30 October–7 December 2007

Mahdaoui is a visual artist and an explorer of signs who graduated from the Academy Santa Andrea, Rome, and the Ecole du Louvre, Paris. His varied work comprises paintings, prints, tapestries, designs for fashion designer Amel Sghir, book covers and book illustrations. He was selected by Gulf Air (UAE) to design the external decoration of its fleet for the airline's fiftieth anniversary, and in 2005 he won a UNESCO Crafts Prize for the Arab States with a stained-glass creation. His works are in museum collections in the Middle East, Europe, North America and Asia, as well as at three airports in Saudi Arabia. He has participated in numerous biennials and group and solo exhibitions and has also organized conferences. He has received many international awards, including the Grand Prix des Arts et des Lettres (Tunisia), and has been on the committees for a number of international artistic events. Mahdaoui lives and works in Tunisia.

10 December–18 January 2008

A member of the Bahrain Arts Society, Abdul Rahim works in a range of a media and has produced twenty-five livres d'artiste. He has participated in group exhibitions in the Middle East, Europe and the Far East since 1992 and has had eleven solo exhibitions in Arab countries since 1999. His awards include the 2nd Prize of the 4th Biennial of Sharjah, 1999; the Jury Prize in the 3rd Egyptian International Print Triennial, 1999; and first prizes in Mini Print Internationals in Spain and Argentina, both in 2005. His works are in private and public collections in the Middle East and Spain. He lives and works in Bahrain.

1–28 February 2009

This exhibition displays Mohamed Kanoo’s Shemaghart concept, where he uses the textile of the shemagh as the primary media of his work. Mohamed's artistic philosophy is often termed as 'being in transition', an unintentional description of his efforts that he holds very close to his heart.  He feels an artist must be continually changing, improving, growing, expanding and should never be caught in a repetitive rut. 

He has also been challenged by perceived artistic prohibitions of his Islamic faith.  Following the tragedy of 9/11, and the resultant negative cultural confrontation by the West, he has focused on achieving a successful artistic platform that presents a position from which he can reflect more positively an alternative view of contemporary Arabia.

22 February–11 April 2010

Meem Gallery and Mehrnoush Fatholahi present a joint exhibition displaying the work of Iran's leading contemporary artists Pooya Aryanpour (b. 1971, Tehran) and Morteza Darehbaghi (b. 1969, Tehran). Both artists studied at Azad University in Tehran and have held exhibitions in Iran, UAE, UK and US. Aryanpour's recent work explores the rotation of fluid circular forms which taper off into sharp edged points, which he describes as 'cutting objects,' while tradition and symbols from religious rituals are constant sources of inspiration for Darehbaghi.
 

7 February–3 March 2011

Art in Iraq Today: Part III is the third part of five exhibitions displaying contemporary Iraqi. Curated by Dia Azzawi, this exhibition displays the work of Himat M. Ali, Amar Dawod and Delair Shaker. The exhibition, and its supporting catalogue, is dedicated to the memory of Jabra Ibrahim Jabra and his seminal essays on modern Iraqi art, titled Art in Iraq Today. 

Part IV (March–Apr 2011), will exhibit the work of modern masters Dia Azzawi, Rafa Nasiri and Ali Talib. Part V (April–May), the work of Ali Jabbar, Halim Karim and Mahmud Obaidi. Part I, held in October 2010, exhibited the recent work of Modhir Ahmed, Nedim Kufi and Hanaa Malallah; and Part II, which was held in November 2010, displayed the work of Ghassan Ghaib, Kareem Risan and Nazar Yahya.

12 March–30 April 2012

Art Morocco presents the rare opportunity to view the work of Moroccan modern masters Mohammed Melehi, Ahmed Cherkaoui and Jilali Gharbaoui. Pioneers of modern abstract painting in Morocco, their work demonstrates how, following the country’s independence in 1956, artists created an aesthetic dialogue between their cultural heritage and the impact of colonialism on North African artistic culture. Having studied abroad during the late 1950s (in Europe and the US), the three artists’ work formally adheres to modern Western artistic techniques but simultaneously references traditional Moroccan arts and crafts, signs and symbols. In 1959, Melehi and Gharbaoui exhibited their work at the Première Biennale des Jeunes in Paris, introducing the international art world to contemporary Moroccan art. The artists, along with Cherkaoui, also participated in the second installment of the Biennale in 1961. This exhibition is the first show to display the work of the three artists in the United Arab Emirates.    

Meem Gallery would like to thank Attijariwafa Bank for the loan of the works of Ahmed Cherkaoui and Jilali Gharbaoui from their corporate collection.

