? ????? ???? ??????? ?????? ??????????? ???? ?????? ?????? ??????? ?????????? ????.
??? ?????? ??? ???? ?????
???????? ?????? ??????? ???? ???????? ????????? ???2001???? ??????? ???????? ???????. ?????? ???????? ???????? ?????? ????? ?????? ????? ????? ??? ??? ?????? ????? ??????? ???????? ???? ????????.
???? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?? ????? ???????? ???????? ?????? ????? ???????????? ??? ????????
????????? ???? ????????? ??????? ?????????. ?????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ??? ?????? ???? ??? ?????? ???????. ?????? ?? ??????? ???????? ??? ???????? ??? ??? ?????? ???????? ?????? ? ??????????? ???? ??? ?????? ????? ????? ????????? ??????? ?????????? ????????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ???????.?? ?????? ?????? ????? ???? ?????????? ??????? ??????? ???? ????? ??????? ??????? ????????? ? ?????? ?????????? ???????????: ????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ????????? ????? ????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ???? ????? ???????.
????? ???? ????? ?????? ???????
??????. ??? ????? ????????????? ?????? ?? ????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ????????? ????????? ????? ???????? ??? ?? ??? ???? ????? ??????????? ???????? ?????? ??????? ???? ????? ??????? ??????? ????????. ?????????? ????? ??????? ?????? ????????? ?? ????? ????????? ????? ???????? ????????? ?? ???????? ???????? ????? ?????? ????10?????? ??? ??? ????. ??? ????? ??? ????? ??????? ?????? ?? ???? ????????? ?????? ??????? ?? ????? ?????? ????? ????????? ???????? ? ?????? ?????? ???? ?????? ??????. ?????? ?? ?????? ????? ??????? ?????? ????? ????? ?????? ?????????? ????????? ???????????? ???????????? ?????? ?????? ???? ???????.
??? ????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??? ?? ???????
?? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ???????????? ???????? ???? ?. ????? ?????? ??????? ??? ??????????? ???? ?????????? ??????? ???????? [????? ?? ????? ??????????? ?????????????? ???? ??????? ?????????] ?????? ???? ????????? ?????? ????? ???????????. ??????? ???? ??? ?????? ? ?????? ???? ??????? ???? ??????? ?????????? ??????????. ??????? ??????????? ????????? ???????? ???????? ??????????? ????? ????? ???? ?????? ??????? ??? ???? ????????? ????????? ??????? ???? ?.
???? ?? ??? ??? ????????? ??? ??? ????????? ???????? ???? ?????? ???????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ?????????? ?????? ?????? ?? ?????????? ??? ??????? ??????? ?????? ?? ????? ????????? ?????? ?? ???? ?????????. ???????? ????? ????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ????? ?????? ???? ????? ????? ??????? ????? ??????? ????????? ???????? ??????????.
???? ???? ??? ??????? ??????? ?? ????????
?? ????? ?????? ???????? ? ???? ???? ?????. ??? ???? ?????? ?????? ???? ???????? ???????? ???? ???? ????????? ?????? ?????. ????????? ?????? ?????? ????? ????????? ???????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ????? ????? ????????? ????????? ????????? ??????? ????? ????????? ??????? ????? ? ?????? ????????? ???????? ???????. ?????? ???????? ??????? ????????. ????? ?????? ????? ??? ?????? ??????? ????????? ?????? ????? ?????? ?????????? ???????? ???? ???????? ??????. ????? ??????? ??????? ? ????? ?????? ???? ????? ??????? ?????? ????????? – ????? ??????: ???????? ???????? [????? ???? ????? 1968 ??? ???? ????? ?? ???? ??????] ????? ????? ????????? ????? ?????? ???? ??????? 1966 ?????????? ????????? ????? ?????? ????????. ?????? ????? ?????? ????? ?????????? ?????? ????????? ????? ????? ???? ????? ??????? ?? ??????? ????? ?????? ?????? ????????? ???? ????????? ?????????. ????? ?? ?????? ???????????.
???? ?????? ????????? ???????? ????? ?????? ??? ?????????? ?????? ???????
?????. ?? ?????????? ????? ???????? ????????????? ???????? ??????? ???? ?????? ?????? ?????????? ????? ????? 984 ?????? ???? ????????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ????????. ????? ???? ????????? ???? ?????? ????????? ???????? ????? ???????? ????? 18 ????????? ????????? ????? ??? ?????? ???????. ?????? ?????? ????? ?????? ?????? ???? ?????????? ????? ????? ?????? ????? ??? ??????? ???????? ?????? ???? ????? ????? ?????? ?????? ????? ????????? ????????.
???? ??????? ???? ????????? ?????????? ???????? ??????? ???????? ??????????? ???? ??????? ???????? ????? ????????? ????? ??????? ????????? ??????????
