Maitha Huraiz / Mehnaz TanInterview with Maitha Huraiz (curator of student show Beynond Conventions) and Mehnaz Tan (Director of Gallery ElementA, Dubai)

Reem Fekri: You recently curated the student show titled 'Beyond Conventions' at Elementa. How did the idea of producing a show solely of a student's work surface? How did was the idea proposed to the gallery?

Maitha Huraiz: I first met Mehnaz in Art Dubai while I was working there as an intern, I asked her if their gallery promotes Emarati artists and why is it that they didn’t. Her reaction was surprising, she directly suggested doing something for local talents. The initial idea was to create a show for emerging artists whether old or young. However, later after several meetings with her and seeing as the artists that I know of are only constituted of young artists, we decided to create a student-level show.

Mehnaz Tan: As a gallery, Elementa has been keen to promote and support young emerging artists and felt that within this region they needed this kind of platform and support - It is not always about ”importing"culture but also very much nurturing it from within.  When Maitha approached me I was more than happy to offer our space.

 RF: How did you choose the students? What was the selection process? 

MH: It was an easy process, since there are only few who Mehnaz and I felt were strong enough to take part in the show.

MT: It was actually Maitha who put forward a few names in her proposal and we selected those works that we felt were strong, had a sense of individuality and content.

RF: A few years ago there were few galleries, even fewer art students, and curators - art schools were virtually unheard of. Do you think the rapidly changing cultural infrastructure in the country has had a positive impact on producing regional artists and curators?

MH: Having more venues and more exhibitions that highlights the importance of art and promotes it, no doubt, has a positive impact on us. Artists are also frequently encouraged to participate in shows and more students are considering following artistic careers.

MT: It has definitely had a positive impact on the nascent art scene within this region. With more galleries opening up, fairs like Art Dubai coming in; all these have contributed to a healthy art community, exposing and encouraging the students/artists to take their work more seriously and look at it within a more professional context.
Colleges are re-evaluating their curriculums, as there has been an increase in students wanting to study the arts. I believe certain institutions are also looking at incorporating a Masters programme (as none exist to date), which is vital for those who may not have an opportunity to further pursue their career abroad.  

RF: By having more shows by artists from the MENASA region, do you hope that this will eliminate certain cliché stereotypes regarding Arabs, from a Western perspective?

MH: Yes! Hopefully, art is a mean of communication after all. Through art, artists like myself try to expose ideas and messages that will help erase these stereotypes. Art Dubai, for instance, is a good start for us to do that, however, I wish if more local/regional artists are able to take part in it.

MT: One can have more shows but I think the quality of the shows and the selected artists will have to be carefully considered. Not all art is necessarily good art.

RF: Are there any works that particularly stand out? What are the artists that you would recommend an audience to look out for?

MH: I wouldn’t particularly choose one.  Each artist addresses a different yet interesting issue. And each has a style that makes their work different, in a way.

MT: The art scene is still very young so one will have to carefully watch these artists and see how serious they are about their own work and how they see themselves growing, especially when there seems to be a sudden interest in the Arts of the Middle East.

RF: What advise would you give international audiences - whether they are artists, curators or gallery directors - when coming to Dubai? 

MH: To lookout for young artist, they might be surprised by their fresh new ideas.

MT: I agree with Maitha. Also, there are some good galleries and studios that have some strong programmes and are easily accessible. They should take time to visit them to better understand what Dubai has to offer culturally.

Photo Credits: Courtesy of the artist and Gallery Elementa

 

 

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