15 January–28 February 2013

This exhibition displays Parviz Tanavoli’s recent rugs collection. More commonly known for his sculptures and as one of the founders of the ‘Saqqakhaneh School’, Tanavoli has for many decades researched, written about, collected and created rugs. The artist’s ongoing interest in Iranian visual culture has pervaded his artistic practice, which spans over fifty years, as well as his creation of rugs: pictorial, lion, prayer design, and gabbeh. Subjects explored in his rug designs are not only culled from the tribal and nomadic arts and culture of Iran but from the themes found in his art, such as Farhad the Mountain Carver, Lovers, Poet, Lion, Bird and Cage. He also draws inspiration from traditional Persian literature, most notably the mythological stories of King Hushang Shah and Sheikh San’an. In 1973, Tanavoli founded the Tehran Rug Society, organizing two tribal weave exhibitions in 1975 and 1976.

The first solo exhibition displaying his rug designs was held in Tehran’s Zand Gallery in 1978. From 1975-92 his Lion Rugs of Fars exhibition, which displayed his personal collection of lion rugs, toured the US, Canada, UK, Germany, Switzerland, Australia and Iran. Following the 1979 revolution, and the Iran-Iraq war, socio-political circumstances prevented him from displaying his sculptures in Iran, leading him to focus on designing and producing gabbehs. His first gabbeh exhibition was held in Vienna’s Bessim Gallery in 1986, followed by others in London, Zurich and Cologne. A selection of his rugs are held at the Tate Modern, London, Kerman Museum and in several private collections. This is Tanavoli’s second exhibition—in 2009 his sculptures were exhibited alongside photographic works by Abbas Kiarostami—at Meem Gallery. His work was also presented by Meem at the Abu Dhabi Art Fair in 2010 and 2011; the first display exhibited a selection of Tanavoli’s bronze sculptures (with the paintings of Iraqi artist, Dia Azzawi), and the second display showcased his monumental, stainless-steel, heech sculpture.

25 January–10 March 2007

Ali Omar Ermes was educated in both Libya and England. He is a writer and painter and worked as a freelance writer for nearly ten years. In 1974 he was appointed consultant to the London-based World of Islam Festival, which took place in 1976, and travelled widely during the course of this consultancy. In 1981 he settled in London with his family, where he has lived and worked ever since. His work is based on Arabic letters, and he often uses excerpts from Arabic and world literature addressing social and moral issues that have resonance today. He is involved with numerous cultural and intellectual institutions and is Chairman of the Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre, London.With many publications and over sixty solo and group exhibitions worldwide, his works have been acquired by both public institutions and private collectors in the Middle East, Europe, the USA and East Asia.

29 January–26 March 2008

In 1991, he graduated from Marmara University in Istanbul, Turkey. He graduated from the university's College of Fine Arts with honors. He continued his education earning a Master of Arts degree in 1993. Acar found an interest in rotogravure, wood press and various other forms of artistic expression. He has been influenced by some of the most creative minds of his time including M. Plevneli, Mustafa Aslier and various other professors considered to be among the best in the world. Acar was also able to study with David Salle and improve upon his exhibition preparation tactics. Awarded the coveted 'Most Successful Artist in Turkey' in 2004, galleries in Turkey as well as across the globe showcase his work. His paintings have been sought after for private collections and housed in art museums. Ismail Acar's paintings draw in the wandering eye and then capture it in scenes where the east meets the west. History seems to find a contemporary place where modernized paintings capture culture and religion taking care to be most expressive. Known for his generosity as much as his artistic talent, Ismail Acar has donated one-part of all of his income from his artistic exhibitions since 2001 to various charities and organizations. His exhibitions include displays in Geneva, Prague, Switzerland, Japan and Paris among various others. His more notable exhibitions include the 1991 Exhibition for the Benefit of Homeless Children and the 1994 Youth and Art Gallery Exhibition in the 1994 BP Exhibition in Istanbul. In 1999, he was the subject of a highly acclaimed documentary by Executive Serpil Boydak where his work and life were highlighted. Ismail Acar's paintings hang in private collections around the world including all of the European countries, Mexico, Canada, America, Russia, Ukraine, China, Korea, and Japan. He currently resides in Turkey where he continues to work in Istanbul.

