Sotheby’s Sǀ2 is pleased to present A New Objectivity: The Düsseldorf School of Photography – a selling exhibition of important works by some of the greatest photographic artists working today. Andreas Gursky, Thomas Struth, Candida Höfer, Axel Hütte and Thomas Ruff all studied at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf under the celebrated couple Bernd and Hilla Becher – whose seminal practice, with its rigorously objective approach to photographing industrial architecture, inspired a generation of leading German photographers. Between 1976 and 1986, the alumni from the first official class of Photography at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf swiftly acquired legendary status, a phenomenon that has since marked a turning point in the history of photography. The exhibition will feature works by both the Bechers and their former students.

Fru Tholstrup, Director of Sǀ2 commented:

BERND AND HILLA BECHER
Bernd and Hilla Becher met in 1957 at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, where they both studied Typography. By 1961 they had married and crystallised a project which would set the groundwork for a new photographic avant-garde. They began to document the rapidly disappearing German industrial architecture of the Ruhr Valley, where Bernd Becher’s family had worked in the steel and mining industries. The Bechers photographed industrial buildings, including water towers, oil refineries, storage silos and warehouses with a large 8 x 10 inch view camera, always using a straightforward “objective” viewpoint. Their aim was to classify and impartially document these functional buildings without ornament or affect, an approach that imparted a “Natural History of industrial shapes”. They exhibited and published their single-image gelatin silver prints grouped by subject in grids. Together, these ordered sets or “typologies” invited viewers to compare the forms and designs of these structures based on their function, regional idiosyncrasies or age. Their place on the art world stage was cemented with an exhibition at Documenta in 1972 and in 1976 at Illeana Sonnabend in New York. In 1976, Bernd took up the position as the very first Professor of Photography at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf. Seminars were held at Bernd and Hilla’s home and within the space of 10 years, the class had begun to acquire mythic status. With an artistic career devoted to a singular photographic engagement (an example from which is included in the exhibition), in 2004 the Bechers were presented with the prestigious Hasselblad Award.

THE DÜSSELDORF ALUMNI
Seriality, measured detachment and enveloping views of our contemporary world unite divergent works by Andreas Gursky, Thomas Struth, Thomas Ruff, Candida Höfer and Axel Hütte – the best known alumni of the Düsseldorf School of Photography.

Thomas Ruff was the first student to win international acclaim in the late 1980s, with his series of monumental, highly detailed, yet impersonal portraits of young Germans. He was also one of the first from the class to employ an epic scale in colour, commanding the use of large gallery walls, a format which would later become synonymous with the Düsseldorf School. Ruff’s work became more explicitly political in the 1990s with his infrared photographs of Düsseldorf at night, a series inspired by night-vision cameras used to relay television images during the Gulf War. Ruff has since developed a practice that eschews traditional photographic means. Announcing a movement towards the found digital image, his series of Nudes initiated in 1999 is sourced from stills from pornographic websites. Obscured and digitally processed without the use of a camera, these works extend the boundaries of classical photography as advocated by the Bechers.

Candida Höfer joined Bernd Becher’s photography class in 1978, and along with Thomas Ruff, was one of the first to win recognition for her monumental colour photographs. She rose to prominence with the series of sweeping depictions of libraries, churches and municipal buildings – large format images offering poetic analyses of the depopulated interiors which frame contemporary public life. Echoing the Bechers’ career-long devotion to a single subject, Höfer’s particular innovation lies in her remarkable ability to continually obtain lyrical and surprising results from the repetitious framework of her artistic enquiry.

Perhaps, more than any artist of his generation, Andreas Gursky’s photographic eye identifies the subjects of our contemporary landscape which most acutely define the way we live today. During his time studying in the Bechers’ class between 1980 and 1986, Gursky devoted three years to depicting security men stationed at the front desks of corporate buildings. In 1984, he experienced an epiphany, with the now seminal work Klausenpass – a version of which is featured in this exhibition. After developing a photograph of the aforementioned mountain pass in the Swiss Alps, Gursky noticed the incidental appearance of ant-like figures punctuating the vast landscape – a combination of micro and macrocosmic detail that would set a pattern for the rest of his mature production. Gursky hereafter developed a global taxonomy of our age, capturing stock exchanges, concerts, and techno raves (illustrated on page one) via hyper-detailed, yet detached images in which individuals become part of an anonymous mass. Together these works narrate the history of our modern age of globalisation.

