Contemporary

Arab artists
at »
Adel Abidin Samar Maakaron Mahmoud Khaled
Before you begin
This resource has been developed as part of the Arab Artist’s in Residence Part One Part Two
programme at BALTIC. It is designed for use in secondary schools, to give young
Context: Contemporary
people the opportunity to learn more about contemporary art and to increase
• What is contemporary art? Arab Artists:
their knowledge and develop their understanding of Arab art and culture.
• The Arab Artists in Residence • Adel Abidin
The resource provides an introduction to the Arab Artist in Residence programme at BALTIC
programme, contextual information about contemporary Arab art and • Sensitivity Part Three
countries, as well as suggestions for further sources of information. In parts
• Looking at artists work Contemporary
two, three and four, you will find images of works by individual artists who have
in the classroom Arab Artists:
taken part in the residency programme. The images are accompanied by text,
questions for learners and suggested activities for use in the classroom. • Cross curricular opportunities • Samar Maakaron

The resource is in presentation style, for use with PowerPoint or Background Information:
as a printed handout. It is designed to be flexible and adaptable. Part Four
• Defining and describing
the Arab world Contemporary
Arab Artists:
• Contemporary Arab art
• Mahmoud Khaled
Further Research
• Useful links and Part Five
additional resources Contemporary
• Acknowledgements Arab Artists:
• Samar Maakaron
CONTEXT
What is
contemporary
art?
Contemporary art is the term used to describe art of the present time, created
by artists who are living and working today. Contemporary art is often about
ideas and concepts, as well as the practical use of materials and techniques,
or the visual appearance of the work.
Artists often work with ideas that reflect their observations, feelings and opinions
about their surroundings and the wider world. Contemporary artists represent
their ideas in many different ways, including drawing, painting, sculpture,
installation, photography, video, new media, performance and sound.
ARAB ARTISTS
IN RESIDENCE
The Arab Artist in Residence What is a residency?
Programme at BALTIC
An artist: The resource has been informed by studio
This resource has been designed to explore the sessions held with young people from
• W
 orks with an organisation or gallery
work of artists who are undertaking residencies secondary schools in Gateshead during the
for a set period of time
at BALTIC, from or with a connection to Arab residency period. Sections will be added
countries. Artists in residence will typically spend • Works away from their usual environment as the residencies take place.
a four week period at BALTIC.
Scope of this resource Sensitivity
The artists selected for the residency programme This resource aims to: Many of the works in this resource deal with
create work which is above all personal and
• M
 ake a contribution to developing sensitive issues, such as identity, politics, conflict
reflects their own ideas, interests and beliefs,
young peoples’ awareness and and religion. The text accompanying each artwork
as with any other artists.
understanding of Arab culture includes suggested ways in which to discuss
these topics with learners.
Artist’s work may include references to their • F
 ocus on the work of the individual
heritage which are direct and indirect, overt artists taking part in BALTIC’s Arab Discussion of these artworks can provide an
and subtle. Artist in Residence Programme engaging and stimulating context in which to
consider the issues raised; at the same time, it
will be necessary to ensure planning and support
is in place to respond to learners’ concerns both
inside and outside the classroom.
BACKGROUND
INFORMATION
DEFINING AND DESCRIBING THE ARAB WORLD
A contextual essay by Naira Antoun from the Council for Arab British Understanding (CAABU)

Islamic, Middle Eastern, Arab?

What word do we use to describe The term has come in for criticism concerns the border between Iraq While the majority of Arabs are
this part of the world? The term because it has its roots in European and Jordan. Gertrude Bell, a British Muslim, about 5% are not. There
‘Islamic world’ is one that is thrown and American involvement in the consul, is said to have been drawing are sizeable Christian minorities in
about without much definition, region. The Arab world is the most on tracing paper, when she turned all the countries that are part of the
and the Arab countries are often specific and includes only countries to talk to somebody, moving Baltic’s project on contemporary
conceived as being at the heart of where there is a shared language: accidentally, and thereby adding a Arab art. There were, in the past,
this world. But this implies that in Arabic. But even within this more considerable amount of territory to also significant numbers of Arab
those diverse parts of the world narrowly defined area there is a the newly formed country of Jordan. Jews, but this changed when Israel
that are heaped into this category, huge amount of diversity. Different countries speak their own was established on 78% of what
everything from how people live their dialect of Arabic, but all also use a used to be Palestine. Most now live
The countries of the Arab world,
daily lives to how people structure standard, which is the written form in Israel and there are few remaining
straddling two continents, have a
their societies is determined by Islam. of the language, enabling in their native countries.
combined population of over 300
This is misleading. Furthermore, communication across boundaries
million. In the UK there are around There are also non-Arab populations
less than one quarter of the global and the creation of a shared
half a million people whose roots lie such as the Kurds in Iraq and the
population of Muslims reside in literature. While Arabic has had
in the Arab world, but there are no Berbers in Morocco, who speak Arabic
the Arab world. The ‘Middle East’, a powerful unifying effect and there
clear figures because ‘Arab’ is not in addition to their native languages.
referring to a region spanning south- is much in common across the
a category in the national census.
western Asia and north-eastern region, it is probably best to think
Africa, is a more specific term and Many of the modern borders of of Arab cultures rather than one
regularly includes non-Arab countries the Arab world were laid down single Arab culture.
such as Turkey, Israel or Iran. by European imperial powers.
One commonly related account
DEFINING AND DESCRIBING THE ARAB WORLD
A contextual essay by Naira Antoun from the Council for Arab British Understanding (CAABU)