9 March–14 April 2009

This exhibition presents Abbas Kiarostami's Trees and Crows photographic series. Kiarostami is a photographer, filmmaker, painter, illustrator, graphic designer, and poet. After graduating from Tehran University with a degree in painting, he started work as a graphic designer. He began taking photographs of Iranian landscapes in the late 1970s, and since then has held over fifty exhibitions worldwide. At the age of thirty, he began his career as a filmmaker, making numerous award-winning films, becoming one of the most prominent figures in contemporary Iranian cinema. His awards include, First Prize, Fourth Giffoni International Film Festival, Italy, 1974; Prize of International Confederation of Art Cinemas, Forty-Second Locarno International Film Festival, Switzerland, 1989; Prize for Best Director, Fifth Dunkirk International Film Festival, France, 1991; Special Prize, Twenty-Seventh Giffoni International Film Festival, Italy, 1997; Lifetime Achievement Award, Third Beirut Film Festival, Lebanon, 2000; and Glory to the Filmmaker Award, Venice Film Festival, 2008. Exhibitions of his work have been held in France, Italy, Spain, Norway, Germany, London, Russia, China, Japan, US, and Canada

12 October–11 November 2010

Meem Gallery is pleased to present the first part of five exhibitions displaying contemporary Iraqi art. Curated by Dia Azzawi, Art in Iraq Today: Part I exhibits the work of Modhir Ahmed, Nedim Kufi and Hanaa Malallah. The exhibition, and its supporting catalogue, is dedicated to the memory of Jabra Ibrahim Jabra and his seminal essays on modern Iraqi art, titled 'Art in Iraq Today.'

Part II (Nov–Dec 2010) of the series, will exhibit the work of Ghassan Ghaib, Kareem Risan and Nazar Yahya; Part III (Feb–Mar 2011): Himat Ali, Amar Dawod and Delair Shaker; Part IV (Mar–Apr 2011), the modern masters Dia Azzawi, Rafa Nasiri and Ali Talib; and Part V (Apr–May 2011), Ali Jabbar, Halim Karim and Mahmoud Obaidi.

14 March–18 April 2011

This is the fourth part of the five exhibitions, Art in Iraq Today, displaying contemporary Iraqi art. Curated by Dia Azzawi, Part IV will exhibit the recent work of Dia Azzawi, Rafa Nasiri (both founders of the New Vision Group in 1969) and Ali Talib. The exhibition, and its supporting catalogue, is dedicated to the memory of Jabra Ibrahim Jabra and his seminal essays on modern Iraqi art, titled 'Art in Iraq Today.'

Part V (25 April–31 May 2011), will exhibit the work of Ali Jabbar, Halim Kareem and Mahmoud Obaidi. Part I, held in October 2010, exhibited the recent work of Modhir Ahmed, Nedim Kufi and Hanaa Malallah; Part II, which was held in November 2010, displayed the work of Ghassan Ghaib, Kareem Risan and Nazar Yahya; Part III, which opened in February, showcased the paintings of Himat M. Ali, Amar Dawod and Delair Shaker.

15 May–5 July 2012

Fun w/Fen is Mohamed Kanoo’s second solo exhibition at the gallery, displaying his recent work. The exhibition presents the artist’s humorous interpretation of topical issues including religion, culture, politics and popular culture. The exhibition features silkscreen and digital prints, installation and mixed media works, such as Abayya Army and the Red Balloon, Catching Fish, and Henna Stop Sign. Many of his recent works also pays homage to a number of artists Kanoo draws inspiration from, such as in works like Allah, which presents four small incisions on a large silver canvas, an immediate interpretation of the pioneering conceptual work of the 1950s  Argentinian born artist Lucio Fontana; AraMao, which is based on Andy Warhol’s famous portrait of Chairman Mao; and his personal interpretation of Katsushika Hokusai’s iconic The Great Wave off Kanagawa, where he replaces Mount Fuji with Dubai’s Burj Al Arab. Kanoo’s first solo exhibition held at Meem Gallery in 2009 displayed his ‘99’ Shemaghart collection.

13 March–02 May

Moving Forward By The Day presents a series of large-scale mixed-media works which examine ideas relating to personal and collective identity and memory. Inspired by the sacred funerary texts from the Book of the Dead (c. 1550 BCE), this series confronts viewers with ironic renderings of cultural tropes, as Hafez believes that ‘we are at a point in history where there is cultural recycling: visual, conceptual…’ By drawing on symbols and forms culled from ancient Egyptian iconography and international contemporary culture, Hafez creates thought-provoking compositions recognizable to both local and international audiences.       

This is Hafez’s first exhibition at Meem Gallery, and the first solo exhibitions he has held in the Gulf region. He has held solo exhibitions in Egypt, where he lives and works, France, Italy, Spain and Cameroon and has work in public international collections including Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah; State Museum of Contemporary Art, Thessaloniki; Saatchi Collection, London; MuHKA Museum of Contemporary Art, Antwerp; Ars Aevi Museum of Contemporary Art, Sarajevo; Horcynus Orca Foundation, Messina; and Mali National Museum, Bamako.

