Contemporary Art from the Middle East - Essay Example

Illuminance: An Elevation of Mind Illuminance introduces the complex and multilayered narrative of self-reflection and recognition of identity within the contemporary society, expressed solely by concentrating on the meditation of influences from their inner-self and the outside forces. The works on display range from the subtle to the grandeur, from the purely cultural and religious to the political commentary, and from the purely geometric to the organic sculptural installations that extend the limits of space and place.

The exhibition will present the major themes, materials and techniques that make contemporary art from the Middle East visually exciting and intellectually stimulating. The exhibition will feature the work of 12 internationally acclaimed and emerging artists from Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Morocco, and Turkey. All of the artists create sculptures and installations that reach beyond traditionalism, appreciating the authentic beauty of the culture which is being depicted. The work that these Middle Eastern artists have done is an aesthetic and intellectual adventure that records a personal journey and cuts a unique cross-section through culture.

The exhibition focuses on the method of tracing and mapping a complex history of identity often misunderstood or misrepresented in the West. The exhibition also provides a new perspective that situates their work in an engaging and active space. Each artwork presents itself through multiple viewpoints: a fusion of both past and present, as well as between East and West. Moreover, the exhibition will include works by local artists including Adel Abdessemed, Dian Al-Hadid, Afruz Amighi, Yael Kanarek, Naama Tsabar, and internationally recognized artists like Mounir Fatmi, Susan Hefuna, Younès Rahmoun, Marwan Rechmaoui, Gulay Semercioglu, Mehmet Ali Uysal and Penny Hes Yassour to name a few.

Illuminance showcases a variety of exciting ways in which contemporary artists are expressing themselves in the nuances of sculpture and installation art, which also includes collaborative efforts and mixed-media pieces. With relations between the Middle Eastern region and the West now being the focus of attention, the exhibition aims to reveal the mere act of staging identity and culture into art as a political statement. The inception of Middle Eastern contemporary art recognizes the tradition and practices of faith and cultures, adapting elements of philosophy, mysticisms, and contemporary literature and music.

Such visual art movement commits itself to share its groundbreaking pursuits on an international level. The work has many of the elements found in the contemporary art ouvre. The exhibition takes the contemporary life and events around the Middle Eastern culture and explores its significance at a personal level through its own image. Rather than being about personal expression, Illuminance at its external appearance, becomes a starting point at exploring internal meaning. In the maelstrom that is daily political life in the Middle East region, different forces vie with each other.

On the one hand, there is a fair amount of freedom of speech and more open criticism since modernism; while on the other, the increase of fundamentalism has led to both applied and self-censorship. It can be said that the Middle Eastern society is increasingly sensitive to the pressure and tension of both revolution and modernity. The experience of Illuminance illustrates that cultural sensitivities need to be negotiated when Westernization is applied in an “Oriental” context. It is an example yet again that contemporary art is not isolated from cultural, religious and political issues.

The developments in contemporary art in this vast region have long been hidden and gone unnoticed, as their culture remains a mystery unfamiliar to people outside its borders. In these conservative cultures, the conventional notions of art have dramatically changed. Many things done in their practices today are considered works of art that would have been rejected in the past. It is this particular shift in attitude and direction that allows the artists to produce thought-provoking pieces exploring the theoretical issues, intellectual convictions and personal visions that lay the groundwork of the Middle Eastern art scene.

Illuminance aims to empower contemporary artists from this culturally rich and diverse area, establishing a dialogue between themselves and their environments. Introducing a new sequence of diligent concepts and accommodating, the exhibition bridges the gap between Middle Eastern and Western art worlds. Comparatively , the exhibition suggests how little the world of high politics can sometimes do with everyday life.