Certain exhibitions just bowl you over. And this one did. In French «Le Corps Découvert». I would translate that as «The Discovery of a body». Why do I add the «a» ? For decades, since the beginning of time as far as I’m concerned, the expression of nudity in a Arab community has been a taboo. I should add that it is not only in an Arab world. All groups have been hostile to nudism in one way or another. Homosexuality, as far as I know, still means the death penalty. Yet I have visited many Arab countries and have never ceased to be amazed by the sensuality that exists between men. Hand in hand, arm in arm, hugging, kissing...many physical displays of affection that would be frowned on even today in some European countries. I have not seen the same affection or love as such between and Arab man and woman. In some countries the women, especially the young women are as outgoing as our own. In others, scarfs, Hijab and Burqa are the order of the day.
This exhibition with over 70 artists and many of them women makes a statement. With that statement the old clichés are overridden. What is even more amazing that some of these artists live and work in their own countries. It is probably since the world has become so international over the last 20 or 30 years that such statements have come out into the open. Even in the 50’s though there was some very beautiful painting being done. Influenced perhaps by our own artists and certain paintings you seemed to have seen before. The kitch is there as well as the Arabian Nights and then a whole style emerges which is not perhaps unique, but certainly sensual and often very erotic.
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| "Femme assise sur un lit" -1920 |
George Daoud Corm (1896-1971-Liban)
studied in Paris, returned to Liban, married and lived in Egypt before
returning to Beyrouth. Many of his paintings were considered to be
erotic or sensual. I chose the latter. I just stood and looked
at her. As she has no face - and yet she does - there were many
beautiful women she could have been. However you look at her, she is
beautiful.
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| Hussein Madi |
In contrast to this is Hussein Madi’s work. Libanese. He was born in 1938 and still works in his own country although he has given many exhibitions around the world. Perhaps you feel you have seen this lady although I am not so sure that you know his nude in a red chair done in 2010.
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| "Nude in red Chair" - 2010 |
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| Halida Boughreit "Mémoire dans l'oubli" -2009/10 |
Halida Boughreit works in Paris but
originally from Algeria. Her work is liberated and she uses different
mediums. This photograph touched me as I remember seeing my Mother
asleep in this position at the end of her life. They seem to look alike.
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| "Les Deux Amis" - 1956 |
Now for a couple of statements. Mamdouth
Ammar, «The Two Friends» done in 1956. So simple and says so much. The
artist is from Egypt and like most artists I would think draws from what
he knows. Love, friendship, complicity.....
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| Assad Arrabi -"The Shadow" - 2009 |
Assad Arrabi works in France and comes
from Liban. He has a doctorate in Musulman Art (1957) and prestigious
collectors follow his work all over the world.
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| Chaouki Choukini 2005-2006 |
Chaouki Choukini is also from Liban and
studied in Paris. These were three beautiful wooden sculptures : "The
King" and "The Queen" and figure with a head in the bag.
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| "Homme à la Perche" -2011 |
The Mask is very symbolic and apparently shows up what has not been said. «Everything the mouth does not say»
This is certainly the case with Mahi Binebine’s work. Mahi comes from
Morocco and works there although he studied in Paris. He also lived and
worked in New York and it’s only since 2002 that he is back in his own
country.
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| Mahi Binebine 2008 |
This is also one of his paintings in a tryptic done in 2008.
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| "Deux Femmes à la Bête" - 1958 |
Baya started working in Algeria when she was very young and was noticed by André Breton during her first exhibition in Paris in 1947. She also knew Picasso. This maybe a fantasy world, «Two Women with an animal» but the smile on their faces says a lot.
Adel Abidin from Irak but now living in Finland. His «Ping Pong» is an engaged work and I would think makes a very strong statement against religious fundamentalism and political dictatorship. It was of course a video and the ball marks showed up on her body .....
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| Adel Abidin - "Pingo Pong" - Video 3,44mn |
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| "Ping Pong" - her face - 2009 |
.
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| "L'Inconfortable Confort" -2009 |
And the same goes for Nermine El Ansari’s work. (Egypt) Frustration between desire and refusal. This was in a darkened room, all on its own with different sketches on the walls.
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| "Human figure "- 1992 |
Silent sculptures, abstract, out of time and not even identifiable.
Halim Medhi Hadi (Irak) «Human Figure 1992»
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| "Etude du nu" -1957 |
For something much more traditional, Takeya Halim (Egypt) who was one of the pioneers of modern painting in his own country. This nude was done in 1957.
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| "La Curiosité" -1986 |
A couple of lighter notes Salah Enani (Egypt) . «La Curiosité» painted in 1986.
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| "Arabian Night" -1967 |
Or Dia Azzawi (Irak), who works in London. «Arabian Night» 1967
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| Shawki Yousseff "Die First" 2011 |
This is and I know it, a list of
artists and only just a few. All of them are new to me. For my own sake I
wanted to look at the diversity of the work and not so much at
paintings which could be compared with something I know . A "Francis Bacon" or
a "Renoir"? Or show a painting or
photo which is so controversial that it could shock the viewer. I
didn’t like everything and certainly nothing which was related to youth.
Some of the photographs of men are «symbols» of masculinity. Some are
not. Many of the paintings or sculptures of women are openly against any
political or religious regime that exists. These are to be looked at in the exhibition, in
a catalogue, perhaps even on Internet. Which ever way it goes, «Le
Corps Découvert» was a cultural shock for me and left me somewhat
dazed. I'll be going back.
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