His works have been displayed in Hiroshima Museum of Contemporary Art, Hiroshima, 2012; State Museum of Contemporary Art, Thessaloniki, 2011; Museum of Contemporary Art, Roskilde, Denmark, 2007 & 2011; Instituto Tomie Ohtake, Sao Paolo, 2011; Yuchengco Museum, Manila, 2011; Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, 2010 & 2012; The New Museum NY, 2010; Casa Arabe, Madrid, 2010; Saatchi Gallery, London, 2009; Queens Museum, NY, 2008; Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris, 2008 & 2012; Tate Modern, London, 2007; MuHKA Museum of Contemporary Art, Antwerp, 2007 & 2011; and Kunstmuseum, Bonn, 2007.

2–25 April 2008

Ali Omar Ermes and Nja Mahdaoui are both internationally recognized as the leading Arabic artists alive today, whose work is held in the leading International public collections globally.

Meem, supporting the exhibition, Word into Art, held at the British Museum - which includes the work of Ali Omar and Nja, brings them together for the first time for Nasaim by Meem - a celebration of the greatest Arabic artists alive today.

28 April–10 June 2009

 This exhibition, which displays Dia Azzawi’s paintings and sculpture from 2007–08, is the first to bring the Iraqi modern art pioneer's recent work to Dubai. Following his retrospective exhibition held at the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival (March 2009), this collection demonstrates the artist's continuing interest in both Arab and European culture. The exhibition includes Relationship (2007), where Azzawi draws inspiration from Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss (c. 1907); Biruni Sketch of Landmasses (2007),which reveals his continuing interest in, and unique interpretation of, classical Islamic history; and Voyager’s Traces (2008) which recalls memories from the artist’s travels.

25 April–31 May 2011

This is the final part of the Art in Iraq Today series, displaying contemporary Iraqi art. Curated by Dia Azzawi, Part V will exhibit the recent work of Ali Jabbar, Halim Karim and Mahmoud Obaidi. The exhibition, and its supporting catalogue, is dedicated to the memory of Jabra Ibrahim Jabra and his seminal essays on modern Iraqi art, titled 'Art in Iraq Today.'

Art in Iraqi: Part I, held in October 2010, exhibited the recent work of Modhir Ahmed, Nedim Kufi and Hanaa Malallah; Part II, in November 2010, displayed the work of Ghassan Ghaib, Kareem Risan and Nazar Yahya; Part III, which opened in February, showcased the paintings of Himat M. Ali, Amar Dawod and Delair Shaker; and Part IV exhibited the work of modern masters Dia Azzawi, Rafa Nasiri (both founders of the New Vision Group in 1969) and Ali Talib. The exhibition series finale show will take place in November this year. Meem Editions will also be launching the book Art in Iraq Today, which is an outgrowth of the gallery's Iraqi art project, featuring essays by the exhibited artists as well as May Muzaffar, Farouk Yousif, Nada Shabout, Georges Rabbath and Samar Faruqi, later this year.

13 May–27 June 2013

Meem Gallery is pleased to present an extensive collection of works, including paintings and mixed-media compositions, by  modern and contemporary Iraqi artists. Modern Iraqi Art: A Collection takes viewers through the decades of Iraq’s modern and contemporary art production. The exhibition represents the creative output of three generations of artists, starting with the work of modern masters such as Faiq Hassan who, with Jewad Selim, pioneered the country’s modern art scene and forged an artistic identity specific to Iraq. Second generation ‘pioneer’ artists like Dia Azzawi, Shakir Hassan Al Said and Ismail Fattah, who encouraged a pan-Arab focus for art during the late-1960s and 1970s, as well as a more theoretical approach to art-making, also feature in this collection. Completing the display is the work of the ‘eighties generation’ of artists, including Hanaa Malallah, Halim Karim and Mahmoud Obaidi, who were taught by the previous generation at the Institute and Academy of Fine Arts in Baghdad, and bring with them an aesthetic that is rooted in Iraq’s cultural heritage but simultaneously affected by the experience of exile.

The artists represented in the exhibition have work in important regional and international collections such as the Museums of Modern Art in Baghdad, Damascus and Tunis; Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha; Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts, Amman; British Museum, Tate Modern and Victoria and Albert Museum, London; Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris, and Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah. Modern Iraqi Art follows a series of Iraqi art shows by the gallery: Dia Azzawi (2009, solo exhibition), Art in Iraq Today (2010–11, five-part series), and the recent Elegy To My Trapped City (displaying Azzawi’s mural-sized painting, 2012). Additionally, this year the Arab League and UNESCO announced Baghdad as the Arab Capital of Culture. Modern Iraqi Art: A Collection will be accompanied by a catalogue of the works held in the collection.

