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(4 votes, average: 3.25 out of 5) Loading ...Curator Statement by Elie Domit
On 'Presence:' Like in Dalia Khamissy's work presented here two days ago, Lamya Gargash' series Presence confronts us with empty homes. But this time the abandonement is not caused by war, but by that other great force, the global market economy. No doubt, for the inhabitants this reason to leave is luxurious, compared by the reasons people left their houses in Beirut. In the work presented here today, we see no need to hide, we feel no for one's life or that of one's beloved ones. Yet the buildings themselves, built not too long ago and kept in a relatively good condition, often face the same fate as those photographed in Beirut by Khamissy: destruction. They are to make way for ambitious development schemes or a complete remodelling. With their disappearance, a way of living that has its own ideals and aesthetics will be erased as well, leaving us with questions about the lack of permanence that permeates our modern dwellings.
On 'Majlis:' The culture of the majlis, the Arabian version of the classical 'drawing room,' is a relatively local one, rooted in the Bedouin heritage of the Arabian peninsula, but like everything it is affected by changes brought about by the economy becoming global. Although the spaces are still exclusively reserved for the male guests of a house, and the traditional hierarchies are still maintained, I have noticed the arrival of more and more foreigners (like myself) at the receptions held there. It is a privilige to be a guest at these strictly ritualized gatherings, with its own set of rules to be observed, certain movements of the hands to be noted, respects to be paid etc. At the same time, the atmosphere is very informal and relaxing, as it is a place for men to meet outside work or business hours, to chat, to hang out, or to share their worries with elders. We find such highly regulated forms of social interaction in many different cultures around the world, including the royal courts of Europe, and in that respect there is nothing particularly exotic or quaint about these rituals. What is remarkable about Lamya's series is that she, an Emirati herself, has opened up this predominantly male space and its adherent architectural peculiarities to the public eye. In carefully composed images, using only the available light and all taken from an eyelevel position of a seated or standing person, the photographer invites us to imagine ourselves as visitors, surveying this unfamiliair domain at a first encounter, tasting the atmosphere, wondering how the evening might be spent, hoping you won't make a faux pas and if you do, that you will be forgiven.
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Previous presentation - Yes, These Are Reminders That Time Is Passing
Next presentation - It Is A Stage That Becomes A Metaphor For Life
On 'Presence:' The title of this project deals with the idea of subsistence in a renounced space and prevalence of identity within unwanted houses or structures in the United Arab Emirates (specifically Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman).
The photographs of these spaces are varied from being semi-abandoned (people moving to new houses), to those soon to be demolished in lieu of a bigger and more innovative edifice.
These interiors represent a young culture that came to notice after the oil boom nearly thirty years ago.
With the current need for modernism and the building of the ‘future,’ cultural extinction is sadly inevitable and a new identity is thus forming. The fast rate at which these structures are being renovated or formed leaves very little time to grieve over these spaces which will be lost forever.
Presence is a visual journey through spaces and rooms that express character and identity through their lack of physical attendance. These spaces consume the viewer and a narrative is formed by the absence of literal beings. They speak of lives that once existed (there) and depict the sad notion of estrangement and loss providing an insight into their privacy resulting in space for the future.
Note: The slideshow contains images from Lamya's other work, entitled Majlis.
Lamya Gargash (1982) lives and works in Dubai, UAE. Click weblink lamyagargash.com or browse our archives
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