Post by unanimous on Mar 4, 2012 13:02:33 GMT 3
White Night!Arabian Night! Call it what you like but now that the art scene in Doha is coming to a much more publicized life, there should be one, rrrright!?
ahahahaa.....!I am sure you are raising your brows when I said publicized
I did not want to say "alive!" because I am sure it has been existing even before we got here, it is just not that more active and accessible? in your face?
Now that Qatar has gotten the bid for the world cup, Qatar seems to be quite in the news, stirring controversy laid dormant or swept under the carpet, people either rooting for them to succeed or waiting for them to fall flat in their face because they think: how dare Qatar dream big, no?! The latest bone of contention apparently is its art scene. Are you one of those people clutching their pearls over that NYTimes article? meh!
I am sure there's a whole lot of propaganda involved in things now and every budding PR company wants a piece of some action - and with the speed of the internet, its public access and sky-is-the-limit trolling - it is so easy to promote, stir trouble, and influence and polarize opinion.
but first....my suggestion: A white night art affair like they hold in Paris, or an Art Basel kind of thing. Museums and every possible place that can substitute as a gallery - all come together and hold a show all at the same time with the hours extending through the night so people coming from work will still have time to catch the exhibition? and it's a festive affair! like that they did with the sports day event. and there will be contests. Anyone who can create art has a chance to submit their work. Every artist who ever felt slighted and ignored, will have the chance to display their art and be judged there, appreciated, admired and criticized along with the other works of art. A prize will be awarded to an artist - organize that contest whichever way you like, but at least give everyone a chance to prestigiously display their work in this art festival.
The venues you ask? Well, doesnt Doha have all these fantastic buildings but whose lobbies seem empty and bare? Why not, just on blanche nuit affair, we fill them up with displays of works of art? and at the same time admire these buildings that these famous architects have built? Wouldnt that feel exciting going into these buildings not knowing which works of arts are on display? You'd be building hopping, museum hopping, hopping hopping to your heart's delight? And can we still have some of the musicians from Katara play their music..okay just in and around Katara - while all these is going on? wouldnt that be awesome? And when that nice place in Pearl, the Qanat Cartier opens - wouldnt it be nice to explore that place and promote it by actively participating in this art festival? those places with huge windows looks soooo nice to be art galleries!
And what else should be displayed? Well....aside from the local artists and participants from other GCC countries' works, hasnt Sotheby's been gaining a lot of business from their auctions in Qatar? How about these people who bought them, in their good heart/faith whatever, help Qatar promote the scene by lending their collection for the art festival exhibition?
Now wouldnt that help further promote the art scene?
As for the NY Times article.....well....what were it's points:
First theres this quote from that article: “Investing millions in art venues and art work isn’t enough,” said Ninar Esber, a Lebanese artist represented by the Anne de Villepoix Gallery of Paris. What is missing, she said, are the basics, like freedom of speech. The art scene “is an empty golden shell,” she said, adding, “It glitters from the outside, but from the inside, it is empty.”doha is glittery but empty.
- As a simple admirer of art in its various forms, I'd take what I can get. Art, in whatever form, hyped or not, is personal. what's beautiful and moving to one, can simply be trash to another, there is always that. Back me up on this Banksy and your documentary : Exit Through the Giftshop! I appreciate that their leader is spending money on these things so people in Doha, locals and expats, can learn of their existence, be exposed to them, push people to think (isnt that what they say in corniche: THINK!): whether they have enough or not, the moment the art affected them enough to stop and consider it, think about it, call it beautiful or ugly, it has already served its purpose.
Would it help anyone if the art scene in doha is empty in the inside and just as dull outside, without the "glitter"? It's not their fault they can afford to build museums and buy expensive art, right? The artists will have to pick up their brush and catch up.
- Art scene in doha is relatively young, local artists i imagine dont have the circles art people in the west move around in. so personally, i would give it time. just because they have the museum does not mean everyone who picks up a brush deserves to get a one-man show just because they are local or from GCC. dont all artists have to have dramatic struggles to fuel their art? earn your street cred.