24 September–31 October 2012

Dia Azzawi’s mural-sized painting, Elegy To My Trapped City (2011), was first exhibited by the gallery in November 2011, during Abu Dhabi Art. Comprised of haunting fragmented monochrome forms, the work represents the post-2003 destruction of Iraq. As one of the more politically inclined artists of his generation, Azzawi has since the 1970s created works which address the issue of human suffering as a result of political instability. His politically motivated works are often likened to Picasso’s seminal painting Guernica (1937); however, the artist’s exploration of themes of war and plight also differ from the Spanish artist in several ways: in the nature of the attack displayed, and the compositional arrangement of figures and forms. The display of Elegy follows the recent unveiling of the artist’s painting Sabra Shatila at the Tate Modern in London, a work based on the 1982 massacre of civilians in Beirut’s Palestinian refugee camps during the Lebanese civil war. Elegy, which also pays homage to the Iraqi poet Abd al-Wahhab al-Bayati’s (1926-1999) poem of the same title, was exhibited with five acrylic and China ink preparatory drawings by the artist.

4–7 November 2010

Emirates Palace

Booth C10

Dia Azzawi & Parviz Tavoli Joint Exhibition

At Abu Dhabi Art 2010, Meem Gallery presented a joint exhibition of the work of Dia Azzawi and Parviz Tanavoli.  The display included paintings and fiberglass sculptures by Azzawi from 2006–2010, and Tanavoli’s bronze sculptures from 2005–2010. This was the first year the gallery participated in the Abu Dhabi Art Fair. 

Book Launch

Location: Auditorium

30 April–12 June 2008

Abdulla Al Muharraqi is recognised as being the founding father of Modern Arab Art in The Gulf. Born in Bahrain - his work is held in the highest esteem by the leading collectors throughout the GCC. He is not only Bahrain's artist - he is the Gulf's artist. His work embodies the Arabian Peninsula like no other - chronicling the movement in time from yesterday to today. His paintings exhibit a level of raw emotion not exhibited by any other artist from The Gulf. The artist believes his pictures tell you more than words ever could. Qatar has honoured the artist Abdulla Al Muharraqi with a hall devoted to his work in the Museum of Modern Arabic Art. He is the only Arab artist to recieve such an honour.

13 October–1 November 2009

Meem Gallery celebrates the work of some of the Middle East's foremost modern artists in the Middle East Modern Masters exhibition. Showcasing the art of Ali Omar Ermes, Dia Azzawi, Abbas Kiarostami, Nja Mahdaoui, Ismail Acar, Mona Saudi, Laila Shawa, Hamza Bounoua, Jamal Abdul Rahim and Ahmed Moustafa, this exhibition displays the work of the region's greatest talents together for the first time.

15 November - 12 December 2010

This is the second part of four exhibitions displaying contemporary Iraqi art. Curated by Dia Al-Azzawi, Art in Iraq Today: Part II exhibits the work of Ghassan Ghaib, Kareem Risan and Nazar Yahya. The exhibition, and its supporting catalogue, is dedicated to the memory of Jabra Ibrahim Jabra and his seminal essays on modern Iraqi art, titled 'Art in Iraq Today.'

Part III (Feb - Mar 2011) will exhibit the work of Himat Ali, Amar Dawod and Delair Shaker; and Part IV (Mar - Apr 2011), modern masters Dia Al-Azzawi, Rafa Al-Nasiri and Ali Talib. Part I, held in October, exhibited the recent work of Modhir Ahmed, Nedim Kufi and Hanaa Malallah.

5 October–5 November 2011

Art Palestine, curated by Rula Alami Zaki and Charles Pocock, exhibits the recent work of contemporary Palestinian artists Nabil Anani, Tayseer Barakat and Sliman Mansour. Through their work each artist reflects on the occupation of Palestine, iconography related to their culture, as well as current regional topical and political issues such as the recent Middle East uprisings.

Anani’s work focuses on the symbolism of the olive tree, a major component of Palestine’s landscape. For him, the destruction of the olive tree by Israeli forces parallels the plight of the people living under the occupation. While, Barakat describes his work as ‘a mosaic of images,’ which explores the recent uprisings, Palestine’s history and his personal struggle with living under the occupation. He states: ‘The chanting of the uprisings across Arab streets has recovered my shattered soul from the alleys of exile and my deep desire to return home.’ Mansour draws inspiration from the subject of the olive tree, and has focused on the theme of ‘land’ since 1970. His recent work is centred on the individual figure to convey the ‘different states of exhausting anticipation or loss,’ resulting from his experience of living under the occupation.

