Flying House, Dubai UAE

By Laura Trelford

Image Courtesy of The Flying House, Dubai, U.A.E

The Flying House is a completely unique space – a haven from the business bustle of DIFC and even distanced from the dusty route commonly driven by art enthusiasts through the warehouses home to galleries such as The Third Line, B21, Ayyam. Driving through the residential area of Al Quoz you stop outside a typical two-storey house; the only clue to what lies behind the gate is the slightest glimpse of brightly coloured material wrapped around a tree trunk in the internal garden – a work by Mohammed Ahmed (a similar piece was installed at Art Dubai 2008).

I met Abdul Raheem Sharif in 2007 before Flying House was opened. I was astounded to learn of his ambitions – to create a museum-like foundation for UAE contemporary artists. “Who are the artists?” I naively asked at the time. “Well we can start with my brothers”, was the response. Hassan Sharif lives and breathes contemporary art. Based at The Flying House, the softly spoken Hassan has not left the UAE since studying Fine Art in London in the mid 80s, and to experience his studio space is a real treat. Tremendously prolific – every time you visit new, exuberant canvases are stacked in the corridors and experimental sculpture and ready-made installations spill down the stairs (and beneath them in glass display units). Hussain Sharif, his brother, Mohammed Kazem, and Mohammed Ahmad Ibrahim form the core of artists, with them opening up to new, young talents – the next generation.

Laura Trelford: What to you is the rationale behind the creation of The Flying House (TFH). Was it a personal vision, one for your family and friends (the artists), for the UAE or for the public?

Abdul Raheem Sharif: The UAE art scene has being under constant development during the last few years, and yet mostly these initiatives are characterised by a commercial approach. The Flying House is a non-profit foundation aiming to promote and support UAE contemporary artists to become better known locally and internationally, as well as providing a permanent location to exhibit and preserve contemporary UAE artists’ works. This is the vision of the TFH, obviously not solely a family-oriented initiative, although growing up with two brothers as artists has made me perceive the urgency of doing something to assure a better exposure for UAE contemporary art.

LT: What one impression is the most important for visitors to gain from a visit to The Flying House?

ARS: The main impression visitors should gain from visiting TFH is discovering the presence of a well-rooted UAE contemporary art scene, and considerable production in the field of new media dating back to the early 80s.

LT: Can you tell me about the name, The Flying House? I know it relates to a powerful artwork behind your desk.....

ARS: The Flying House is exclusively dedicated to UAE artists but its name comes from a painting by Dutch artist and old friend Jos Clevers, who has encouraged our initiative and embarked on this adventure with us. Despite its recent opening, TFH is a long-time project, which I have nurtured by collecting works and documentation during the past 30 years in order to ensure they are remembered, and to create material for an archive and future exhibitions.

LT: What is your relationship with commercial galleries, museums and other foundations?
ARS: TFH does not have a commercial vocation but we do cooperate with a few galleries (in UAE and abroad) to exhibit the works created by the artists we support and ultimately to promote them. We also regularly develop joint projects in cooperation with local and international foundations, mainly in the field of publications and public art.

LT: Do you work with specific curators on both how works are displayed at The Flying House (which is constantly evolving) and on external exhibitions?

ARS: We mainly work with our in-house curators, artist Mohammed Kazem and Cristiana de Marchi. Jos Clevers who used to curate our first shows sadly passed away last year.
   
LT: The Flying House artists have been exhibited widely internationally – particularly in Europe. I was delighted to see one room transported to the ADACH Platform for Venice at the Venice Biennale last summer, curated by Catherine David. How important is it for The Flying House artists to be viewed on an international level?

ARS: Exhibiting on an international scale is obviously a very important step in the career of an artist, especially when in the  context of an internationally celebrated exhibition such as the aforementioned Venice Biennale. We definitely try to create opportunities for artists to establish contacts with international institutions and curators in order to facilitate their exposure on a wider level.

LT: Would you like to develop publications produced about your artists?

ARS: Publications are a very sensitive issue and we are currently working on two editorial projects, a book of selected caricatures by Hassan Sharif and a medium size catalogue to illustrate the upcoming exhibition TFH will organize in Switzerland next March in partnership with local AB gallery. More projects are under study and will be developed in accordance with future projects and collaborations.

LT: What future do you see for The Flying House and UAE artists?

ARS: Can anyone engage in this kind of undertaking without believing in the brightest future?


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