Hot or Not (part 2)

Day 2 


After our tour of the wildlife activity at Mathaf, the whole group sat down to talk about what we mean when we say we "like" a work of art, what it means for something to be "beautiful," and how we tend to use the word "interesting" to describe things that we find artistically competent but somehow not to our liking. Like Lars Von Trier films—definitely "interesting."


Then we headed back to the galleries to look at two pieces from Cai Guo-Qiang's "Miniature" series, made here in Doha for the Mathaf exhibition. We spent about 15 mins looking and writing about two pieces, Memories, and Mosque, before everyone had to pick one that they preferred. Then everyone had one to two minutes to explain why they liked one piece more than the other. No one was shy about expression their preferences. Cai, your pieces met with some harsh words. "Boring" was tossed around very casually by one aspiring critic, whose name will be kept secret to protect her future career. They were like falcons, tearing your works apart, or defending them to the end.  

Making judgments about Memories (on the left) and Mosque (on the far wall). 

These folks liked Memories better:

pro-Memories team

Memories

For me the painting looks like a hidden trace, a forgotten memory in an old picture from 100 years ago. There are nine women reflected all standing in a row and watching the viewer, although they have no faces and no bodily limbs. The technique and the white and dark colors of the gunpowder make me think of old daguerreotypes or black-and-white movie screenings, which is also noticed in the white dots. It’s the haunting image of those nine women standing in a row with no facial expression that is very striking.

—Tessel

You return back to past days when you read the title of the artwork and you get involved with the nine people that stand up in front of you to tell them your memories, or they will tell you the memories that they have from the explosion time when the artist created the artwork. The nine people are wearing the same style of dress as the artist mentioned (the abaya), but they could be the dress from other countries or from China. And the scarves they wear have different ways of folding, and one of them is wearing a hat. The technique of the artwork is very unique and original with the use of gunpowder and the tone of shade in different depths. Something natural and earthy colors. So that’s why you feel it comes directly from deep places in the earth, and there are some motifs of lace and clothe.

—Nawal

I interpreted the piece Memories as a representation of the traditional identity of the Arab/Islamic people. The use of regional dress and materials like that abaya as well as lace in the creation of the burn drawings to me impregnated the work with its symbolism. The nine figures can be seen as a unified front, facing the world proudly, with strong ties to traditional values of the past. The “white abayas” bring together the male and female roles, marrying them in the delicacy and femininity of the lace and the strong resolve of the figures.

—Bebe

Nine people stand calmly in Memories, at Arabic Mathaf. The shady brown color of the gunpowder covers their faces. They are all wearing something like an abaya, but you cannot tell if they are men or women. It is a journey to the past with absolute vagueness that fires up your senses. You think, speculate, but never judge.

—Fatema

The artwork is wall-mounted with barrod painting. It is composed of three colors: white, light brown and grey. It is a single piece of nine large tiles. It represents the style of the scarf wearing in different periods of time. From the first look it is boring and noncreative to look at this work, but when you come closer you feel interested about the details that the artist made.

—Manal

Memories, a nine canvas painting connected in a horizontal row, was created by sifting gunpowder onto stencils of abayas and lace. It rhythmically moved the viewer from the right to the end because of the breathtaking dark values of the powder. There was a certain sense of balance, since the abayas had similar sleeve placements and permitted no limit to control. It is an extraordinary piece of art that drives away from simplicity and embraces various interpretations.

—Emelina

The artist uses gunpowder to help his work send its messages. Sometimes this works, sometimes it can confuse. Memories is a piece that works, I feel. Nine figures dressed in abayas stare out at you. Clearly human figures but without faces or limbs. The gunpowder is deployed with discretion, suggesting (along with the faceless figures) a sense of fading memories. The piece made me think of a visitor with a fading collective image of his time here. Or else someone with a fading memory of intimate friends. He might forget the detail of their physical appearance, but not the essense of who they are.

—John

I loved the artwork which had nine figures. Each and every one had something beyond. It is very creative. The traditional clothes, or abayas, were special to me. It attracts me in a sort of way. The artist had something to say and he showed it as nine people staring at us with no expression. It has no feeling but looking at it makes you want to think deeply. While the other work [Mosque] was unbalanced, it shows a church and a mosque together, but to me it’s not complete.

—Maha

Here Mosque is getting a passionate defense and close examination. 

those who liked Mosque better

The painting is one piece that is located on the left side of the hall. It is made by explosion in the barood technique. It is composed of two geometrical shapes. The half-circle on the mid-shape represents a part of the mosque called quoba and the second part is the two columns, which represent incomplete manara. It is an original and unique work, and is difficult to find the same kind as it.

—Manal

The “Miniature” series explores ways to work with the Islamic presence it was inspired by, in the gunpowder artwork. Memories uses traditional Arabic clothing as stencils to create haunting figures from the past, whereas Mosque uses artwork derived from Islamic pottery to frame the shadow of a mosque. Both artworks are ambiguous, although the composition of Memories is more structurally narrative and so is easier to understand than the abstract Mosque. However, the more ambiguous and confusing an artwork is, the more it is open to interpretation; it forces the viewer to [make] more poetic justifications of why the piece captures their interest. The dominant framework of Mosque suggests a myriad of explanations that belie the simplistic visual impact.

—Laura

The artwork is a relatively small piece, shaped like a U, with a central part that for me looks like a stone fountain. It says that the art represents a mosque with two towers or minarets and a central dome. The bases of the work is made of different elements that look like flowers and leaves. Some other individual elements that can be identified look like bouquets, where the main flowers are sitting on both sides of the U. The piece appealed to me because it gives me a sense of protection and you can easily locate yourself in the center of it, enjoying the view.

—Pilar

Nine pieces of paper that combine nine pieces of empty clothes that represent different customs. This piece of art didn’t grab my attention because it’s easy to get and to copy it. I think it has no sense, no creativity and gives you what the artist wants to achieve. It would be much more useful if it was in a foreign country where they have no idea about this kind of clothing. Mosque is the one that I admire because it makes you think and wonder about the creativity of that piece. Also it has the logo of peace that makes your eyes calm when you are looking at it. Flowers represent the beauty and the mix of painting makes your mind think and discover lots of fantastic pieces. The reflection of the Mosque on the other side of the room leads you to believe that this piece of art is unique.

—Heba

Thanks to everyone who came to the second day of writing workshops here at Mathaf. It was great to see some familiar faces from yesterday and I hope to see some of you again later in the week. — HG