Artists need to develop their work through practical experiences, improving their tools and knowledge, and staying updated on the latest global trends in the field, says Dubai-based Syrian artist Muhannad Kelani
Interviewed by Ana S. Gad
Can you tell us about your journey as an artist? How did you start, and what inspired you to pursue art?
My journey as an artist began instinctively in early childhood with a passion for mimicking images and primitive coloring. It developed through my interest in school art lessons, the encouragement of my art teacher, and participating in school exhibitions. This was contrary to my family and surrounding environment, which were obstacles to my determination to develop my talent and skills. I acquired books on the principles and theories of drawing, and later in my early youth, I deliberately engaged with the artistic community, visited exhibitions, and fulfilled my self-desires by creating paintings using charcoal, colored pencils, watercolors, and oil paints. This garnered admiration and interest from friends and acquaintances, leading to numerous requests for self-portraits that were highly appreciated. My interest shifted to drawing heritage areas and old neighborhoods of my city, Damascus, and I created significant heritage works in this field. My studies of global art, including Orientalism, were crucial in motivating me to replicate detailed works by the Austrian Orientalist Ludwig German-Deutsch and the Baroque Dutch artist Peter Paul Rubens. I also successfully created works of still life and more over many decades of passion and perseverance in developing talent and tools, particularly after the vast advancement of social media, which expanded my knowledge of art history and its various schools and styles. My social media pages played a significant role in spreading my works, describing them, and promoting artistic cultures, leading to multiple recognitions from various organizations dedicated to spreading artistic awareness and establishing principles of peace and love, and recently I displayed my artworks in important exhibitions and art venues in Dubai.
How has your Syrian heritage influenced your artistic style and themes?
The abundance and variety of heritage areas in Damascus, including old neighborhoods, temples, markets, and many more, as well as the ruins of successive civilizations in Damascus and Syria in general, had a profound impact on me. It inspired me to create numerous works depicting the neighborhoods and gates of Damascus, highlighting their countless historical, heritage, and aesthetic values.
What brought you to Dubai, and how has the city influenced your work?
The primary motivation for my stay in Dubai was first the presence of my two sons and visiting them. Secondly, it was the encouragement and persistent urging of my son Tilad to continue my artistic activities. He introduced me to art exhibitions and the artistic community. The variety of art events, the interest of officials in organizing major art exhibitions, the availability of security and social stability, and the availability of materials and tools greatly enabled me to accomplish many new works and participate in significant exhibitions.
“Revived Art Fragments” is a fascinating title. Can you explain the concept behind this exhibition?
The concept behind this title, is the memory of Finding few fragments of some of my paintings out of tens others lost under the rubble of my destroyed art workshop, which was demolished due to the catastrophic events in Syria which eventually impacted the area of Harasta on the outskirts of Damascus where my studio and residence were located, inspired me. Being in Dubai allowed me to restore these fragments and bring them back to life, and had this chance to present this unfortunate story which I could turn to a survival one for the first time to public.
What themes or messages are you hoping to convey through “Art Fragments”?
My primary wish was to satisfy my pressing desire to successfully restore my damaged works and present this experience to the UAE audience, drawing attention to the destructive impacts of conflicts and wars on humanity in general and artistic heritage in particular. I was eventually delighted and gratified by the audience’s interest in this experience, which also attracted significant media attention.
How did you choose the specific pieces featured in this exhibition? Is there a particular story or significance behind them?
My priority was to display my damaged works that had been restored to highlight the exhibition’s theme and draw attention to the destructive effects of catastrophic conflicts.
Can you share some insights into your creative process for this exhibition? What materials and techniques did you use?
Through participation, interactions, and dialogues with artists, media personnel, and enthusiasts, I gained insights and benefitted from diverse creative and intellectual experiences, positively impacting all interested participants. The techniques and materials used involved multiple meticulous stages: cleaning and removing dust and debris, ironing the paintings, scraping off the residue from ironing, stabilizing the remaining initial paint with transparent adhesives, sewing the tears, attaching fabric to the entire painting with strong adhesives, and after drying, stretching the painting onto a wooden frame. The colors were then restored, and all these procedures were carried out with great care, precision, and patience, characterized by determination and challenge. The success of each stage brought immense, indescribable joy and happiness.
