I was fortunate to be one of the Emirati artists participating in this forum, I noticed I had never personally attended an art exhibition in an Arab country before. Usually my paintings go and I stay behind, so this was a new experience for me.
Yes I had exhibited in the US, Japan, as well as Europe, but for me to attend this Forum for GCC artists was a new experience.
Ok this is not going to be one of those ” I am proud to represent my country” columns, nor is it “against all odds I won first place..” in fact I didn’t win a prize, or anything.
To me it was a new learning experience. Everybody knew one all, the Saudis, the Omanis, the Bahrainis, the Kuwaitis, the Emiratis (except me) and the Qataris all knew each other. I knew no one, I noticed how I had worked all these years and had not spent the time to get to know my fellow counterparts in the other GCC countries.
The next day at 8pm was the opening ceremony, we all went, the Emirati artists participating was Dr. Najat Makki, Khulood Al Jaberi, Salma al Merri, Khalil Abdul Wahid and myself. The opening ceremonies were commenced, we took pictures and within a couple hours we moved to another room where they announced the winners, took the trophies and it was over.
I stopped and looked around, it was great, then it was over but what is the true meaning for this entire event, where is the benefit from attending this event or anything like it? I guess I had grown boringly practical, and needed to see solid evidence why it is so important to attend these things beside the obvious participation or was I a little bitter that I didn’t win!!!??? No, I never work for a prize, for money and press probably but for a prize, not really.
So we hopped back on the bus and headed back to the hotel, and then it hit me (hoping onto the bus, heading back to the hotel, having dinner together with the other artists, waking up and having breakfast with them, celebrating one of the artists birthdays) that it is not the event, rather the candid moments we spent with each other. All generations were sitting together for three days, eating, drinking, talking, laughing, going out, discovering, that is what it was all about.
When I was told to bring as many of my brochures with me on the trip, I was worried that I would have to return with them, I was wrong I ran out of them, and returned with twice as many from the other artists. It was a great experience, I enjoyed the entire experience, even my fellow Emiratis became much closer and I witnessed first hand that Art does in fact communicate across borders, and does bring people together.