7–10 November

Meem Gallery's two-part exhibition, Modern Arab Art and Letters in Art, marks the first installment of the gallery’s new curatorial venture Meem Projects. Modern Arab Art will display key works, in a range of media (painting, sculpture and drawings), by modern ‘pioneer’ artists: Dia Azzawi, Ahmed Cherkaoui, Ismail Fattah, Louay Kayyali, Mohamed Melehi, Fateh Moudarres, Shakir Hassan Al Said, Jewad Selim, Ibrahim Salahi and Gazbia Sirry. Letters in Art will exhibit the paintings of Ali Omar Ermes, prints by Kamal Boullata, the graphic works of Nja Mahdaoui, and two bronze sculptures by Parviz Tanavoli. 

 Part 1: Modern Arab Art

Modern Arab Art takes viewers through varying decades of twentieth-century modern Arab art production, starting with Al Said’s work, El Norag of the 1920s, to an early work by Selim, c.1950, and an untitled gouache on paper by Cherkaoui executed in 1959; paintings by Louay Kayyali and Gazbia Sirry from 1960 and 1967; works by Dia Azzawi, Ismail Fattah, Mohamed Melehi and Fateh Moudarres created in the 1970s, and finally works dating from the 1980s by Al Said and Salahi. The exhibition also traverses geographical boundaries by bringing together artists from Egypt, Iraq, Morocco, Sudan and Syria. The subject matter presented is equally diverse covering purely abstract work, the human form, genre scenes, landscape subjects and politically motivated works. Though the artists and subjects displayed are varied, this exhibition also highlights a number of intersections found in these artists’ works and approaches, such as their interest in wedding traditional visual culture to a modern aesthetic.

 Part 2: Letters in Art 

Letters in Art explores the prominent trend of integrating Arabic and Farsi letters and calligraphic forms into modern and contemporary Middle Eastern art. More commonly known as Hurufiyyah, the exploration of the abstraction of words and letters has played an integral role in creating an artistic identity specific to modern and contemporary artists of the region. The artists displayed in this section of Meem’s exhibition have all experimented with the letterword extensively; however, each artist and work presents a different interpretation of the written word. Ali Omar Ermes – who, like Mahdaoui, has dedicated his work to the exploration of letters – uses the literary culture and penmanship of the region as a point of departure, while Kamal Boullata’s experience of exile prompted him to explore the Arabic letter, combining his knowledge of literature, poetry and religion with geometry, colour and form; Nja Mahdaoui’s exploration of Arabic is predicated on the idea of deconstructing its etymological and linguistic meaning, and Parviz Tanavoli’s iconic heech and poet series of sculpture demonstrate the way in which the aesthetic qualities of script can be manipulated and formulated into three-dimensional form.  

Book Launch: Meem Projects 2012 (Published by Meem Editions, Dubai, 2012)

Abu Dhabi Art Library

8 November 2012, 4.00–4.30 pm

 At Abu Dhabi Art 2012, Meem Gallery launched the Meem Projects 2012 publication Modern Arab Art and Letters in Art, which examines the work of fifteen important modern Arab and Iranian artists. Documenting Meem Gallery’s two-part display at Abu Dhabi Art 2012, this publication provides both an overview and detailed study of key works exhibited by the gallery — paintings, prints, works on paper and sculpture.

The first part of the publication looks at key works of modern Arab artists: Dia Azzawi, Ahmed Cherkaoui, Ismail Fattah, Louay Kayyali, Mohamed Melehi, Fateh Moudarres, Mahmoud Said, Shaker Hassan Al Said, Ibrahim Salahi, Jewad Selim and Gazbia Sirry; the second part investigates the role of letters in modern Arab and Iranian art, focusing on the work of Kamal Boullata, Ali Omar Ermes, Nja Mahdaoui and Parviz Tanavoli.

The catalogue includes essays by leading art critics and academics Charbel Dagher (author of Arab Letterism, Art and Identity, 1990, and Arab Painting Between a Context and a Horizon, 2003), and José Miguel Puerta Vilchez (author of La Aventura del Cálamo, 2007, Libertad e innovación : caligrafía árabe contemporánea, 2010 and La poética del agua, 2012); artist and writer Kamal Boullata; Ministry of Culture, Museum and Heritage Sites Executive Director, Talal Moualla; Managing Director, Meem Gallery and Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society, Charles Pocock; Director of Research, Meem Gallery, Samar Faruqi; doctoral candidates conducting research on the subject of modern Arab art: Saleem Al-Bahloly (University of California, Berkeley), Holiday Powers (Cornell University) and Alexandra Seggerman (Yale University).

28 June–15 September 2008

Working in partnership with The American University of Dubai and Zayed University and working with the leading selected students from American University of Dubai, Zayed University and The American University of Sharjah we have been able to bring together for the first time in the history of The United Arab Emirates a collective exhibition highlighting the leading work by the leading talents of the Universities of The United Arab Emirates.