In 1976 Thomas Struth joined Bernd Becher’s inaugural photography course following the advice of his painting professor Gerhard Richter. Influenced by his teachers’ method, Struth embarked on a series of deserted black and white street views, works that were displayed in a grid-like, typological arrangement (left). Following these early photographs Struth’s practice expanded into a far-reaching and discursive documentation of our global landscape; many aspects of which are present within this exhibition. This protean body of work encompasses the acclaimed series of Museum Photographs and Places of Worship through to Struth’s depiction of Plasma Physics plants and NASA facilities – an updated response to the Bechers’ own industrial typologies.

As director/curator of international art projects, you bring a huge amount of experience and expertise to your new role as director of the new Palestine Museum – what would you like to achieve for the museum in the coming years?

I would like to see the museum live up to its mission of becoming a “transnational museum”. The deep value of the Palestinian Museum lays not only in its mandate to build a hub in Birzeit, but more importantly in connecting and linking Palestinians around the world, by establishing partnerships and affiliate centers in various countries. This, in its essence, is the antithesis to what we’ve been witnessing in Palestine – and for a long time now – from divisions to ghettoization to fragmentation, dispersion and dispossession. As I’m planning the program and the shows for the museum, I am determinedly pushing myself to think across borders and barriers, not succumbing to the restricted geography and mobility, and cordoned territories imposed by the Israeli occupation and internal divisions. The idea of a transnational museum has conceptually resolved my dilemma with the post Oslo segregation between Palestinians inside the West Bank and Gaza and those residing outside the Palestinian Authority territor(y/ies). On another front, it also puts forth an alternative bottom-up approach to “international” outreach vis-à-vis the franchise propositions by some “multinational” museums. This, of course, is not the only achievement I would like to score. There are a couple of ideas I would very much like to pursue such as few exhibition ideas and artists projects. But the most exciting yet complex undertaking I will be struggling with is the challenge of putting together the nucleus of the permanent collection for the Palestinian Museum. “I” here is definitely not “me” alone, but a whole team of young and talented men and women working for the Museum in addition to a super supportive, dedicated and selfless Board of Trustees and staff of the Welfare Association.

Returning to Palestine and organizing Qalandiya International was a bit of a homecoming for you, would you say that the transition to run an art museum challenging in any way?

I would like to say: challenging is many ways. This is not a museum that was up and running, and I simply came to run it or run with it. It is a museum in the making in a place that has not seen a similar project in scale and scope. You should not forget that we are living under occupation, and the simplest things anywhere else can be a big issue and problem here. Take for example the issue of getting people from outside the country to work for the museum – particularly Palestinians who have certain expertise and who are more than willing to come and volunteer. If we’re lucky Israel would issue them a visa once to visit and only for a short period of time. This would not help at all. But if it’s a Palestinian or any other person carrying a “wrong” passport (i.e. a passport that is not recognized by the state of Israel), there is no way this person would ever be able to come to Palestine. Hence, the pool of expertise and knowhow is very shallow locally, and very expensive and unaffordable if we’re considering the West as a source. The challenges are many and varied, as I mentioned above, yet to me it’s quite exciting and a great privilege to be part of the effort of establishing The Palestinian Museum.

You’ve enjoyed a prominent and successful international career as an art curator. What have you learnt along the way that can help you overcome the major challenges now facing museums and are you optimistic about the future of museums?

Generally, I am an optimistic person, and I always (or maybe I should say ‘most of the time’) try to see the glass half full. It is rather obvious or maybe clichéd to say that life is a learning curve and whatever challenges or difficulties one faces and tackles would, eventually, form part of the accumulated experience and knowledge one brings along to the next project. I know you are looking for specific experiences but I’m at a loss where to start and what is more interesting to the reader. Yet I can think of one thing that I learnt the hard way. Saying or thinking that one knows better for s/he had “successfully” done it before, can possibly backslide into an Achilles’ heel. Every situation and every context and every place is different and to a large extent specific. You probably notice or feel certain tastelessness or blandness in exhibitions put together by globetrotting curators who produce sizeable yet loosely held shows time and again. No matter how familiar the situation appears or simple the solution seems, I think I learnt to always look with a fresh eye and open mind, eager to learn, willing to acknowledge my limitations, yet avid for meaningful outcome and
unique results.

COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENT

What kind of value will the museum bring to the Palestinian community? How will the museum be interwoven with community experience?

