Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Asking me to review an art exhibition is like sending a deaf person to a rock concert. You’re aware that there’s something intriguing on display that will ‘wow’ many people, but you yourself end up unappreciatively ambling around, completely oblivious to what the fuss is about.
And so it proved yet again at the Views tent, established to ‘celebrate Bahrain’s artistic expression’. Whatever that means. The fancy leaflet I was provided with on entry details that this event is about showcasing the work of 40 local artists, yet there are Damien Hirst pieces on show and his name is listed at the top of every promotional poster.
Considering that even I’ve heard of him (he joins the exclusive list of ‘modern artists Kristian recognises the name of’ alongside Banksy and, errr, well, that’s it), it’s a bit of a rough deal for our local talents. It’s like asking Bahrain’s best footballers to play a friendly match amongst each other so that local fans can see what they’re all about, then bringing Cristiano Ronaldo along too.
Anyway, the Hirst pieces were my first port of call. They consisted of very similar circular mosaic designs with butterfly motifs in them. I’m sure there are some deep philosophical themes behind them (the Circle of Life maybe?) but heck if I know!
Moving quickly on, I discovered by far my favourite pieces in the exhibition. These were the ‘double-faced’ paintings, essentially drawings on existing photographs, by Sebastian Bieniek. Now this is art I can get behind; haunting illusions that create a creepy effect. It’s innovative, something completely unique with individual style, and speaks its own message without having to reach very far out to understand its themes.
It’s a shame that this can’t be said for most of the other work on display. I’m afraid I’ll never ‘get’ modern art, even though I have tried, I promise. How someone can vomit paint onto a canvas with less cohesion than a three-year-old at playgroup and then slap a five-or-six-figure sum on it I’ll never know, but people actually buy this stuff!
And, good old Phidias (Google him!) must be turning in his grave seeing a wooden board with a couple of random newspaper clippings pritt-sticked onto it be proclaimed as ‘genius’. It’s amazing how much ‘art’ has regressed in two millennia, but that’s a debate for another time.
For the art lovers who can’t get enough of this stuff, I’m sure Views will be a great experience for you and there’ll be plenty of items for you to gape at with wonder. Hurry up because the show ends this evening. You won’t see me there, however, as I’ll be busy gluing two Coke cans together so I can fob it off to a rich Shaikh or a wealthy expat to pay for a deposit on a mortgage.
– Kristian Harrison