Interest in the Arab world

Interest in the Arab world is no Seeing Arab and Muslim women as Popular culture is the most The persistence of these
new thing. The Arab world has oppressed, dominated and trapped important influence on the way images from silent film through
long held an immense attraction for in traditional roles, reinforced the in which many people perceive to contemporary Hollywood
the Western world broadly, and to notion that women in the Western and comprehend the Arab world. blockbusters means that in
Britain in particular. In the past few world were liberated and had freed However, in the main, popular American film – the most widely
centuries, artists, writers, scholars, themselves from prescribed roles. culture offers us a diet of degrading viewed films in the world – out of
and of course politicians, have been In other words – and as the images of Arabs – from Bedouin around one thousand appearances
fascinated with the area. Often this Palestinian academic Edward bandits to lecherous billionaire of Arabs, from the year 1896 to
knowledge characterised that which Said put it in his groundbreaking sheikhs and sinister terrorists, 2000, only twelve were positive,
is Arab as that which is different. book on the subject, Orientalism, from silent and submissive women 52 were even handed while the rest
So, if the Arabs were childlike, published in the 1970s – ‘We are to enchanting belly-dancers. were negative. That the negative
irrational and depraved, ‘we’ were this and they are that.’ images are so all-pervasive and
mature, rational and virtuous. And the positive so minor, few and far
if ‘they’ were ignorant, ‘we’ were The end of the era of colonialism between, has the effect of vilifying
knowledgeable. Depicting the – during which much of the Arab a culture and a people.
Arab world as traditional, mysterious world was either part of the British
and timeless, reinforced a self- and French Empires or within their
conception of the Western world spheres of control – has sadly
as modern and as the site for seen neither the end of Western
change and progress. involvement in Arab affairs nor the
end of stereotypical portrayals of
the Arab world.
DEFINING AND DESCRIBING THE ARAB WORLD
A contextual essay by Naira Antoun from the Council for Arab British Understanding (CAABU)

