Retrospectives as ritual...Hassan Sharif: I Am The Single Work Artist.

Hassan Sharif, Combs, 2016. 

Hassan Sharif, Cotton (still), 2013. Cotton and single-channel HD video, silent, 20 x 67 x 46 cm, 8 minutes 26 seconds. Courtesy Estate of Hassan Sharif and Gallery Isabelle van den Eynde, Dubai.

Hassan Sharif
Hassan Sharif: I Am The Single Work Artist, 2017
Mixed Media Installation
dimensions variable
Installation view
Image courtesy of Sharjah Art Foundation

  "His body of work acts as a solid contradiction to the oft-touted misconception that all culture is shipped into the UAE from the West: Sharif is Emirati, his work is of the UAE, and even the most ethnocentric can’t deny that".

- Nyree McFarlane, 2017. 

Visiting a retrospective exhibition is indeed one of the most informative and fulfilling experiences in the world of culture. Almost like watching a film, or documentary, reflecting not only the life of the artist, but the socio-cultural context of the artworks and the physical and emotional spaces in which they exist, they are a ritual, and a form of mass-medium open to and intended to reach all. 

As we move through room by room, perhaps even sub-consciously we are absorbing new identities and understanding the motions of particular contexts not specifically filtered through the eyes of the artist, but through our own interpretation of the artists commentary, whether that be on a visual, sensory or literal level. In our opinion, Hassan Sharif is one of those incredible artists that hits you on every level, and when you see this exhibition, you will understand why he is referred to as the 'godfather' of Conceptual Art in the gulf region. 

Few artists have been as rigorous in promoting the identity of a region as Hassan Sharif - not only for the Middle East as a whole but particularly for the UAE.  The retrospect entitled 'Hassan Sharif: I Am The Single Work Artist, 2017' has been in the making for several years, and includes the artist's diverse body of work from the early 1970s to 2016. On view in Al Mureijah Square and Bait Al Serkal, Arts Square, the exhibition will encompass Sharif’s early newspaper caricature and comic strip drawings, ‘semi-system’ works, performances, paintings and ‘urban archeology’ objects. The landmark exhibition, curated by our ever so favourite, and esteemed Director of Sharjah Art Foundation, Hoor Al Qasimi, is exceptional, as are all of the exhibitions at the foundation.. It brought us to thinking about just how important it is to preserve and promote the artists of a region which is quite often not given the recognition it deserves. 

In the article "Hans Ulrich Obrist: the art of curation" (2015), the Artistic Director of Serpentine Gallery in London, discussed the etymology of curating, saying "it comes from the Latin word curare, meaning to take care. In Roman times, it meant to take care of the bath houses. In medieval times, it designated the priest who cared for souls. Later, in the 18th century, it meant looking after collections of art and artifacts."  Connecting to an an art history in the MENA region, in particular that of the UAE is something that Sharjah Art Foundation do ever so well, and this exhibition is testament to the meticulous care taken in the promotion of treasured artists such as Hassan Sharif. 

See this fantastic exhibition at the  Sharjah Art Foundation on now until 3rd February, 2018.