When Hesham Malik’s exhibition Ilat (meaning rain in Swahili) opened at Showcase Gallery in Alserkal Avenue in January, it was one of the busiest openings in town. People flocked from all over to see the abstract paintings of this Bahraini-born artist. I caught up with him for a Q&A:
Please tell me about the inspiration for Ilat. Why did you choose this subject?
The first time I thought about portraying the African culture was back in early 2000, but I felt I would not do justice if I didn’t experience the culture on “my own skin”. Initially when I visited Kenya, I got on a bus along with other tourists and was driven to a village where few families of the Masai tribe had settled. It was a completely useless trip as I could not connect much with them. Most of the tourists clicked photos and we were charged $20 for the trip. It was only during the third trip that I visited the tribe with a volunteer and lived with the tribe for few days, in their actual habitat. In these few days I realised it would take me many more trips to connect and understand the different tribes and their history.
The different myths and the unique way of life was one of the main reasons that attracted me to the subject.
How long did it take for you to complete this series?
Generally I pick a subject and the art work is complete for display in half a year. I was supposed to have this exhibit around early 2000, however, the interest in different tribes led to more visits and then I was just waiting for the right time. I kept creating art based on my notes and experience. However, due to the subject matter and my style of painting it took me many more years than I had planned. I have painted on different themes but it is the first time I have dedicated an entire exhibit on my African experience.
I’ve seen your work before and it always focus on humanity. What is it that fascinates you about the human condition?
I believe that as soon as we all understand the importance of humanity in our day to day lives, the purpose for which we are on Earth is automatically fulfilled. As an artist, different things fascinate me about the human condition. The concept of life and how we humans perceive life depending on our culture and background interests me. Most of the problems caused in today`s world are caused by the wrong interpretation of other people`s culture. My life has been very multicultural and I have often been confronted with situations which challenged my own thinking and my cultural perspective. It’s very important to know how different we are from others, and there is nothing wrong with it.
Do you find people react differently to your work depending on where in the world you exhibit?
Oh yes, People react very differently to my paintings in different parts of the world. The reaction truly depends on how exposed the community has been to art. There are places in the world where art is an integral part of lives of people and there are places where art is still being developed into a subject of discussion and people cannot fully appreciate it. Even what people notice in the painting and how they critique it is different. Either side as an artist it tells you a lot about the region and helps improve my decision for future exhibits.
Do you have many new collectors buying your work in Dubai?
The good thing about displaying art in Dubai is that I have never returned home with an unsold piece. The paintings are sold during the show or a week or so after the show. The people purchasing art in Dubai are smart and find out almost everything before investing into an art piece. I do have new collectors buying my art although not as much as I have in Europe.
What is your opinion of the UAE art scene and market?
The art scene in UAE is on the right track. Apart from the galleries there are many private events displaying and selling art. The fashion and the art industry have collaborated to work together. I am personally happy with the approach to initiate laws protecting the artist’s intellectual property. With the amount of artists participating in the region, its turning out to be a very competitive market.
* Ilat runs at Showcase Gallery until February 28th. For more information visit www.showcaseuae.com