The Palestinian Museum is aiming to be a unifying body, a place where every voice is heard. It is a place for research, dialogue and reflection and a meeting place for all Palestinians wherever they are and all those interested in Palestine. To achieve this at such a large scale the very thinking of the museum is interwoven with the fabric of society. The very existence of its physical structure is essentially an outgrowth of the community’s existing structures and entities. The museum hub being built in Birzeit is on the Birzeit University land, and its branches and satellites in various places inside and outside Palestine are actually partnerships and collaborations with existing entities, such as community centers, educational and research institutions or simply private not-for-profit initiatives. In our inaugural exhibition we are asking ordinary people from all walks of life and from different places to contribute with their objects and personal stories. Hence, right from the very beginning we’re trying to make a point (hoping it will resonate for a long time, as the first impression is the last) that it’s the voice of the ordinary people, not the “all-knowing experts”, which will be heard in this museum. 

How is the architecture of the museum designed to accommodate its natural surroundings? What are some of the unusual aspects of the museum structure?

One has to first acknowledge that the site in Birzeit is quite overwhelming. It is a hilly and terraced landscape that roles down into the valley, as it looks onto the Mediterranean Sea in the western horizon. These agricultural terraces were created by stacking the field stones to make a hilly terrain productive, but seen from an architectural perspective according to the architects’ [Heneghan Peng] brief “they create memorable architectural landscape of parallel lines defining the hills”.

So the architects established a grid which structures the site allowing it to be developed at various stages while organizing it in terraces following the formal language of the landscape. The forms of the building and the outlines of the landscape are structured to be recognizable yet follow the natural contours of the site.

When one looks at the contours of the building it seems as if it’s emerging from the landscape at the highest point of the site with views to the cascading landscape created by the field stonewalls, and the Mediterranean in the far distance. The architects underline their design concept as embodying “building traditions but is projective with this knowledge to imagine a 21st century tradition”.

FUNDING

Your leadership of the Palestine Museum coincides with very difficult economic times – how do you think this will impact on the funding of the museum and what will you be doing to ensure the financial stability of the institution? Is the museum funded entirely by the government or by private funding?

The museum is entirely funded by private funding, from Palestinian businessmen and women who have organized themselves thirty years ago in what has become the leading Palestinian philanthropic institution – the Welfare Association. Yes we all recognize that it’s dire economic times, but from what I’ve witnessed in the last fundraiser we organized, there is tremendous enthusiasm for the idea of the museum and many Palestinian individuals, families and companies are more than willing to donate in cash and in-kind to the museum. We are working now on establishing an endowment fund, which with time will hopefully constitute a security net and provide sustainability and continuity for the museum.

How can people and organizations partner with the Palestine Museum?

As mentioned earlier, the foundation for the museum outreach is partnerships with institutions and individuals who will help us make the connections and linkages with Palestinians all over the world and with all those interested in Palestine. We will reach out to institutions (art, community, educational, research, …) and individuals with ideas for collaboration and joint activities. I think it’s rather easy and quite straightforward. It is in our mandate and of course in our best interest to make partnerships. So please do spread the word.

AS JACK PERSEKIAN, THE PERSON

What would you like your legacy to be?

The person who made it possible.

How did your mother first get involved in art and when did she open Kukje Gallery?

My parents were avid collectors. As my mother developed her eye and her passion for art grew she began to think seriously about opening a gallery; it started as a small space where she organized special exhibitions with artists she collected herself.

She was very forward thinking and was one of the first to show international artists in Korea. She opened Kukje Gallery in 1983. Since then, she has played a pivotal role in developing the audience for art across Asia.

What kind of art did she initially show?

She started showing mostly master contemporary Korean painters and sculptors and later expanded her program to include international artists.

How did you get involved with the gallery?

I learned a lot from watching my mother as she began the gallery. I moved to New York to attend New York University in order to gain a Masters in Arts Administration. I later worked at Sotheby’s, as well as at Paul Cooper Gallery and the Whitney Museum of American Art. These experiences informed my development and were very important, but eventually what made the most sense to me was to open my own gallery.

When did you open Tina Kim Gallery and why did you open it in New York?

I started Tina Kim Gallery 2001. I opened it in New York because I felt that the city was the centre of contemporary art scene. Also, I wanted to broaden the audience for Korean artists in the West and—because I travel so often—it is really the best place to be based.