The Summer Exhibition is a culmination of an idea that has now turned into a confirmed programme and reality. The journey started in early 2007 when the faculty heads of AUS, AUD and ZU sat down together at Meem Gallery in order to discuss showcasing the work of their leading graduates and existing students. This meeting was mutually organised by Mark Pilkington of AUS, Mike Bray of AUD, Janet Bellotto of Zayed University and Charles Pocock of Meem Gallery. The idea that was born was how to bring the students together how to make them competitive and above all how to make them interact with each other and each other's work for the betterment of their work and the art scene in the UAE.

9 November 2009–10 February 2010

Meem Gallery presents a joint exhibition displaying the work of two of the most influential and pioneering artists of the Middle East, Parviz Tanavoli and Abbas Kiarostami. The exhibition features thirty pieces by Tanavoli, internationally recognised as Iran's first significant modern sculptor, which include a number of the artist's iconic heech sculptures. The photographic works have been specially selected by Kiarostami, the globally acclaimed Iranian filmmaker and photographer, and winner of the Palme d'Or (1997), including images from his Snow White and Roads series.

20 December 2010–27 January 2011

Meem Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of an exhibition of the recent work of Ali Omar Ermes this December. Ali Omar, who is internationally renowned for his beautiful paintings based on Arabic literature and letterforms, exhibited his work at Meem in 2007 and we are delighted to present his second solo show at the gallery this winter.

The works exhibited at Meem Gallery date from 1993–2010 and display the ongoing inspiration Ali Omar Ermes derives from the aesthetic form and meaning of the Arabic letter. Like many of the paintings in the artist’s oeuvre, this collection encourages viewers to engage with the powerful presence and etymology of the letter, using excerpts from poetry to reinforce the cultural significance of language. Poetic and literary references – in this collection he cites poets such as Ibrahim Al Bassary, Abi Tammam, Trafah Daiwan, Majani Al Adab, Al Qutami, Muhamed Ben Hani and Al Mutannabi - also highlight Ali Omar’s interest in larger social and cultural issues and reflect the artist’s interest in faith and spirituality.

Paintings such as Ghayatul Ghayn (2010) focus on the single Arabic letter, accompanied by poetic excerpts in smaller text. In this work, the importance of valuing the importance of endeavour and the pursuit of hard work is highlighted through the poetry of Ahmed Shawqi. It cites: ‘It is not by wishful thinking that you accomplish your dreams, as life is a struggle to win favour and defeat negativities’ (Daiwan and Moajam Al Abyaat Al Shahira).

Another work that will feature in the exhibition is Peace Means Justice (2010) which includes script from twenty-three different languages including Arabic, Latin, Sanskrit, Hebrew, Chinese, Javanese, English, French, Hausa, Swahili, Bengali, Urdu, Persian, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Swedish, Turkish,Kwanyama, German, Greek andJapanese. The text, translated from Arabic, states: ‘Implement justice in the world and you gain peace on earth.’

The Seven Odes of Arabic poetry, Al Muallaqat Al Sabaa (Prize Poems), is the inspiration for two works that will be displayed at Meem, titled The Fifth Ode and The Seventh Ode (1993). These paintings are part of a seven part series that celebrate the Prize Poems, verses which are particularly relevant in Arabic literature.

13 November–3 December

Meem Gallery is pleased to present the conclusion show of the Art in Iraq Today exhibition series. The exhibition will include selected works by the artists displayed during Parts I–V of the series (held from October 2010 – May 2011). The show, curated by Dia Azzawi and Charles Pocock, and its supporting publication, is dedicated to the memory of Jabra Ibrahim Jabra and his seminal essays on modern Iraqi art, titled ‘Art in Iraq Today.’ A group show of the artists’ work will also open at the Beirut Exhibition Center on 23 November (organised by Solidere, Meem Galley and Rula Alami Zaki).

The opening of the exhibition will also coincide with the launch of the book Art in Iraq Today, published by Skira and Meem Editions and sponsored by Crescent Petroleum) which will also take place on 17 November at this year’s Abu Dhabi Art, and then at the opening of the Beirut Exhibition Centre show. The bilingual publication (produced in English and Arabic) includes essays on the represented artists, artist statements and exhibitions lists, bibliography and colour plates of the works exhibited at Meem.

Exhibiting Artists

Modhir Ahmed, Dia Azzawi, Ahmed Al-Bahrani, Amar Dawod, Ghassan Ghaib, Ali Jabbar, Halim Karim, Nedim Kufi, Hanaa Malallah, Rafa Nasiri, Mahmoud Obaidi, Kareem Risan, Delair Shaker, Ali Talib, and Nazar Yahya.