- As for the lack of expression - i know they dont just mean nudes because not all celebrated art work are nudes, right? i mean van gogh's art is not all about naked humans? monet? cezanne? mona lisa is clothed right? okay, so they might get in trouble if they follow the likes of Lautrec...but there are other forms of art. as for the lack of expression - wouldnt that make it their art different?unique? not too obvious? wouldnt that further fuel art drama and inspiration? to find ways to express themselves? I mean china, russia im sure have artists that emerged from their most oppressive times too right? Film makers in iran still create good, insightful movies despite their restrictions in expression?
- I understand that not all artists can get immediate and huge face time, exhibition and appreciation - tell that to van gogh....or not, but just that you have to earn your badge just like anyone else. Again, art scene here is young, but it is encouraging to see local painters paint in Katara...so what if it's a display, at least they are painting.
- Even if you are not hand picked for your art, they dont stop you from painting and doing what you like, locals create and show them to, maybe for now, just their friends and family, but that's still art.
As for the criticism about press not being invited and Doha Tribeca Film Festival:
"In addition, the Qatar news media are rarely invited to cover high-profile art exhibitions. A member of the marketing team for the Qatar Museum Authority said in an interview that it was encouraged to invite only the best-known foreign press outlets to the shows."
But surely these events dont only last one night/day for those press to review, but is usually open to the public. With the internet right now, everyone can write about events. This is not that difficult to cover for any writers in local newspapers if you are really interested to write about it. How about writing a proper article, one that is well thought out, original/personal article instead of just spouting the usual PR stuff about events. You just dont have a special pass, get over it. Seriously, you need to be prodded, asked to do your job as a writer/journalist?
"The same appears to apply in the world of film, said a person at the Doha Film Institute, who did not want to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue. The person was surprised by the lack of Arab celebrities at the annual Doha Tribeca Film Festival, for instance.
“When I got to know some of the Gulf’s most famous film celebrities, I asked them why they didn’t attend,” the person said. “They just shrugged and told me, ‘We never get invited to those kinds of events,’ and when I dug a bit deeper I understood that the aim isn’t to share Arab heritage with one another, but to show it off to the rest of the world.”
AAAAARGGGHHH!!! From what Ive seen from the festival, there's a number of middle eastern films in it. Every movie, documentary, has the artists involved in it - either the director, writer, the producer or actors - or all of them attend the screening one time or another. If you dont have a movie to show, why should you be especially invited? It's about the movies, the artists involved in the projects. If you want to hobnob with the rest of them and you dont have a movie to screen, why cant you do it out of your own pocket? it's not that you are forbidden to attend, right? and OMG, we sometimes have enough divas here, the venue is not that huge to accommodate everyone's ego and presumed entitlement. I hope Tribeca remains open to the ordinary public. Nobody is forbidden to buy tickets. I dont really understand the special press pass sometimes because i remember, the first festival, a number of seats reserved for them didnt even get filled out, and you look at the newspapers - who writes about the films? who reviews them? the articles are usually just about who attended and a family activity that was held in the katara grounds and picnics. i do not begrudge the picnics and family activities, it is fun and good way for familiies to get together - but you get a special invite from a FILM FESTIVAL and that's what you write about? I am yet to see a single review of the first Qatar-produced film that was screened last year. where were those invited press to write about it? i would take this criticism of lack of special invites and press pass with a grain of salt. Okay, whoever may be anonymously quoted did not mean it like that, but presented like that in an article, it sounded whinny and bitter. Movies are for the public, the actors and other people involved in producing those films that get screened keeps the event's dignity. Having it held here is a huge invitation in itself already. do not expect your leaders to knock on each and everyones door, lead you by the hand to attend it. For the others who snob them, it's like your father cooked this special meal for you, worked hard to complete it, if you want to show your thanks, attend and partake in the festivities. If other actors want to attend, pay for it yourself just like everyone else.
