Jan/Feb
2017
SAUDI
ARTISTS’ PHANTOM PUNCH
Taryn
Plumb
An
image of an outdoor mural depicts what would no doubt be a culture
shock for many westerners: Eight swords, flanked by elegant Arabic
writing, pointing at two women — one completely veiled in black,
the other uncovered, long hair falling to her shoulders.
The
latter? Marked with an “X.” Her properly-dressed, anonymous
counterpart, meanwhile? Given full approval with a check mark.
As
if in contrast, a group of young girls, all dressed in frocks of
various shades of pink, are hard at work adding their own
illustrations to the painting — yet as a looming reminder, they are
overseen by a shapeless, faceless figure enshrouded in black.
A
still from Saudi artist’s Njoud Alanbari’s “Elementary 240,”
it is all at once eerie, haunting, ironic, unexpected — even a
little playful.
Such
is the nature of “Phantom Punch: Contemporary Art from Saudi Arabia
in Lewiston,” on view at Bates College Museum of Art through March
18. The exhibit features the unexpected and though-provoking work of
more than a dozen Saudi artists.
To
read more, pick up a copy of our latest issue! Click
here to
find a pick-up location near you or Subscribe
Here.
No comments:
Post a Comment