How do Kukje Gallery and Tina Kim Gallery interact?

We are in constant communication, organizing exhibitions together, planning for art fairs and supporting our artists’ many ambitious projects, as well as publishing catalogues and broadening our client base.

What can you tell us about the design of your spaces?

The quality of exhibition space is very important and all of our galleries place a premium on framing the artwork. We have just opened a third exhibition space in Seoul called K3, designed by the award winning architectural firm Solid Objectives.

We also organize exhibitions that focus on master designers, such as Jean Prouvé and Charlotte Perriand, as well as emerging talents like Joris Laarman. We do these shows in collaboration with Vintage 20 and my husband Jaewoong Chung.  So architecture and design is a big part of how we approach visual art.

How would you describe your two gallery programs?

Tina Kim Gallery and Kukje Gallery have a two-fold approach. We focus both on the secondary market—exhibiting such modern masters as Willem de Kooning, Alexander Calder and Gerhard Richter—and present project based exhibitions that showcase celebrated contemporary artists, including Gimhongsok and Kibhong Rhee.

How many international art fairs do you do yearly and which ones?

Our galleries jointly participates in nine fairs, including Frieze London, Frieze New York, Art Basel, Art Basel Miami Beach, Art Basel in Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi Art, FIAC, TEFAF, and the Armory Show. We also strongly support fairs in Asia like KIAF and Art Stage Singapore.

Does your program at art fairs differ from the exhibition program at the galleries?

Yes. For each fair we prepare a different program that best suits the fair’s audience. We represent a very wide range of artists, including a number of prominent estates. Also, some fairs offer the opportunity to commission site specific works from our artists, which is always an exciting opportunity… so the booth is always changing to reflect these concerns.

When did you first exhibit in the Middle East and what motivated you to participate in Abu Dhabi Art?

Last year was our first year. We recognized the strength of the emerging interest in the Middle East and wanted to showcase our artists. It was clear that a highly selective and focused group of galleries representing the very best of modern and contemporary work was being brought to Abu Dhabi and we wanted to be part of it. Furthermore, we are very impressed by the quality of museums that are opening in the Middle East. It is an exciting time.

What has your experience been at the past Abu Dhabi Art fairs?

We were very impressed with the collectors and their sophistication… they were very well informed and committed to collecting. It is the start of an important new chapter in the international art world.

Have you travelled in the region?

I have travelled to Dubai and Doha and was very impressed by the sophistication and incredible speed at which these cultural centres are evolving. I was also really struck by the tremendous beauty of these places—the cities, the people and the traditional culture. There is a long history of aesthetic refinement that I was inspired by and I enjoyed educating myself about these more local traditions. Every place has its own particular aesthetic and it is important to respond to that and to know what a local culture finds beautiful.

Do you show artists from the region?

Yes. We have a long relationship with the Egyptian artist Ghada Amer. What I learned after traveling in the Middle East is that the use of language—and specifically the tradition of calligraphy—is very strong and rooted in the Islamic tradition. Learning more about this gave me greater insight and appreciation for Amer’s use of text.  Traveling in the region and especially visiting the Islamic museum in Doha was very educational and was a terrific experience.

What are your thoughts about the recent development of art centres in the area?

It is very exciting what is happening in the region and in places like Dubai and in Abu Dhabi. They are building world-class museums such, as the Guggenheim, as well as supporting international exhibitions like the Sharjah Biennial in the UAE. It really is putting the region on the map as a destination for artists and many artists have a strong interest in showing in the region.

Are you seeing strong private collections developing as well?

Yes. The collections are really beginning to garner attention and it is clear that there are some special individuals who are going to commit to building world-class collections. As this interest grows and becomes more international in scope, it will be good for both the world art market and the local cultural milieu.

What are your thoughts about the modern and contemporary art scene in the Gulf Coast?

The Gulf region has the potential to become a centre of contemporary art in the future because of the strong commitment to building museums and the number of private collectors. The art fair, too, can begin to play an important role as it sits between Asia and Europe.  Coupled with the climate and incredible architecture and local culture, I think it could become a real destination.

With that in mind, what will you bring to Abu Dhabi Art this year?

We will again bring contemporary master artists, including works by De Kooning and Calder, as well pieces by Lee Ufan and Ghada Amer. We are very excited that this year we will also be presenting a special project with Haegue Yang, who has been collected by major museum around the world. The work will be an ambitious installation, as well as a performance, so it will be a tremendous opportunity to present her work to a new audience. ab

When did you first become interested in art?