Doha Art Arabian Night/Blanche Nuit!YEAH!!!
ahahahaa.....!I am sure you are raising your brows when I said publicized
I did not want to say "alive!" because I am sure it has been existing even before we got here, it is just not that more active and accessible? in your face?Now that Qatar has gotten the bid for the world cup, Qatar seems to be quite in the news, stirring controversy laid dormant or swept under the carpet, people either rooting for them to succeed or waiting for them to fall flat in their face because they think: how dare Qatar dream big, no?! The latest bone of contention apparently is its art scene. Are you one of those people clutching their pearls over that NYTimes article? meh!
I am sure there's a whole lot of propaganda involved in things now and every budding PR company wants a piece of some action - and with the speed of the internet, its public access and sky-is-the-limit trolling - it is so easy to promote, stir trouble, and influence and polarize opinion.
but first....my suggestion: A white night art affair like they hold in Paris, or an Art Basel kind of thing. Museums and every possible place that can substitute as a gallery - all come together and hold a show all at the same time with the hours extending through the night so people coming from work will still have time to catch the exhibition? and it's a festive affair! like that they did with the sports day event. and there will be contests. Anyone who can create art has a chance to submit their work. Every artist who ever felt slighted and ignored, will have the chance to display their art and be judged there, appreciated, admired and criticized along with the other works of art. A prize will be awarded to an artist - organize that contest whichever way you like, but at least give everyone a chance to prestigiously display their work in this art festival.
The venues you ask? Well, doesnt Doha have all these fantastic buildings but whose lobbies seem empty and bare? Why not, just on blanche nuit affair, we fill them up with displays of works of art? and at the same time admire these buildings that these famous architects have built? Wouldnt that feel exciting going into these buildings not knowing which works of arts are on display? You'd be building hopping, museum hopping, hopping hopping to your heart's delight? And can we still have some of the musicians from Katara play their music..okay just in and around Katara - while all these is going on? wouldnt that be awesome? And when that nice place in Pearl, the Qanat Cartier opens - wouldnt it be nice to explore that place and promote it by actively participating in this art festival? those places with huge windows looks soooo nice to be art galleries!
And what else should be displayed? Well....aside from the local artists and participants from other GCC countries' works, hasnt Sotheby's been gaining a lot of business from their auctions in Qatar? How about these people who bought them, in their good heart/faith whatever, help Qatar promote the scene by lending their collection for the art festival exhibition?
Now wouldnt that help further promote the art scene?
As for the NY Times article.....well....what were it's points:
First theres this quote from that article: “Investing millions in art venues and art work isn’t enough,” said Ninar Esber, a Lebanese artist represented by the Anne de Villepoix Gallery of Paris. What is missing, she said, are the basics, like freedom of speech. The art scene “is an empty golden shell,” she said, adding, “It glitters from the outside, but from the inside, it is empty.”doha is glittery but empty.
- As a simple admirer of art in its various forms, I'd take what I can get. Art, in whatever form, hyped or not, is personal. what's beautiful and moving to one, can simply be trash to another, there is always that. Back me up on this Banksy and your documentary : Exit Through the Giftshop! I appreciate that their leader is spending money on these things so people in Doha, locals and expats, can learn of their existence, be exposed to them, push people to think (isnt that what they say in corniche: THINK!): whether they have enough or not, the moment the art affected them enough to stop and consider it, think about it, call it beautiful or ugly, it has already served its purpose.
Would it help anyone if the art scene in doha is empty in the inside and just as dull outside, without the "glitter"? It's not their fault they can afford to build museums and buy expensive art, right? The artists will have to pick up their brush and catch up.
- Art scene in doha is relatively young, local artists i imagine dont have the circles art people in the west move around in. so personally, i would give it time. just because they have the museum does not mean everyone who picks up a brush deserves to get a one-man show just because they are local or from GCC. dont all artists have to have dramatic struggles to fuel their art? earn your street cred.