????? ????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ??? ???? ?????. ??? ???? ???? ??? ??????? ???? ??? ??? 5 ?????? ??? ????? ?? ?? ??? ???? ???? ??? ???????? ??????? ???????. ???? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ???????? ??? ??????? ????? ???? ??????? ??? ?????? ??? ?????. ???? ????? ??? ????? ???????? ?????? ??????? ??? ????????? ????????. ?????? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ???? ????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ???????. ???? ???? ?? ????????????? ???? ??? ????. ????? ??????? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ????? ??? ?? ???????. ?????? ??? ??????? ???? ???? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??? ?????? ???????? ??????? ?????? ??? ?????? ???????? ??????? ????? ???? ?????? ?????. ??? ???? ??????? ????? ?? ??? ????? ?? ??? ??????? ?????: ????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ?? ???? ?????? ?????.
???? ??????? ?????? ?????? ??? ??????? ???? ???? ????? ??????? ??????? ????????
? ?????? ??????? ??? ?????? ?? ????. ??? ?? ???? ????? ? ?????? ????? ??????? ? ??????? ???????? ????? ?????? ???? ??????? ???? ????? ?????. ???????? ?? ????? ??????? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ???????? ???? ???????? ??????. ?????? ?? ????? ?????? ?? ?????? ??????? ???? ?? ????? ???????? ??????? ?????????? ?????? ?????? ?? ??????? ???????? ?????? ????? ?????????.
?? ???????
?? ??????? ???????? ????? ??????? ???????? ???????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???????? ???? ??????? 2013. ????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ???????? ???? ?????? ?? ??????? ?????? ??? ??????? ??????????? ???? ???? ?????? ?????????? ?????? ?????? ?????. ???? ?????? ??? ????? ??? ???? ???????? ????? ?? ?????? ?????? ????? ????? ??????? ?????? ??????????? ????? ?????????. ??????? ???????? ???? ????? ???????? ?????.
??????? ????? ????????? ??????????? ???? ?????? ?????????? ????????? ?????? ??????? ???? ????? ??????????? ???????????? ?????????? ???????????. ??????? ????????? ?????? ????? ??
????????? ???? ???????? ???20??? ??????? ????? ?????? ????????? ????? ???? ?????? ??????? ?????????? ???? ?????????? ????? ????????? ???? ? ???????? ?????? ??????? ???????? ????????. ?????? ????? ?? ?????? ??????? ??????? ???? ??????? ????????? ?????????????????? ????? ???? ????? ??????? ??????????? ????????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ???? ?????????. ?????? ??? ??? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ?? ??????? ?? ??????? ?????????? ?????. ???????? ???? ??? ?? ??????? ?????????? ???????? ???? ????????? ?????????? ????????? ?????? ???? ??????????? ?????? ??? ????????? ???? ??????? ?????.
?????? ???? ??????? ?????????? ????????? ???????? ?????? “???????? ????????” ????????? ??????????. ???? ???? ???? ?????? ????????? ???????? ??? ????????? ???????? ?????????? ????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ????? ???? ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ???????? ????????? ????????? ?????? ????? ????????? ??????????? ???????????
?????? ????? ?????? ???????? ? ??? ?????????? ?????????? ???????? ??????? ????? ?????? ???????? ????????. ???? ????? ?????? ??????? ???? ?????????? ??????? ???? ????? ????? ??? ?????? ???????????. ??????? ?? ???? ???????? ????????? ??????? ????????? ???????? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ??????????.
??????? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ??????? ?????? ????????? 2019 ? 2018?
??????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ?????? ???? ??????? ???????? ??????? ????? ?? ???? ??? ????????? ?? ??????? ????? ??????? .???????? ???????? ????? ??????? ????? ??????? ???? ????????? ????? ???????. ???? ????????? ????? ??????? ????? ??????? ????? ??????? ????? ??????? ???? ?? ????????? ???? ????? ???? ????? ????????.
??????? ?? ???????? ???? “?????????” ????????? ????????? ???? ????? ??????? ???????? ???? ??????? ??????? ????????. ???? ?????? ?? ?????? ???? ???? ?????????” ?????
????????? ????????? ???? ???? ????????. ???????? ???? ????? ???? ?? ?????? ?????????? ???? ????????? ????????? ????? ?????????? ????????? ?? ???? ?????? ??????? ????????? ?????????? ??????????? ????????? .????? ???????? ?????? ????? ????? ???? ???? ????? ?? ?????? ??????? ???????? ????? ??????? ??????? ???? ?????????. ????? ???? ???????? ?? ????? ??????? ???????? ???? ???? ??????? ???????? ???????? ????? ???? ????????.
This article was originally published in Shawati in 2018. (PDF Downloads)