Art wasn’t a big part of my life when I was growing up. My parents probably took me to a museum only five times during my whole childhood, but each visit was a salient experience. When I was about 20 years old, I walked into the Museum of Modern Art and looked at a Rothko painting that completely blew me away. It was a seminal moment; but, at that time, it didn’t have me thinking that I wanted to be an art dealer.

Were you a collector before becoming a dealer?

I started collecting Japanese prints when I was very young. I became fascinated with them from the moment I saw a book about them. One of my strong personality traits is that when I become enthralled by something, it’s never just dipping the toes—it’s a complete immersion. That’s when I immersed myself in art enough to start dealing.

When I first saw these prints I looked and looked and then bought and continued to buy. They weren’t expensive, which was good because I wasn’t a rich person at all. I’ve been earning my own way since I was 14. But I was really taken with the Japanese prints and within a year of buying and selling them I felt it was something that I might want to do for a living.

I was also fascinated by Impressionist, Modern and Post-War art, but at the same time it wasn’t really a field that I thought I could get into. Eventually, I just started doing it.

What type of art did you show when you first opened your gallery?

We showed Impressionist, Modern, and Post-War works of art—mostly masters.

Is that still the type of art that you show?

Yes, in addition to others. We don’t show as many Impressionists nowadays, because it is harder to get good works. Nevertheless, in the past few years we managed to sell an incredible Degas pastel and a major Modigliani, which had been in the collection of friends and clients of mine for more than 50 years. Where I am good is that I know where a lot of the bodies are buried—metaphorically speaking—and I’m a good getter of things.

How would you describe your gallery program?

We represent artists—and are increasingly representing artists—but 90% of our volume still comes from secondary market sales. We mount exhibitions and do art fairs. We present around three or four artist exhibitions a year and do about five art fairs per year.

How many artists do you represent?

We currently represent six artists and are working toward adding another two.  The artists include the American painter Erik Benson, Spanish painters José María Sicilia and Alejandra Icaza, American photographer Andres Serrano, Iranian painter Farideh Lashai (whom we recently exhibited in conjunction with Leila Heller Gallery), American painter and performance artist Iona Rozeal Brown, and Romanian painter Miron Schmückle.

Where do you find your secondary market works?

Very often they come from private collections, although we do certainly buy works at auction. I know a lot of people, which helps in finding works. It’s very competitive—especially with the auction houses stepping up their private sales. When you have been in the business as long as I have, you come to find your niche. We have clients that we have been working with for a long time and are constantly nurturing new relationships, which is essential in this business.

You seem to have an eye for exceptional works from the secondary market.

I am very proud of that. I had a client in the gallery the other day that said it was like walking into a mini-museum. I am delighted with the quality of works that we get from month to month, year to year.

Do you consider yourself a connoisseur?

I am not a fan of that word, as it’s overused, but I am often told that I have a really good eye, which is the ultimate compliment. If I don’t have a certain level of passion for a work, I won’t take it into inventory. I am not a merchandise handler. For me, it’s important to maintain a certain level of quality and integrity.

Which art fairs do you do?

We exhibit at Art Basel and Art Basel Miami Beach. We also do Frieze Masters; this will be our second year there. Last year we did a very cool show at Frieze Masters called “Face to Face,” an exhibition of portraiture. There was a self-portrait by Basquiat facing a self-portrait by Picasso. There was another portrait by Picasso of Jacqueline opposite a Warhol portrait of Jackie.  There were other portraits that were terrific, too. We got great feedback. And we do ARCO and Abu Dhabi Art. Last year we did seven fairs, but we realized that it was too much.

How does your gallery program relate to your art fair program?

By and large, we only bring secondary market works to the art fairs. We do, however, occasionally mix in one of our contemporary artists here and there. Both Basel fairs want exhibitors to bring the big guns and Frieze Masters is just that—a masters’ fair. Abu Dhabi Art is mostly secondary market works, while ARCO allows us to show both sides of the program.

When did you first start showing in the Middle East?

We started in the second year of the Abu Dhabi Art so the next edition will be our fourth year. We have done very good business there—mainly with the royal families of Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, and other emirates.

What type of works do you usually bring to Abu Dhabi Art?