- As for the lack of expression - i know they dont just mean nudes because not all celebrated art work are nudes, right? i mean van gogh's art is not all about naked humans? monet? cezanne? mona lisa is clothed right? okay, so they might get in trouble if they follow the likes of Lautrec...but there are other forms of art. as for the lack of expression - wouldnt that make it their art different?unique? not too obvious? wouldnt that further fuel art drama and inspiration? to find ways to express themselves? I mean china, russia im sure have artists that emerged from their most oppressive times too right? Film makers in iran still create good, insightful movies despite their restrictions in expression?
- I understand that not all artists can get immediate and huge face time, exhibition and appreciation - tell that to van gogh....or not, but just that you have to earn your badge just like anyone else. Again, art scene here is young, but it is encouraging to see local painters paint in Katara...so what if it's a display, at least they are painting.
- Even if you are not hand picked for your art, they dont stop you from painting and doing what you like, locals create and show them to, maybe for now, just their friends and family, but that's still art.
As for the criticism about press not being invited and Doha Tribeca Film Festival:
"In addition, the Qatar news media are rarely invited to cover high-profile art exhibitions. A member of the marketing team for the Qatar Museum Authority said in an interview that it was encouraged to invite only the best-known foreign press outlets to the shows."
But surely these events dont only last one night/day for those press to review, but is usually open to the public. With the internet right now, everyone can write about events. This is not that difficult to cover for any writers in local newspapers if you are really interested to write about it. How about writing a proper article, one that is well thought out, original/personal article instead of just spouting the usual PR stuff about events. You just dont have a special pass, get over it. Seriously, you need to be prodded, asked to do your job as a writer/journalist?
"The same appears to apply in the world of film, said a person at the Doha Film Institute, who did not want to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue. The person was surprised by the lack of Arab celebrities at the annual Doha Tribeca Film Festival, for instance.
“When I got to know some of the Gulf’s most famous film celebrities, I asked them why they didn’t attend,” the person said. “They just shrugged and told me, ‘We never get invited to those kinds of events,’ and when I dug a bit deeper I understood that the aim isn’t to share Arab heritage with one another, but to show it off to the rest of the world.”
AAAAARGGGHHH!!! From what Ive seen from the festival, there's a number of middle eastern films in it. Every movie, documentary, has the artists involved in it - either the director, writer, the producer or actors - or all of them attend the screening one time or another. If you dont have a movie to show, why should you be especially invited? It's about the movies, the artists involved in the projects. If you want to hobnob with the rest of them and you dont have a movie to screen, why cant you do it out of your own pocket? it's not that you are forbidden to attend, right? and OMG, we sometimes have enough divas here, the venue is not that huge to accommodate everyone's ego and presumed entitlement. I hope Tribeca remains open to the ordinary public. Nobody is forbidden to buy tickets. I dont really understand the special press pass sometimes because i remember, the first festival, a number of seats reserved for them didnt even get filled out, and you look at the newspapers - who writes about the films? who reviews them? the articles are usually just about who attended and a family activity that was held in the katara grounds and picnics. i do not begrudge the picnics and family activities, it is fun and good way for familiies to get together - but you get a special invite from a FILM FESTIVAL and that's what you write about? I am yet to see a single review of the first Qatar-produced film that was screened last year. where were those invited press to write about it? i would take this criticism of lack of special invites and press pass with a grain of salt. Okay, whoever may be anonymously quoted did not mean it like that, but presented like that in an article, it sounded whinny and bitter. Movies are for the public, the actors and other people involved in producing those films that get screened keeps the event's dignity. Having it held here is a huge invitation in itself already. do not expect your leaders to knock on each and everyones door, lead you by the hand to attend it. For the others who snob them, it's like your father cooked this special meal for you, worked hard to complete it, if you want to show your thanks, attend and partake in the festivities. If other actors want to attend, pay for it yourself just like everyone else.
Doha Art Arabian Night/Blanche Nuit!YEAH!!!