How do you see your work evolving in the future? Are there any new themes or projects you are excited about?
Artists generally need to develop their work through practical experiences, improving their tools and knowledge, and staying updated on the latest global trends in the field. The interest my works have garnered, especially my restoration experience, from the audience, organizers, and media, significantly motivated my enthusiasm to continue producing art, supported by new creative visions and ideas that require persistence and determination.
What advice would you give to emerging artists, particularly those from conflict-affected regions like Syria?
I advise hobbyists and those interested in practicing arts, especially fine arts, to develop their talents, tools, and knowledge through reading, learning about the latest developments, engaging with artistic communities, learning from artists’ experiences, and continuously producing and developing their technique and style. For artists affected by disasters from conflicts or other circumstances in their regions, I encourage them to strengthen their convictions that talent, accumulated experience, and tools are worth expressing and practicing life as long as there is a pulse in their suffering hearts. Let the shining thought be a path to creativity and dissemination.
How do you see your work contributing to the cultural dialogue in Dubai and the wider art community?
My work, which I see as modest compared to my ambitions despite surpassing the youthful age, was a means for me to closely understand the extensive and diverse artistic community comprising various nationalities from around the world. My diverse works, which do not adhere to a specific artistic style, sparked remarkable and beneficial dialogues and discussions. My dramatic restoration experience significantly contributed to the conversations and interest among the audience, critics, and media, positively motivating my creative drive.
Are there any collaborations or community projects you are involved in or planning to be involved in?
Certainly, my intensive activities over a short period allowed me to connect with various local art institutions, proposing ideas for collaboration and exchange of experiences, which could lead to promising results in the future.
How can people follow your work and stay updated on your future exhibitions?
Expanding my network, leveraging social media, and participating in exhibitions with significant and notable works were initially the means to spread my work and provide opportunities for followers and enthusiasts to stay informed about my activities and works. Additionally, collaborating with available media to cover my activities and new productions is of utmost importance. I can be reached through my Instagram page: muhannadkelani , Facebook account: muhannad kelani, and my art page on Facebook: arts&cultures by artist muhanned kelani.
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Ana S. Gad is a pen name of the Dubai-based, internationally acclaimed writer, scholar, journalist, editor and digital artist Dr. Ana Stjelja. In 2005 she graduated from the Faculty of Philology from the Turkish Language and Literature Department. In 2009 she earned a Master’s degree in Sufism. In 2012 she obtained her PhD in Serbian Literature (with the thesis on the life and work of one of the first Serbian women writers and world travelers Jelena J. Dimitrijevic). She is an award-winning poet, writer, translator, journalist, independent scientific researcher and editor. She published more than 30 books of different literary genres, and is the author of numerous research papers and essays on literature, feminism and diverse cultures (cultural heritage). She is also a digital artist (with special focus on the graphic design, digital collage art). She is the Editor-in-Chief of various online magazines: the Alia Mundi Magazine for Cultural Diversity, the Enheduana Online Literary Magazine, the Poetryzine, an online magazine for Poets and Poetry in English. She is also the founder and the editor of the Web Portal Eastern Pearl dedicated to the Eastern cultures, Sands and City Magazine, a Dubai-based online magazine on culture of the UAE and Gulf and Art&Act Magazine on art. In 2018 she founded Association Alia Mundi for Promoting Cultural Diversity. In July 2022, she successfully completed the Introduction to Psychology course at the American Yale University, where her lecturer was the university professor and world-famous (Canadian-American) psychologist Paul Bloom. Right now, she is a mentee of the Creative Spotlight Program supported by the British Council and the Thomson Foundation. She is a member of the Association of Writers of Serbia, the Association of Journalists of Serbia, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and Europeana Pro.
Courtesy: Sands and City (Online Magazine – Dubai) July 28, 2024
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