The first year that we did the fair we brought a spectacular Stella “protractor” painting—arguably the biggest and best one he ever made, called Damascus Gate. It is a magnificent painting, measuring 10 feet by 50 feet, and it really dazzled people. All of the “protractor” paintings that Stella made in the early 1960s were named after ancient, circular cities in the Middle East. We sold it to an Abu Dhabi collector.

We also brought works by Sam Francis and Joan Mitchell—mostly abstract paintings. In subsequent years, we brought Boetti, Mitchell again, Richter, and a great Calder that was a study for the sculpture that was destroyed outside the World Trade Center. Last year we exhibited another Stella protractor painting, which we are on the verge of selling to someone in the Middle East.

How has the response been in previous years?

Abu Dhabi Art has been very successful for us.  The fair has a strong turnout of serious collectors and we have enjoyed building relationships with them over the years.   It is wonderful to learn about the culture of the region and experience the fresh eye that collectors from there bring to the process.

What do you think about the booming interest in modern and contemporary art in the region?

I think it’s great that there is this global outreach with art.   Through the complexities and richness of modern and contemporary art, we can bridge our cultural worlds. Combining international art and Middle Eastern art is a great way forward.

Do you show artists from the region?

We show the work of the late Iranian artist Farideh Lashai. I had originally bought her work for my own collection and this year we had a solo show of her work. There was a big public tribute to her work in Dubai earlier this year. She is the only artist from the Middle East that we show at present, but we are entertaining other possibilities.

Have you seen standout collections in the GCC?

The collections are not as open to people as they are at other art fairs, but I find the collectors to be friendly and open-minded.

Which artist do you think Gulf Coast collectors should currently be acquiring?

That question is difficult to answer. I don’t think anyone “should” be collecting anything. I have three criteria for collecting: you have to love it; you have to be able afford it; and you have to have a place to put it. I, however, have forgone the last of those criteria. I believe you should only buy what you like—not what people tell you should collect. That said, I would like for people to buy what I sell, of course.

What will you bring to the fair?

It’s still a bit early to say for certain, but we may bring an important Francis painting from 1979 that has been in the same collection in Japan for about 25 years. We might bring a Ruscha “mountain” painting and another abstract painting by Mitchell. The list is still in formation. It’s always about keeping people happy, while keeping the material fresh. ab

Halcyon Gallery is proud to present a major exhibition of new works by artist and musician Bob Dylan, which will open at Halcyon Gallery this November. Building on the success of his first museum exhibition in Chemnitz, Germany in 2007 and several subsequent exhibitions, Mood Swings will show iron works by Bob Dylan for the first time, alongside original works on canvas and signed limited editions, all of which will be for sale.

Iron gates welded out of vintage iron and other metal parts created by Dylan in his studio will be featured in the exhibition and will be displayed publicly for the first time. These gates and other objects are the outcome of the artist’s lifelong fascination with welding and metalwork.

These raw, industrial artworks often appear representative of a different state of mind; a different place for the artist. The gates are imbued with the stories brought to them by objects from which they are created such as a wrench, a roller skate, a meat grinder and lawn tools. There is even a reference to the artist as musician with the use of musical notes, a treble clef and a guitar among the objects included in the iron works.

Of his new exhibition, Bob Dylan said:

Mood Swings will also include a new collection of original silkscreen works on canvas.

Paul Green, President of the Halcyon Gallery, commented:

Internationally known as a singer and songwriter, Bob Dylan is also an author, film director, actor, radio host and visual artist. He has sold over 110 million records around the world and continues to tour extensively, logging up more than 2,500 shows since 1988.

Halcyon Gallery has four galleries located in London and Shanghai.

The exhibition opens on 16 November 2013 and runs until 25 January 2014.

Al Zain Jewellery was founded in 1930? Please tell us a bit about your company, its mission, goals…

In 1930, the family tradition of handcrafting jewellery started to take form by Hasan Al Zain who essentially was a pearl merchant at the time. Following several pearl dealings and a huge potential for growth, Abdulla Al Zain played a major role in the founding of Al Zain. At the time, our first workshop was opened and a factory was built in a later stage where we started manufacturing signature diamond jewellery and tailored one-of-a-kind designs for clienteles who wish to create something special and for themselves and their loved ones. Over time, my father, Nabeel Al Zain took charge of the company with a vision to open a large factory which to date has over 150 employees. He has also been dedicated to opening several boutique stores in the region – resulting in both gaining international recognition and winning various
excellence awards.

