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| Date:26/06/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mag/2005/06/26/stories/2005062600480800.htm |
| Magazine VIGNETTES |
| The grandeur of cultures |
| SABITA RADHAKRISHNA |
| The International Art and Craft Expo — 2005, which was held in Dubai recently, was a unique platform that looked at the traditions, ethnicity and customs of various countries, proud of their heritage and passionate about their multi-faceted culture. |
PHOTO: GLOBAL LINKS DUBAI CENTURIES-OLD MATERIAL: A whale bone carving from New Zealand, a part of a set of weapons. A PERFECT blend of contemporary and classic elegance ... That was what the exhibition claimed, an International Art and Craft Expo 2005 held at the Grand Hyatt Convention Centre in Dubai and inaugurated by His Excellency Mohammed Al Murr Chairman, Dubai Cultural Council. The International Silver Show ran alongside and exhibitors from around the world displayed their range of products. Ably supported by associations and NGOs, live demonstrations and workshops were part of the Expo from the second day onwards (in the afternoons.) There were demonstrations like mosaic, fine art painting, calligraphy, carving, ikebana, sculpture, silk painting, weaving and pottery. Children were seated in one of the art stalls with loads of paper, brushes and pots of paint, happily engrossed in creating their own expressions of art, which were displayed on a board. The sponsors included the Emirates Fine Arts Society, the World Crafts Council, the Crafts Council of South Africa, the Association of Exporters and Producers of Indonesian Handicrafts and the Austrian Association besides a host of jewellers. The exhibition brought together manufacturers, distributors and dealers of art and craft on to a common podium incorporating exceptional works of fine arts, antiques, handicrafts, pottery, sculpture, glass and crystal art to name a few. I was disappointed that I would neither meet a representation of the World Crafts Council nor see a stall exclusively reserved for India though there were Indian products scattered through the exhibition. According to Savita Lakhiani of Global Links, which organised the show, there is a crying need to turn the spotlight on to silver that has been unfairly overlooked in a city like Dubai, referred to as the City of Gold. Silver was beautifully displayed in the various stalls — tableware, objects d'art and silver jewellery by Dubai businesswomen. Much of it was from India, particularly Rajasthan. On the Maoris Artists were well-represented, famous ones like Peter Caley, Brigitte Laube and Reem Nazir. Peter Jean Caley exhibited his personal collection of 12 paintings of Maori people and their Taonga (Treasures). His priceless collection has never been exhibited outside New Zealand as a complete set, apart from being shown at National Museums and Caley has a waiting list of three years for the originals. His work is described as inspirational realism and is in the medium of oil on canvas. His brilliant colours serve to depict superbly the colourful Maoris. Another New Zealander Lou Kereama exhibited his exclusive carvings from whalebone and green stone. The materials are over 3,500 years old. Whales that died naturally on the beaches were given a traditional burial with due ceremony under the sand dunes. Hundreds of years later the remains were dug up and pieces of bone used for special purposes. The whalebone was found near the Chattams Islands of New Zealand. A set of weapons was made from the jawbone and Maori carvings inscribed on the pieces, portraying them sunning themselves and other carvings showing the migration of the Maori people. Anthony Walting, Director of Walting Galleries, that deal with aboriginal art, talks about it being appreciated on a global scale. "There is a definite market for it in places like Europe," he says. The paintings displayed show fluid movement and an incredible sense of colour co-ordination prevails. Having moved away from the traditional colour medium, Walting describes how these people love acrylic paints and use them freely. Thailand exhibited an attractive art form using natural material that is abundantly available in the country. The pictures comprise coloured sawdust, dried flowers and wood. An African stall was colourful in its profusion of masks, beads and a range of handicrafts from little figurines to baskets and beads. Intricate and antique The exhibits included ornately carved furniture as well as antiques both in wood and stone and contemporary craft pottery, sculpture, ceramics and silverware. The artists had a strong presence and one could spend hours looking at the different styles of painting both by traditional and contemporary artists. You could walk around for many an hour scanning pavilions from Australia, Austria, Canada, England, France India, Italy, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Switzerland, Thailand, Iraq, the United States and the United Arab Emirates. Rather than craft alone, it was a rich extravaganza of exquisite art sprinkled with craft projected against the grandiose ambience of a place like the Grand Hyatt, thanks to its 350 exhibitors, professional artists and artisans. There is no comparison really between the Global Village and this International Expo. While the village is on a vast scale with a plethora of handicrafts, very explorable in terms of variety and cost, and affordable by various segments, the Expo was more of a high-end market. The visibility here is more of trade and business rather than just craft. © Copyright 2000 - 2006 The Hindu |
| clickhere Peter Jean Caley artwork |