Cultural clash?
The notion that the Arab world is what were the dark ages for Europe Few are aware, for example, Interest in the Arab world does not
essentially different from ‘our world’ were not the dark ages for the rest that Copernicus used many necessarily alter stereotypical and
in an oppositional way is at work in of the world. Indeed, Arabic and diagrams and calculations taken misleading views of it. The question
the ‘clash of civilisations’ perspective Islamic science did much more than from manuscripts of Ibn al-Shatir, is in the nature of that interest –
on world affairs. This idea of a clash preserve Western knowledge, it also a Syrian astronomer living in whether we are attracted only
between ‘Western’ and ‘Islamic’ produced knowledge. This science the 14th century. to those works which fulfil already
civilisation is one that gained in was Islamic in the sense that Muslim existing notions of the Arab world
The notion that the Islamic world
popularity after September 11th. rulers were great patrons of the or if we are willing to be challenged.
had a golden age and then passed
While it has much popular currency, arts and sciences and thus enabled One Syrian art dealer who sells a
into steady decline is commonplace
this perspective does not allow for stimulating and original scientific lot of work to non-Arabs says, “You
and creates the impression that
all that is shared between these achievements. Religion and science have to know very well what to pick.
what is of interest is historical not
supposedly separate cultures. Nor were not opposed but mutually What sells are usually paintings
contemporary. A case in point is
does it allow for the diverse and supported each other. The science with an obvious Eastern flair: scenes
Iraq – whenever art in Iraq is spoken
important cultural and scientific was Arabic in the sense that for of Bedouin life, Arabic letters, and
about it is in the sense of ancient
exchanges between them. Indeed over 700 years, Arabic was the long, dour female visages.” It is only
Mesopotamia and the country’s rich
there are many Arabic loanwords in international language of science. by moving beyond this that we will
antiquities, but rarely in the sense
everyday use in English which reflect Where great masters of Islamic be able to appreciate the diversity
of Iraq’s rich contemporary culture.
this, from mathematical terms such philosophy and science have made and richness of Arab history
In the wake of the U.S.-led invasion
as algebra and algorithm to the more their way into European literature, and culture.
in 2003, several museums were
mundane such as alcohol and cotton. they are known by Latinised names.
destroyed and looted, and the loss
The real name of Averroes, seen
In the story we tell and are often of the priceless collection of ancient
as a founding figure in secular
told about the history of ideas and artifacts at the National Museum
Renaissance thought, was Ibn
of science, the Arab world plays a of Iraq captured the world’s
Rushd, while the real name of
crucial part. The story goes, that by imagination. Meanwhile, the
Alhazen, known as the father of
translating Greek and Latin works destruction and looting of the
modern optics, was Ibn al-Haytham.
into Arabic, Arab scholars preserved priceless collection of the Iraqi
The reliance of European thought
European knowledge during the Museum of Modern Art, was
on Islamic thought is little known.
dark ages. However, barely registered outside Iraq.
COUNTRY PROFILES
Lebanon Egypt Iraq
Lebanon is an economically stable country on Egypt is a country in North Africa. The country’s Iraq is a country in the Middle East spanning
the Eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. population live mainly by the River Nile as mountainous and desert regions, with a coast
It is bordered by Syria to the north and east the Sahara Desert dominates the rest of the on the Persian Gulf.
and Israel to the south. landscape. Egypt is well known for its ancient
The country contains the important religious sites
civilisation and archaeology, including The
Lebanon has a unique political system known of Karbala and Najaf and is a centre of pilgrimage
Pyramids and The Rosetta Stone.
as Confessionalism, a power sharing mechanism for Shi’a Muslims. The Euphrates River flows
based on religious communities. There are 128 Egypt’s capital city, Cairo, is Africa’s largest city through the country. It is the longest and most
seats in the Lebanese Parliament. There are 64 and has been renowned for centuries as a centre significant river in the region.
seats representing Maronite, Greek Orthodox, of learning, culture and commerce. Egypt is the
Although Iraq has become known in recent years
Greek Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Armenian recognised cultural trend-setter of the Arabic-
for the conflict afflicting the country, it has been
Catholic, Protestant and other Christian groups. speaking world, and contemporary Arab culture
identified as being home to the earliest civilisation
There are 64 Muslim seats representing Sunni, is heavily influenced by Egyptian literature, music
on Earth and the place where writing and the
Shi’a, Druze and Alawite. Political parties are (including the renowned singer Umm Kulthum),
wheel originated.
formed around these religious groupings, of film and television.
which Hizballah is the most well known.
Lebanon’s complex politics are made even
more so given the tensions with Israel on its
southern border. LEBANON
When compared to the rest of the region IRAQ

Lebanese society is very modern and similar

in many aspects to Mediterranean culture.
It is often considered as Europe’s gateway to
the Middle East and vice versa. The country EGYPT
has large percentages of Muslim and Christian
followers. Some Lebanese consider themselves
Arabs whilst others do not.
Contemporary Arab art

Nisrine Boukhari Muhammad Ali Samar Maakaroun

The field of art and culture in the Arab world is of very well known contemporary artists from
complex and includes artists from culturally diverse Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Iraq and Jordan.
backgrounds and differing perspectives. Recent Emerging artists from the region also play an
and ongoing events in the region are a major factor important part in the international art world.
in world politics and ever present in the media.
Some artists look directly at identity. Mona
Popular perceptions of a clash between ‘Western’
Hatoum, an artist of Palestinian origin, for
and ‘Islamic’ civilizations and of ‘us’ and ‘them’,
example, examines the idea of dual nationality.
emphasise difference in discussions about art and
The work of Palestinian artist Emily Jacir, such
culture. Galleries and museums both in the Arab
as Ramallah/New York (2004-5) explores the
world and abroad are investigating this topic
idea of ‘us’ and ‘them’.
through exhibiting art. In the last two decades in
particular, artists have highlighted the processes
by which cultural boundaries are created.
The international contemporary art world follows
a certain understanding of the artist as someone
who is able to question such definitions and
divisions through their work. Perhaps the most
helpful way of approaching the subject is to look
at artists as individuals who explore different
ideas and issues, using different materials
and with very different aims. There are a number Muhammad Ali
Contemporary Arab art
The Atlas Group, take a different approach; Alongside the well known artists mentioned, who In addition to these expanding networks, as
formed in Lebanon in 1999 to research and regularly show in museums and galleries around new and emerging spaces for seeing and
document the contemporary history of Lebanon, the world, younger and emerging artists are exhibiting modern and contemporary art open
they have produced the Atlas Group Archive. supported by a growing network of organisations in the Arab world, there are new opportunities
The public part of the project includes both in the region and around the world. For for debate that allow for a deeper understanding
installations, screenings, essays and lectures. example, the Delfina Foundation in the UK of contemporary art in the Arab world.
facilitates artistic exchanges via a programme
The Lebanese artist Akram Zaatari has produced of artistic residencies and related public events.
a large number of films in addition to co-founding Recent artists included in the programme from
the Fondation Arabe pour l’Image, Beirut. the region have included Nisrine Boukhari,
His artwork interweaves documentary and Muhammad Ali and Waheeda Malullah.
personal stories to examine the complicated
social, political, and cultural issues of a country
shaped by conflict.