Central to our mission are values of loyalty, choice and prestige. As Al Zain celebrates life from birth, to graduation, to marriage to anniversaries, we strive to be credible, honest and genuine with our customers with a firm belief that the choices we have to offer are original and unique, a reflection of individuality. We aim to meet the market with a brand that is genuine, enchanting
and caring.

You are head of the Creative Department for Al Zain, when you first accepted the position, what was your vision for the department?

My vision for the creative department was to increase creativity and work as an inspirational motivator. I wanted to show the team how far they could push their creativity.

Early this year, you launched your new logo and slogan, what pushed you to re-brand?

We felt the need to evolve. We have a vision of where we want to be in the market. We have something beautiful but it wasn’t properly highlighted. We have a story to tell and the challenge was how to present it.

What was your design direction for Al Zain’s new re-branding?

Our design direction came very much from what we stand for as a family brand. We wanted to focus on our strengths and visually display who we are and what we do. I would say that our strengths are our valued relationships, our designs and our craftsmanship.

Tell us about the new identity, the packaging, and the redesign concept as a whole.

Our whole concept revolves around our most cherished value; our relationships. As we embrace life with you through all its stages, we wanted to visually present that. The logo symbolizes the embrace of a swan using Arabic calligraphy that spells out Al Zain. The swan is a symbol of eternal love, beauty and elegance. Our brand colours – lilac, cool grey and warm grey – are taken from our humble beginnings as pearl merchants. The colours are selected from the different shades of the Mother of Pearl. Our new shop concept takes the form of a circle representing the circle of life. Our boxes represent an embrace which brings us to our slogan “Embrace Life” as we celebrate life here at Al Zain. Our tagline “Handcrafted since 1930” shows that we design and manufacture our products in the heart of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

How does the new branding reflect your design style?

The new branding represents our design style in its simplicity and elegance. I think it clearly represents who we are as a family brand as well as our design style.

How do you feel the climate of the jewellery industry has changed over the last few years?

In the Middle East, people’s tastes are changing with the times. They are now very much influenced by the western world. Something that people would have bought ten years ago is very different to what people buy today. More and more people are starting to gain knowledge in the jewellery world and are starting to be more interested in larger stones and fine jewellery. As a brand in the Middle East, one of our missions is to educate our clientele about diamonds, semi precious stone and pearls through workshops and seminars helping them to better understand the industry.

On the personal side…

What is your background in art/design?

I graduated with a degree in Graphic and Communication Design from the University of Leeds. My focus was mainly in Branding, illustration and Photography. I later did a course in Jewellery Design.

Tell us about your personal art. How does that influence you in your jewellery world?

I find a lot of inspiration from different cultures. Whether it is here in Bahrain or wherever I travel to. I love walking around taking pictures of the people, their lifestyles, their symbols and the various ways different cultures use creativity through different forms of art, architecture as well as the nature that surrounds them. This has a huge influence in my work as a designer. I love finding patterns in the world around us and incorporating that into something meaningful for people to wear.

How passionate about jewellery are you?

I have been surrounded by jewellery at a very young age as my father used to take us to the office with him on weekends and during the summer. My passion for jewellery is ever evolving the more exposed I am to the industry. As soon as you start getting involved in it you see that there is so much to see, to learn and to create. It really is a magical world!

One thing you love about owning your own brand?

I feel extremely blessed that my father has created a base for us. He created something so wonderful for us. I watched him grow our business from something small to where we are today and that is the thing I love the most – having him as in inspiration.

What one thing have you learned in your family business about yourself?

I discovered my love for the business which I never really saw in myself till I started working. I have great mentors – my dad , my mum, Mohamed Hassan and my brothers Mohammed and Faisal who continuously encourage and guide me.

What do you feel are some of your accomplishments as a designer?

Well, to be honest not much of my work has been out there as I spent the past two years learning the ins and outs of the business, as well as managing the rebrand. But, I am currently working on some collections that will be launched very soon and hopefully that will show who I am as a designer.

Have you thought about doing anything else other than design?

I have completed a degree in Diamond Grading at the Gemological Institute of America in London. I hope to further my studies in jewellery soon by completing the Gem Identification Degree as well as a degree in Pearl Grading.

How do you stay inspired working for your own business, and how do you keep your team inspired and creatively challenged?

