Culturally Significant Arab Art Exhibition Opens in Singapore

(MENAFN Press) ‘Terms Conditions’ Explores Understanding of Arab Art across Cultures;

Eight-Week Show Opened Last Night at Internationally-Acclaimed
Singapore Art Museum

Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Singapore

A culturally significant Arab exhibition opened its doors at the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) and was attended by many of the Middle East’s leading artists, collectors, museum authorities, and arts media.

Running for six weeks until September 8, 2013, ‘Terms Conditions’ aims to show how divergent interpretations of Arabic art can be made when viewings take place across borders and in a different geographical context.

To mark the inaugural night of Terms Conditions, a reception was held on Thursday evening at SAM, attended by art collectors from across the Middle East and Singapore.

Two of the contributing artists were also present at the opening: Moataz Nasr, an Egyptian painter, sculptor, and multimedia artist and Khalil Joreige, a Lebanese film director, producer, and artist.

“It was an honour to be involved in the opening of Terms Conditions at SAM last night. Many artists with an Arab identity work across geographical boundaries and their work takes on new meaning when viewed in different locations and cultures,” said Savita Apte, Chair of the Abraaj Group, which loaned some of the exhibits for the show.

“Placing works of art such as these outside of their traditional associated landscape gives them an entirely new sub-text and provides them with a voice that transcends stereotypical cultural depictions,” she added.

Terms Conditions is co-organised by the Singapore Art Museum and Barjeel Art Foundation, and curated by Mandy Merzaban, Curator and Collections Manager at the Barjeel Art Foundation. The show features 16 pieces of seminal Arabic artwork drawn from across the artistic spectrum and comprises seven video artworks, seven installations, one sculpture and a single mixed-media drawing.

“It has always been important for SAM to offer our visitors opportunities to stay connected with the wider contemporary art world. Our partnership with the Barjeel Art Foundation came at an opportune time and we hope visitors will discover the nuances of contemporary Arab art, the complex messages and confident use of materials, which can only come from artistic communities in tremendous transformation,” said Tan Boon Hui, Director of SAM.

“Our collaboration with Singapore Art Museum has presented a great opportunity for us to not only share key works from our collection at Barjeel Art Foundation to new audiences, but has provided a platform for us to investigate ideas of power and representation with a focus on the Arab world,” said Mandy Merzaban, Collections Manager and Curator at Barjeel Art Foundation.

The work being demonstrated in the Terms Conditions exhibition is drawn from private collections, including the Mathaf Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha, the Abraaj Group Art Prize Collection, Muse national de l’histoire et des cultures de l’immigration in Paris, and a substantial contribution from UAE Sheikh Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi’s Barjeel Art Foundation.

“SAM provides the perfect prismto view such Arab art in an entirely new way and imbue it with new meaning,” said Mohamed Hafez Marican, Area Director of the Middle East and Africa, Singapore Tourism Board.

“Singapore has a vibrant and growing arts scene, which has grown considerably over the past few years, with the local arts scene benefitting from a huge increase in funding. This year alone the National Arts Council set aside more than S10.2 million through its Major and Seed Grant schemes “ 30 per cent more than the S 7.8 million it awarded last year.”

Terms Conditions at the Singapore Art Museum runs until September 8, 2013and is open to the general public.

Culturally Significant Arab Art Exhibition Opens in Singapore