As Hazem Harb offers me a seat in his studio, he absent-mindedly opens a sketch book. I let out a gasp as I see the page: it is the first sketch for Harb's installation We Used to Fly on Water, which made its debut at Athr Gallery in Jeddah earlier this year and was the piece de resistance in the gallery's booth at Art Dubai in March.
Consisting of 20 empty, stainless-steel suitcases forming a tunnel, the piece is a strong commentary on the Palestinian situation. It represents a nation of people forced to constantly travel because they cannot return home, forced to crawl through tunnels to cross borders. It was part of a larger collection that featured images of a Palestinian water plane and highlighted their technological advances before occupation.
In the sketch book, next to the pencil drawing of the installation, are scribbled sentences that are only partly legible; the words “hidden”, “underground”, “invisible” and “darkness” are underlined.
It is a fascinating glimpse into what was to become the backbone of one of Harb’s most interesting works.
“This is where the idea was born,” says the artist, looking around the studio with a contemplative gaze. “This is where I think, so this is where every project begins.”
But after a little more questioning, I discover this is not strictly true. We are sitting in Harb’s home studio in his Dubai Marina apartment, but he is not always here. Much like the unidentified Palestinians in his installation, Harb is always on the move. He has been living in this apartment for only a year but plans to move soon. He is spending the summer in his semi-permanent home in Belluno, a small Italian village near the Austrian border. For him, this nomadic existence is normal.
“I am used to making my home as soon as I arrive anywhere,” he says. “It is because I cannot return to my country, so I never really feel free. My work is too connected to this concept.”
Born in 1980 in the Gaza Strip, Harb witnessed a great deal of conflict in his early years. His mother, a fashion stylist, introduced him to art through her sketches. When he was 12, he started attending art classes at the YMCA in Gaza City.
He finally left Gaza in 1999 to enrol for a fine arts degree at Nablus at An-Najah University in Palestine, but his plans were thwarted by the second intifada so he ended up back in Gaza and moved to Italy a few years later.
In 2004, Harb enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome and graduated from The European Institute of Design in 2009.
Since then, his career has been gaining traction with a residency at the Delfina Foundation in London in 2011 and, last year, the British Museum in London acquired his photography series Beyond Memory.
Currently, his work is on show in the United Kingdom's Durham University. In October, he will exhibit at the Grand Palais in Paris.
When I visited, Harb had just finished a series of abstract geometric paintings for a solo show at Athr titled Al Baseera. The large scale canvases, filled with precise colour blocks and abstracted forms of Islamic patterns, reveal a marked shift in tone.
Al Baseera is derived from the Arabic word basar, which means to look as well as to see through something, whether an object, an event or an idea.
“[This series] came from a personal need to do something different,” Harb explains. “I had to get away from the idea of conflict because, honestly, there is no more space for the sadness inside of me. I am not just talking as a Palestinian but as a human being and an artist – our world is full of catastrophe.”
• For more, visit www.hazemharb.com
aseaman@thenational.ae
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 275Nm from 2,000-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: from Dh155,000
On sale: now
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
Pupils in Abu Dhabi are learning the importance of being active, eating well and leading a healthy lifestyle now and throughout adulthood, thanks to a newly launched programme 'Healthy Lifestyle'.
As part of the Healthy Lifestyle programme, specially trained coaches from City Football Schools, along with Healthpoint physicians have visited schools throughout Abu Dhabi to give fun and interactive lessons on working out regularly, making the right food choices, getting enough sleep and staying hydrated, just like their favourite footballers.
Organised by Manchester City FC and Healthpoint, Manchester City FC’s regional healthcare partner and part of Mubadala’s healthcare network, the ‘Healthy Lifestyle’ programme will visit 15 schools, meeting around 1,000 youngsters over the next five months.
Designed to give pupils all the information they need to improve their diet and fitness habits at home, at school and as they grow up, coaches from City Football Schools will work alongside teachers to lead the youngsters through a series of fun, creative and educational classes as well as activities, including playing football and other games.
Dr Mai Ahmed Al Jaber, head of public health at Healthpoint, said: “The programme has different aspects - diet, exercise, sleep and mental well-being. By having a focus on each of those and delivering information in a way that children can absorb easily it can help to address childhood obesity."
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