I love working for my own business because there is no limit to the creativity. We are extremely open to all ideas. I would like to inspire the team by making them notice the world around them and making sure they all do their first hand research and through that go through a thorough development process till we come up with the final designs. I am extremely hands on and try to push each concept to its limits. ab

Rafa Al Nasiri’s basic training was in the Institute of Fine Arts, Baghdad (1956-1959) under the supervision of Iraqi masters, themselves ingenious artists, such as Faieq Hassan, Jawad Selim, and other pioneers of contemporary and modern art in Iraq. His masters were his ideals, both as creators and mentors. In that art laboratory Nasiri learned painting according to European techniques, and devoted his life completely to his career. Yet, when he was offered a scholarship to continue his university studies, he favored China rather than Europe. This courageous decision by a 19 year old artist marked his career life with a unique mingle of East and West.

In China, where he spent four years (1959-1963), at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Peking, Nasiri was tutored by ingenious contemporary Chinese artists who also became his mentors in art and life. He did not simply learned the techniques of contemporary and ancient Chinese art, but adopted their attitude towards art and life; learned accuracy, dedication and patience. From China back to Baghdad, Nasiri was the first specialized Iraqi printmaker; he held classes and established a professional graphic department in the Institute of Fine Arts, Baghdad.

Rafa Al Nasiri. Al Ahwar Girl, (The girl from the marshes) 1965, woodcut 60 x 40 cm

As an artist Nasiri maintained a realistic style which he followed during his courses in both Baghdad and Peking. Later, in 1967 up to 1969, he was granted another scholarship by the Gulbenkian Foundation and got further training at Gravura, Lisbon.

It was in Lisbon that Nasiri became impassioned with abstraction, and shifted completely to abstract art. Mixing his Chinese expertise with Western techniques, his art seemed remarkably distinguished. Along these decades, Nasiri has been manipulating his entire potentials and knowledge to build up his career both as painter and printmaker, grasping every possible chance to brush up constantly his thoughts and techniques.

Throughout his career, art was Nasiri’s means to achieve freedom on an individual and artistic level. This retrospective is a view at the passing of time, political and artistic engagement, history and remaking history through Nasiri’s innovative methods and unwavering vision.
Nasiri sends a thoughtful message to the new generation of Iraqi artists regarding the importance of innovation, artistic achievement and love for country:

CLICK TO VIEW EXHIBITION CATALOGUE

Rafa Nasiri: 50 Years of Printmaking Book Launch
On this occasion, or coinciding with it, SKIRA, published an art book entitled: Rafa Nasiri: 50 Years of Printmaking to be released on October. The book covers the artist’s long life experience as a prominent graphic artist, and documenting the various stages of his career. It includes articles written by: James Harithas, Director of Station Museum for Contemporary Arts, Huston, Etel Adnan, the prominent Lebanese-American poet and artist, Teresa Parker, printmaker and art critic, Maria Vivero, art critic, creative director of artBahrain, Modhir Ahmad, one of Nasiri’s brilliant students, a competent painter and printmaker, Director of Falun Graphic Center in Sweden, Saadon Fadhil, Iraqi art critic, May Muzaffar, Iraqi poet and art critic, in addition to a statement by the artist himself.

ENDNOTES

1 My Visual Resources: Place and Time between East and West
Amman, November 2010
2 Fifty Years in Printmaking – Interview with Rafa Nasiri
Amman, April 2013

Stallone, an iconic actor and filmmaker has only recently begun to show his paintings, much to the acclaim of the art press, first with his showcase at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2009, followed by a retrospective at Galerie Gmurzynska, St. Moritz, Switzerland in 2011.

Untitled (Michael Jackson). 2010
Mixed media on canvas and artist’s frame
162.6 x 202.7 x 6.5 cm
Signed “Stallone ‘10” lower right
Galerie Gmurzynska

Renowned art critic and historian Donald Kuspit has praised Stallone for his style as an“expressionistic painter making surreally abstract pictures.”

Of the exhibition in Russia, Evgenia Petrova, Deputy Director of Russia’s leading museum, The State Russian Museum, says about Stallone’s work,

Behind theMind. 1991
Mixed media on canvas and artist’s frame
140.7 x 140.7 x 6.5 cm
Signed “Stallone ‘91” lower right
Galerie Gmurzynska

Galerie Gmurzynska commented on their previous two exhibitions with Stallone,

The exhibition marks the first time an American artist has been on display at The Russian Museum.