INTERVIEW WITH ROSE ISSA, DIRECTOR OF ROSE ISSA PROJECTS, LONDON

Hassan Hajjaj, Classic, Image Courtesy of Rose Issa Projects, London, England
Hassan Hajjaj, Classic, Image Courtesy of Rose Issa Projects, London, England 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rose Issa is a curator, writer and producer who has championed visual art and film from the Arab world and Iran for nearly 30 years. She has lived in Iran, Lebanon, France and, for the last 20 years, London, where from her private project space in Kensington she showcases upcoming and established artists, and produces exhibitions and publications with public and private institutions worldwide.

Through curating numerous exhibitions and film festivals, she introduced for the first time to Western audiences many of the artists who have since become stars of the international scene, including: Chant Avedissian, Mohamed Ehsai, Shadi Ghadirian, Monir Farmanfarmaian, Bahman Ghobadi, Khosrow Hassanzadeh, Farhad Moshiri, Abbas Kiarostami, Rashid Koraichi and Nja Mahdaoui among many more.Rose Issa has served as guest curator for numerous private and public institutions, including Tate Britain, London (2008); European Parliament (2008); the State Museum of Oriental Art, Moscow (2007); the Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg (2007); ING Bank, Geneva (2007); the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (2006); the Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW), Berlin (2004); The CCCB (Contemporary Cultural Centre), Barcelona (2003); IFA - Institut fur Auslandsbezeihungen (2002-3), Germany; Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam (1996-1997); the Barbican Art Centre (2001, 1995); and The Leighton House Museum (ongoing, since 1992).

She also advises public and private art institutions on their loans and acquisitions of contemporary artworks from the Middle East, including The British Museum; the Imperial War Museum; The Museum of Mankind; the Victoria and Albert Museum; The National Museums of Scotland; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; The Smithsonian Institution (Sackler/Freer Gallery and National Museum of African Arts); the World Bank, Washington DC; and The National Gallery of Jordan. She was a Jury member for the National Pavillions at the 50th Venice Biennale (2003) and for the Mondriaan Foundation, Amsterdam (2006).

In addition she has collaborated with the Queensland Art Museum, Brisbane, Australia (2009); Paul Klee Museum, Bern (2009); and Belvedere Museum, Vienna (2009). She is also the Director of Beyond Art Production Ltd, which publishes many of her exhibition catalogues.

Reem Fekri: Rose Issa Projects acts as an important platform for artistic discourse with arts from the Middle Eastern region, and you have been working with artists from the Middle East and Iran for years - as a writer, curator and producer. Why the shift to having your own exhibition space?

Rose Issa: In the last 26 years I have curated many exhibitions in the UK and Europe with Arab and Iranian artists; two years ago I felt that I no longer have the time and patience to negotiate with public institutions on proposals that could promote artists and artworks that I felt deserved urgent support. My colleague Juliet Cestar suggested we take a project space where we have the freedom of time and space to present small-scale projects to both institutions and collectors.

RF: What do you think the perception is of contemporary Middle Eastern & Iranian art in London, and how the market has shifted during the past 5 years?

RI: So much has already been said about this; however I believe that is was about time that artists received worldwide exposure that many deserved. I am delighted that finally many of the artists I admire are now commercially successful.

RF: Any in particular?

RI: Artists such as Chant Avedissian, Mohamad Ehsai, Monir Farmanfarmaian, Khosrow Hassanzadeh and Farhad Moshiri were well below their value when I first organized exhibitions for them many years ago.

Shirazeh Hoshiary, Courtesy of Lisson Gallery

RF: You’ve visited the fair every year since it opened, yet, this is your first year participating at Art Dubai – and you are also participating in the satellite Bastakiya Art Fair – what made you decide to participate, and why now?

RI: I am a supporter of every initiative that supports art and culture from our region. This year I am fortunate to be working with a larger team of like-minded people that allows me to take on more projects that are of interest to us.

RF: What talks will you be chairing?

RI: I am chairing a series of talks on the 18th, 19th, and 20th from 10.30-11.30am. The speakers will include Hans Ulrich Obrist, Director of International Projects at the Serpentine Gallery in London; Dr Venetia Porter Tripp, Curator of the Islamic and Contemporary Middle East department at the British Museum, London; Anna Somers Cocks, Founder and Editorial Director of The Art Newspaper; and a panel of artists from the Arab world and Iran.

RF: Which artists are you bringing?

RI: At Art Dubai I am showcasing recent large-scale works by Chant Avedissian and introducing a selection from the portfolios of Jananne Al Ani, Raeda Saadeh and Fathi Hassan. At Bastakiyya we are showing Avedissian’s smaller stencils and have four rooms in House 107 dedicated to the exceptional Iranian artists Parastou Forouhar, Farhad Ahrarnia, Taraneh Hemami and Bita Ghezelayagh. These Iranian artists are all making their Dubai debut this year.

RF: One might suggest that contemporary arts from the Middle East became desirable post 9/11, when the West was accused of misinterpreting the region. Would you agree with this or would you say the interest runs deeper than that?

RI: Post 9/11 there has definitely been an increase in interest in our part of the world, for many reasons. Any excuse to draw attention to the writers, filmmakers, and artists is for me a good opportunity to present a healthier and more correct vision than that presented by the mass media in both the West and East.

RF: You previously curated film seasons, focusing on Iranian and Arab filmmakers – how does it differ to curating the contemporary arts in a gallery context?

RI: I am a visual person and never saw much difference between visual arts and films. I have always been interested in what artists have to say, be it film, painting or video installation. I introduced several European festival film directors to Iran and the Arab world that led to direct collaboration between producers and directors from the region with international festivals. In terms of visual arts there is still much to be done in terms of publication, archiving and documenting hence my focus in the last few years on jointly publishing books and monographs on artists from the region.

RF: Do you find it somewhat irksome that one cannot discuss Middle Eastern art without touching on Middle Eastern politics? Or do you think the two will always be presented in tandem?

RI: History and politics are part of daily life whether you are an artist or not. I always thought the strength of artists from the region, who did not have the same privileges and infrastructure available to artists in the West, was in getting their inspiration from the fabric of life. Even the most seemingly decorative artworks are today related to current affairs.

Monir Farmafamaian, Leighton House
Museum, Image Courtesy of Rose Issa Projects

RF: Have you ever had any negative attention with regards to any of your shows or film programmes?

RI: I brush off any negative input; a few years ago when I was showing Palestinian films at the London Film Festival I received death threats. Giving attention to such silencing attempts is a waste of time. The worst negative attention is the silence of the mainstream media towards the many positive images and attempts by artists from our region.

RF: Would you agree that this negative input clearly strives you to push harder for artists from the region?

RI: I do what I think needs to be done; I don’t follow anyone’s agenda or counter-agenda.

RF: It has been argued that some artists are taking advantage of the exoticism associated with the Middle East. Would you agree with this?

RI: Truly good artists are never influenced by other people’s agendas. If you cater to trends, you become irrelevant when the trend is over.


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