4- Hybridization: In my Experiments:
Contemporary artists tend to be inspired by others to produce uniquely hybrid artwork. This means that to be unique, you have to catch other elements artistically in order to show the message of everything being all together. From my point of view, I do not think that hybridization will erase cultures if it is always referred to. Others can inspire people, but individuals have to preserve their intellectual rights. Hybridization in art might be one, and possibly the only, solution which can resolve local multi-culturalism in contemporary art.
My Practice:
I have tried to express my identity through my work; at the start, I tried to hybridize Saudi culture with a European artist: Piet Mondrian. I chose him because he is known for being one of the pioneers of twentieth-century abstract art, as he changed his artistic direction from figurative painting to an increasingly abstract style until he reached a point where his artistic vocabulary was reduced to simple geometric elements. I chose abstract art because in some ways it has a similar nature to Islamic art and Saudi patterns and layout. They use a visual language of shape, form, colour and line to create a composition which can exist with a degree of independence from visual references without using human figures. I use traditional Saudi fabrics for men and women to show the dynamic relationship between them which builds our society.
Cookhouse show:
This is an installation of two pieces: a hanging circular sculpture and a reflective surface. The aim of the work is to show the collaborative participation between men and women in Saudi Arabia to build our civilization and how it has been seen in the world. The sculpture is formed of two overlapping embroidered rings as a symbol of the role of woman in building our society, women play a fundamental role. On top of one ring there are many camels as a symbol of man; a Saudi man bears on his back all his family’s responsibilities, he is strong, in my opinion and he can go three days without water. On the other ring there are many traditional eye-liners which were used in the past as a symbol of woman; Saudi women look after themselves and their husbands, but they still have their ‘royal’ chair.
The whole sculpture is gilded with gold leaf as a symbol of ancient wealth over a black ground; oil is the ‘black gold’. The sculpture hangs from the ceiling and moves naturally to touch the black plinth which has on its top gold powder.•• When the hanging sculpture touches the surface, the powder is blown onto the reflective background to depict how others can see our society.
Feedback:
After the show, I have received feedback summarized in the following points:
– Walking into the room leads us to know more about the Saudi family and culture.
– The kinetic energy and these marks are interesting: it is a kind of an artist role and interaction with his artwork, drawing through movement cause a natural reflection.
– The black is supposed to symbolize Saudi Arabia; the richness and oil: I thought that is really neat.
– What would it be like if it was bigger, having a motor that is moving it instantly, building like a sandbox might give more volume or a threshold with the sand?
-It reminds me of the motion of the earth, compass, astrolabe.•it is full of symbolic meanings.
-The light needs to be more considered.
-It is suggested that there is an audible sound telling a story. When I did not understand other‘s culture through the artwork, I do not feel that is the artist’s job; quick research on Google might answer my questions. Although I can see the idea in this work, trying to push things towards, paying attention to what’s the material aspect and symbolic readings can be embedded, the material also has a strong symbolic index