Samar Maakaroun Muhammad Ali Waheeda Mallulah

FURTHER
RESEARCH
Looking at artist’s
work in the classroom
About the work To understand contemporary art it helps to ask These resources can be used to develop the
questions. Each artwork documented in the cross-curriculum dimensions in the new secondary
In order to get the most out of these resources
resource, is accompanied by text about the work curriculum, especially identity and cultural diversity,
and encourage learners to respond to the artwork
and suggested questions to help you think about global dimension and sustainable development,
they see, it helps to be familiar with the process
and discuss what you see. and creativity and critical thinking. Where an
of looking at and responding to contemporary art.
artist’s work and the issues it raises links to a
The process of looking at contemporary art
Looking at contemporary art can be a new, particular area of the curriculum, this is highlighted
is explored further in the BALTIC resource
surprising, and sometimes confusing experience. at the end of the resource about that artist.
Getting the Most out of Contemporary Art.
Don’t try to form an opinion in the first few
moments that you see the art; take time to
consider it. Your opinions and reactions are just Curriculum Links / Cross Curricular
as meaningful as anyone else’s, especially if Opportunities
you look carefully and think about what you see. Contemporary Art is incredibly diverse and wide
An artwork can invoke unexpected feelings, or ranging. It presents a range of interests and ideas
maybe leave you feeling nothing at all, when you which reflect the social and cultural issues of the
think it should. It is important to remember that world in which we live. Many of the ideas which
there is no right or wrong way to respond. contemporary art asks us to consider relate to
teaching and learning across the curriculum.
USEFUL WEBSITES
Adel Abidin’s website Information about the life of children in Iraq Oxfam Education
http://www.adelabidin.com on the Unicef website www.oxfam.org.uk/education
www.unicef.org/infobycountry/iraq_2122.html
Amnesty Education Perceived role of Arab Women
www.amnesty.org.uk/education Iraq: War and Peace, a resource for teaching about www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/
Artschool Palestine the Iraq conflict for ages 8-16, produced by Oxfam. arabs/arabwomen.html
www.artschoolpalestine.com www.oxfam.org.uk/education/resources/iraq/?4
Progress of Arab Women: a Report
Attitudes to homosexuality in Egypt: Lebanon – further information www.unifem.org/materials/item_detail.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8621593.stm www.guardian.co.uk/world/lebanon php?ProductID=89
www.lonelyplanet.com/lebanon
Council for Arab-British Understanding Said Foundation
www.lensonlebanon.org
www.caabu.org www.saidfoundation.org
Mahmoud Khaled
Delfina Foundation Samar Maakaron’s website
www.mahmoudkhaled.com
www.delfinafoundation.com www.samarmaakaron.com
Muslim Women’s League
Discover the Arab World, resource produced Women’s Rights in Egypt:
www.mwlusa.org/
by the British Museum, learning pages at womenshistory.about.com/library/ency/
www.britishmuseum.org Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs blwh_egypt.htm
www.ochaopt.org/
Egypt – further information Women’s Rights in the UK:
www.guardian.co.uk/world/egypt Offscreen Education Programme www.guardian.co.uk/theobserver/
www.last.fm/music/Egyptian+Hip+Hop www.offscreened.com 2006/jan/08/society

USEFUL READING
Word into Art: Artists of the Modern Middle East Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Living Dolls: the Return of Sexism
by Venetia Porter (British Museum press, 2006) Raunch Culture by Ariel Levy (Simon & Schuster) by Natasha Walter (Virago)
FURTHER RESEARCH
BALTIC links and resources

BALTIC
www.balticmill.com
Baltic Primary and Secondary Resource Bank
http://www.balticmill.com/learning/Resources.php
Library and Archive
http://archive.balticmill.com
Quay
www.balticmill.com/quay
Acknowledgements

The Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU)

The Delfina Foundation
The Said Foundation
This resource and the Arab Artists in Residence Programme
were made possible through the generosity of the Said Foundation.