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Expositions :
With Ahmed Bouholaigah, Tianzhuo Chen, Jean-Baptiste Wejman and Lantian Xie, curated by Angelle Siyang-Le.

The Graduals is an exhibition that breaks through the traditional definition of an exhibition – it perhaps should not be called an ‘exhibition,’ but the existence of artworks that integrates with its dynamic space – an interaction as a whole between the concepts of the contemporary artworks and the variable surroundings offered.


The utopia of a non-crime city

2012
Photographie montée sur aluminium, 60x90 cm
 
Le quartier d’Al Hamriya à Dubaï est un des quartiers populaires de Dubaï, hors des circuits touristiques, où vivent une partie des workers. Avec la commissaire de l’exposition, Angelle Siyang-Le, nous avons sélectionné cette image pour interroger les contextes cachés de la ville.

How we think and do art today, some books I selected from the library

2012
Seize caisses en bois découpées au laser, assemblage sans colle, seize livres, titres et auteurs écrits sur le mur à la main

Ensemble de livres sélectionnés dans la librairie de l’espace d’exposition en fonction de leur contenu autour des questions de la fabrique de l’art, du contexte de l’artiste, de l’écriture d’une exposition, mis dans en boites aux dimensions de chaque livre.



Another planet to conquer, first astronauts will be next heroes for our little civilization

Poster, 500 exemplaires, photographie de la NASA  

Le 19 mai 2005, le Mars Exploration Rover Spirit de la NASA a capturé cette vue du Soleil au bord du cratère Gusev sur Mars. Ce panorama a été pris vers 06h07 dans la soirée du 489ème jour martien du Rover. Les images de couchers de soleil et de crépuscules sont parfois acquises par les équipes scientifiques afin de déterminer comment au plus haut de l’atmosphère la poussière martienne s’étend, et permet la recherche de poussière ou de nuage de glace. Au delà du caractère poétique et science fictionnel de cette photographie de coucher de soleil sur Mars c’est dans sa mise en contexte à Dubaï que j’interroge cette idée de désert à conquérir, de ce que l’Homme fait et fabrique au nom de sa civilisation.

Text by Angelle Siyang-Le : 

To emphasis the purpose of contemporary art through The Graduals, the works of art have no intention of being idolized; instead, the works are physically attached to the surroundings and are psychologically attached to the visitors within the creative space. In order for contemporary art to serve at all levels, art should no long be restricted to galleries or institutional exhibitions; however, art has the freedom to transcend the perfection of a white cube. By utilizing the space and invention of Traffic as an art and social community, where artistic and intellectual exchange occur whilst activities run throughout the warehouse; the artworks are hence merged into such happenings, without an opening announcement, a catalogue, a label or a spotlight.
The Graduals features a group of artists who explore contemporary art individually and internationally, through both tuition and intuitional knowledge as a process of gradual development. The artists also share an interest of implanting conceptual significance into their works to implement an interactive purpose. Interactive art through this particular entity – The Graduals, creates not only a relationship between the works and the visitors; the space and the surroundings simultaneously become the spectators which enable the purpose of the works. The visitors will not be asked to participate, however they will automatically become a part of the interaction once they enter the space.
The curatorial objective is to encourage the flexibility of artistic practice in the Middle East region – artworks are not only to be hung precisely on the walls and sculptures are no longer to be displayed on podiums. An art object can be invisible like a pattern of noises that reacts with the surrounding movements; or, it can be a documentary of the build-up of an aesthetic concept. The work of art floats in the air and creates dialogues with all the elements of one space. It is once again a process of gradual development to encourage an acceptance of flexibility.
Ahmed Bouholaigah – Hailed by some as a “contemporary great”, Ahmed aspires to completely eradicate the artificial scarcity associated with contemporary art and to consequently annihilate the commercial gallery system. His recent works take a diminutive stab at politics, ego, and fame while primarily attempting to call into question the intrinsic value of art, the role of the art institution, and the relationship between artists and their audiences.
Tianzhuo Chen – The artist transforms galleries and public spaces into a place of worship and only lasting for a short period. By doing so, he aims to raise questions about the brokenness of our contemporary life, and speak about our fall in morality and belief.
Jean-Baptiste Wejman – Lives and works in France. Jean-Baptiste is currently preparing for his master degree in Visual Art. He recently spent three months in Dubai assisting Fayçal Baghriche during the Artists-in-Residence (A.i.R) Dubai, an annual residency programme.
Lantian Xie – Born in China and raised between Bahrain & the United Arab Emirates. He is a recent graduate of the MFA program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a recent recipient of the Sheikha Manal Young Artist Award of the United Arab Emirates. He currently spends his time between New York City and Dubai.

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