Publication

Art in Iraq Today

(published by Skira and Meem Editions, sponsored by Crescent Petroleum)

This publication is an outgrowth of the Art in Iraq Today exhibition series held at Meem Gallery. It brings together a group of Iraqi artists with varying working methodologies, whom are united in their experience of exile. Having spent their formative years as artists in Iraq, this book documents their continuing contribution to Iraqi art, and highlights its importance in contemporary Middle Eastern art history. Although the artists examined in this publication are now part of the Iraqi diaspora, their work demonstrates the enduring talent of two generations of artists whose work represents Iraqi art today.

20 October 2008

The collection contained in Volume 1 contains a series of works, regarded by leading collectors of Modern Arab Art, as some of the most important complete series - these being The Petra Tablets by Mona Saudi - the internationally recognized Lebanese Sculptress, the Red Square series by the Tunisian painter Nja Mahdaoui, The Walls of Gaza by Laila Shawa, Fairuz by Jamal Abdul Rahim and Harf Al Kaf and Blue Haa by Ali Omar Ermes - with the Harf Al Kaf lithograph held in the Islamic collection of LACMA in Los Angeles - the Internationally respected Museum.

All the work exhibited for Arab Print Volume 1, have been produced using the screenprint technique, a form of lithography. Further volumes of Arab Print will include the work of Dr Ahmed Moustafa, Dia Azzawi, Mohammed Melehi, Rafa Al Nasiri, Issam El Said and leading Arab artists and printmakers.

16–19 November 2011, Manarat Al Saadiyat (Booth A13)

MEEM GALLERY EXHIBITS TWO IMPORTANT WORKS BY DIA AZZAWI & PARVIZ TANAVOLI AT ABU DHABI ART

At this year’s Abu Dhabi Art, Meem Gallery will exhibit two major works by modern Middle Eastern masters Dia Azzawi and Parviz Tanavoli. Azzawi’s mural-sized painting Elegy To My Trapped City (2011) represents the decades of warfare and hardship endured by Baghdad and its people. Comprised of haunting composite monochrome forms, this work also pays homage to Al-Bayati’s poem of the same title. Tanavoli’s aluminium Big Heech (1973) is part of the fair’s ‘Beyond’ series. The work, which is an outdoor, installation piece, is one of the few heech sculptures constructed out of metal.

ART IN IRAQ TODAY PANEL & BOOK LAUNCH AT ABU DHABI ART 2011

Panel: Abu Dhabi Art Talk: The Legacy of Iraqi Art

Abu Dhabi Art Book Launch: Art in Iraq Today

17 November

Following the Abu Dhabi Art panel discussion, ‘The Legacy of Iraqi Art’ (featuring artists Dia Azzawi, Mahmoud Obaidi and Halim Karim, moderated by Nada Shabout, Associate Professor of Art History, University of North Texas) Meem Gallery will launch the publication Art in Iraq Today (co-published by Skira and Meem Editions, sponsored by Crescent Petroleum).

Al Noor Institute of Middle Eastern Art (NIMEA) will display Al Noor Library for public viewing at this year’s Abu Dhabi Art.

Established in 2010, NIMEA is an outgrowth of the Al Noor Library (initiated in 2002) and Meem Gallery (launched in 2007). The institute’s aim is to encourage public appreciation of modern and contemporary Middle Eastern art, and to preserve the legacy of the region’s artists through the archiving, creation and collection of important resources and research material.

23 November–14 December 2008

Hamza Bounoua’s work displays a particularly unique approach to the use of the Arabic letter in contemporary art as he uses plexiglas in the execution of works. Inspired by the North African glass-painting technique Mareedeen, originally practiced in Tunisia and Morocco as window painting, Bounoua paints and etches onto the reverse-side of perspex, creating a glossy veneer for the surfaces of his pieces. With his art, however, Bounoua aims to create a universal visual language, drawing inspiration from a medley of cultural traditions, including the art of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, Berber calligraphy, African tribal masks, totemic figures, graffiti, and East Asian and Arabic penmanship.

13 December 2011–29 February 2012

Art Sudan exhibits the work of Ibrahim Salahi (b. 1930, Omdurman) and Mohammad Omar Khalil (b. 1936, Buri), pioneers of modern art in Sudan and the region. Having studied in Sudan and Europe, both artists through their work have forged a technical link between Western art practices and their cultural heritage. Salahi is renowned for his early experiments with the Arabic letter, exploring its semantic roots and aesthetic qualities in his work. Using art as a way of communicating social and topical issues, Salahi highlights the significance of the artist’s role in greater society. Khalil, who has studied printmaking and fresco painting, creates collage compositions from readymade objects to examine the traditional symbolism of the Arab world, creating a dialogue between his heritage and contemporary techniques. Both artists’ work have been exhibited worldwide and is held in international collections including the British Museum, London; MoMA and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC; and Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha.