Four artists from the Middle East open their homes and collections exclusively for Canvas in the second edition of Artists Who Collect. #2 artists who collect ahmed al-bahrani | fouad bellamine | nadim karam | parviz tanavoli SpeCIaL Feature ARTISTS WHO COLLECT II 124 R unning in parallel to ahmed al-Bahrani’s calling as a sculptor was his passion for collecting. the Iraqi-born artist first exchanged artworks with fellow colleagues during his studies at the Insti- tute of Fine arts in Baghdad in the 1980s. “With that first piece by [Salam omar], I felt like I started to become a collector,” says al-Bahrani. “and I am so glad to still have his painting with me to this day.” It was during his academic years that he came into contact with the great Modern Iraqi artist Ismail Fattah, who has had a lasting influence on subsequent generations of Iraqi artists – al-Bahrani included – and two of the late Master’s paintings are in the latter’s collection. “aside from liking the works, I knew Ismail personally and had a great relationship with him, which is very important Ahmed Al-bAhrAni 125 to me when acquiring pieces,” says al-Bahrani. “My most prized works are those by artists with whom I have or have had a personal relationship.” though his career as a sculptor has taken him away from his native Iraq to Jordan, Yemen, Sweden and Qatar, Iraqi art features prominently in al-Bahrani’s collection, one largely rooted in the nostalgia that he feels for his homeland. “I do feel like a nationalist and as though I am in Iraq through these paintings,” he explains. Interestingly, though his collection principally comprises paintings, al-Bahrani’s travels have contributed to a grouping of sculptures of bulls, an animal he has admired since his academic years. now based in Doha, from where he produces his trademark iron works, the sculptor has turned his attention to supporting emerging artists based in Iraq. “their works have a greater credibility, a greater realism to them,” explains al-Bahrani. as for the future of his collection, he hopes to pass on this two-decade-plus journey to his children. Ahmed Al-Bahrani with (foreground) his own sculpture, Unknown Soldier . 2013. Metal. 120 x 120 x 160 cm and (right) untitled works by Ghassan Ghaib. 2013. Graphic on paper. 60 x 60 cm each. How did you become a collector? I think any fan of the arts or an artist will want to create an art collection. as artists, our financial situations didn’t allow us at first to buy art and we began exchanging works – there was a real desire for this among us and it became a hobby. When circumstanc- es improved, I began buying other artworks during my travels, online and elsewhere. The bulk of your collection includes work by Iraqi artists. How come? I’ve lived outside Iraq for over two decades and having work by Iraqi artists reminds me, in a sense, of my country and my col- leagues. It helps me feel closer to home. their art summarises the spirit of the na- tion, its history and its present condition. at the end of the day, art really is a transla- tion of one’s heart and home. I have works by artists of my generation and by those who taught me as well as a very important collection in Iraq that I can’t take out un- fortunately. recently, I have started to buy work by the younger generation that lives in Iraq. I know I should like it but I just can’t: the work of the Spanish sculptor Celida. The artwork I will get by hook or by crook: I have not met it yet. Favourite work of art that I own is: a work by Iraqi Master Shaker Hassan al-Said. What I look for in a work of art is: Something that stirs my emotions and speaks to my heart. SpeCIaL Feature ARTISTS WHO COLLECT II 126 “At the end of the day, art really is a translation of one’s heart and home.” This spread, from left to right : Mohammad Muhriddin. Untitled. 2005. Acrylic on canvas. 80 x 50 cm. Image courtesy Al-Markhiya Gallery, Doha; Rafa Al-Nasiri. Untitled. 1998. Acrylic on wood. 80 x 40 cm. Image courtesy Al-Markhiya Gallery, Doha; Ahmed Al-Bahrani with (above) an untitled work by Ali Talib. 2010. Mixed media on canvas. 100 x 100 cm and (below) and an untitled work by Mahmoud Shubbar. 2012. Acrylic on canvas. 90 x 90 cm. Photography by Saif Alnuweiri unless otherwise specified. What triggered this new focus? those inside Iraq draw what they see and that is important to me. We view what is happening inter- nally from the outside – in a relaxed atmosphere, with the air conditioning on, watching tV. the art- ists there, however, are actually living the events – they hear the sound of explosions, they see the bloodshed and death and yet, they are able to go to their studios and portray what is happening. Do you have any regrets about any pieces? In all honesty, I like the collection that I have amassed. Some works remind me of my travels, others of my teachers in Iraq, including Moham- med Ghani Hikmat, and there are a lot of works by artists whom I know and who are friends, whether Iraqi or not; I even own works by Indian artists. I still have the first piece I ever bought – I was in Yemen in 1996 and bought a small painting by a local artist whose name escapes me. When do you think someone is ready to start collecting? I can’t advise someone who doesn’t have any stability or country and tell them they should start collecting art. until that person finds some sort of geographical or personal stability, then they should or could start collecting art and they should want something that is unique, that only they have. Collecting art is not like collecting cars or watches; most of the time, the artwork you buy is truly unique. What guides your decision-making? I would never buy a work of art by a ‘popular’ artist – fame doesn’t matter to me, it is his/her talent that does. I buy art when I travel and I buy more works by arab artists although my collec- tion isn’t limited to those. I must know the arab artist whose work I acquire. I must live with the pieces I buy, so I’m selective in the sense that I must like them. Some people buy work by artists – for business purposes – that they don’t nec- essarily like, but it’s not a business for me. I buy works to keep and then pass on to my children. Why is it important for you to know the artist personally? 127 I enjoy buying artworks by artists whom I like, it’s a personal thing. It is also interesting when the artwork resembles the artist, like thaier Helal for example – his work is symmetric, balanced and personal and very similar to his character. Do you think your children will understand the significance of the collection? My children were born in Sweden and haven’t visited Iraq yet, but I do try to explain the col- lection to them. thankfully, they’ve gotten the idea but not as deeply as I wish they would. their relationship with Iraq is through me – not just through paintings and sculptures, but through music, ethics and poetry as well. It was hard but I think I’ve succeeded. they’ve started to know some of the artists and I now feel comfortable that they will look after my collection. What advice would you impart to anyone who wants to start collecting? I think it’s important to collect what you like as that makes a difference. When I buy a work, I do so with absolute faith that when the piece enters my house, it will become part of my life and I would never let it go. In the end, this is something personal and if there isn’t a personal relationship with the works you have, you either hide it or you sell it. SpeCIaL Feature ARTISTS WHO COLLECT II 128 NAdim kArAm 129 L ike many artists who collect, Nadim Karam’s journey into the world of collecting began by swapping artworks with colleagues. “It was spontaneous and all happened by chance,” says the Lebanese-born artist. “I have to credit Khaled Samawi here [Founder, Ayyam Gallery] for getting me hooked.” In between a hectic work schedule that took him to Australia and South Africa in 2005, Karam managed to find the time to visit a rundown stone house in Daroun, North Lebanon. The decision to buy the house was instant and Ka- ram has since renovated it entirely and “escapes there on weekends” with his family, away from urban Beirut where he owns a flat. The two-storey house’s walls are filled with artworks from Karam’s collection that are predominantly those acquired or swapped from his gallery, Ayyam. The artwork acquisition process, however, is a “family voting democracy” with his wife and three chil- dren, as is the decision on which works by Karam himself remain. It may be limiting to classify Karam as just a Contemporary artist – he is an architect by training, an urban planner and a landscape designer. “And I do all of that at home too,” he laughs. Indeed, as each corner of the Daroun house ad- heres to a meticulous interior architecture approach, so too does the choice of artworks in various spaces. “Each piece’s placement becomes important; I appreciate contrasts as well as complementary combinations,” explains Ka- ram. “Maybe that’s my curator or architect side coming out.” Wish list: The Thinker by Rodin I should like but I just can’t: Damien Hirst. The works I could stare at endlessly: Monet and Manet’s landscapes. I’d like to dine with: Leonardo da Vinci and in case he’s not available, Michelangelo. You and your family keep some of your works as part of the collec- tion. What do you hope to do with those pieces? Collecting one’s own work is like keeping a favourite shirt you bought five years ago; it’s in your closet, it reminds you of something, it reconstructs a history from your memories. Just like your first mobile phone – it doesn’t work anymore, but you keep it for memorabilia’s sake. I wanted to keep one work from each of my series, knowing that the rest will all ultimately go. Nadim Karam in front of the gate to his Daroun home on which he painted his signature figures. SPECIAL FEATURE ARTISTS WHO COLLECT II 130 “We don’t think the way collectors do when it comes to collecting. We are still artists.” As an artist, what is it like having other artists’ work in your home? Now that I see it, I love having other people’s work in my home besides mine, especially because I know the artists and they are friends. Their work offers a sense of diversity – a feeling that I always try to implement in my own work, which is about going beyond. What was the first piece you bought? I was in Copenhagen earlier this year giving a talk on my urban artwork and was told about Chris- tiania, a commune inhabited by hippies. I went there and by chance saw a lot of paintings hung on a wall. One, by a relatively unknown artist, Henrik Schutze, grabbed my attention for its abstraction and colours. Though he wasn’t there, I went to see him and found Schutze skating on the lake! I loved the scenery and when he started to explain his work, I saw myself in him. 131 Facing page: Clockwise from top left: Asaad Arabi. Upside Down Tambour. 2011. Acrylic on canvas. 150 x 150 cm; Karam with Alfred Tarazi’s The Scribbler . 2012. Mixed media on canvas. 200 x 200 cm; Henrik Schutze. Il Marchese de Sade . 2013. Mixed media on canvas. 150 x 150 cm. This page: The living room at the artist’s home. Left: Nadim Karam. The Encounter. 2007. Mixed media on canvas. Diptych 200 x 140 cm; Right: Samia Halaby. Tulips . 2009. Acrylic on canvas. 152 x 203 cm. Photography by Mansour Dib. What was it about Schutze’s piece that spoke to you? When I first saw it, I saw only an abstraction of colours and then the scene appeared. The piece carries a narrative, a history of sorts and even now, I discover new things in it. I feel that these types of artists contrast with me, as in, they can do what I cannot do. The abstraction and colours echo Samia Halaby’s work. The way Samia throws colour is beautiful! I went to Ayyam with my family to select one of her paint- ings among the four or five that Khaled showed us. Choosing a work is almost a ceremonial thing and the one we selected involves the aforemen- tioned contrast – a positive part through the many colours, and a dark side, both of which can somehow be extended to our part of the world where we live positively despite the existing neg- ative situation. What do you look for in artworks? Humour definitely, but not across the board. I look for absurdity and power too. Safwan Da- houl’s work has power in it. It stands by itself, the dream is fixed and it presents itself clearly. How far have you gone in terms of buying outside Ayyam? I recently went to Iran with Khaled for a week and bought a 3D piece by an Iranian artist who does work that is very similar to what you can find within the Lebanese context. Again, just as I try to go beyond in my practice, I hope to do the same with collecting as I enjoy the presence of others. Artists collecting other artists’ work is different – it doesn’t come from financial power and we don’t think the way collectors do when it comes to collecting. We are still artists. How do you feel about supporting younger, emerging artists? I am definitely keen on it and there are many who need support. The uniqueness and power of an artwork created by a young person brings energy to a home. I don’t buy a piece because I want to encourage a person. I buy it because I like it and encouragement becomes part of the process. Do you have any plans for your collection? I want to enjoy all of the artworks on the walls. They are happy where they are, though I have no more wall space! I’d like for the art- ists whose work I own to come and see where their pieces are. I think they’d love it. Generally, I would like to see more multiplicity in the col- lection – the more diverse, the more interest- ing it becomes. 132 Fouad Bellamine W hen Fouad Bellamine was a child, he tore out pictures of artworks from books and dictionaries to create his very own ‘museum’ in a notebook. Today, the Moroccan artist is surrounded by over 200 actual art- works in his Rabat home, pieces he has acquired over more than four decades. Bellamine was exposed to the arts from a young age, absorbing many of his painting techniques from his artist father and visiting museums as often as possible. Known for his minimalist style, he began teaching History and Art at the University of Rabat after completing an MA in History and Theory of Art in Paris. Over the years, Bellamine befriended fellow artists such as Miloud Labied and Saad Hassani, whose works he acquired through exchanges early on and eventually, started buying works too. “I love to look at the works of friends while I am having breakfast and remember all of these artists I know,” he says. Bellamine made a choice early on to surround himself only with the works of his 133 Apparently, you don’t really like to be called a collector. That’s right – I don’t have the mindset of a collector because when I acquire artworks, I don’t have the market in mind. A lot of col- lectors are vain, but for me, collecting is for my own personal experience and pleasure, as it reminds me of all of the artists that I have met. What is most important for me is that I live with other people’s works in my home, not my own. Does your collection have a theme? Not at all. I collect works that I believe are strong and beautiful – for they are the ones that will stand the test of time. This spans anything from naïve painting to more spon- taneous and blunt pieces, minimalist works and even photographic art, such as the Halim Al-Karim work I have, or one by Faisal Samra. Of course, what is strong and beautiful to me could be quite different to another. I used to be a teacher and when you spend your life seeing and talking about artists and paint- ings, you have a great wealth of information at hand. I probably have about 3000 artist names in my head – thankfully, I am not los- ing my memory yet! What makes me gravitate towards a painting is dictated by all of this knowledge that I have acquired. Fouad Bellamine in his Rabat home with works from his collection. Clockwise from bottom left: Mohamed Ben Allal. Untitled 1952. Gouache on carton. 24 x 34 cm ; Jilali Gharbaoui. Untitled 1959. Ink on paper. 50 x 64 cm; Jilali Gharbaoui. Untitled. 1971. Ink on carton. 75 x 106 cm; Chaibia Tallal. Untitled Undated. Acrylic on canvas. 100 x 80 cm. Favourite work in your collection: There are many, but my favourite is one I don’t own yet. I should like but I just can’t: Socialising in the art world at exhibitions and museums. The work I could stare at endlessly: Pietà de Villeneuve-lès-Avignons by Enguerrand Quarton – it’s stuck in my mind and I don’t know why. The first thing I do when I acquire a new work: Keep it in front of me for the first three or four days. peers and not his own. “I live with my collection,” he says. “There are artworks everywhere in the house – the corridors, my bedroom and even in the bathroom!” Though he splits his time between Rabat and Paris, the collection stays in Rabat. “Even if I ac- quire works in Paris, I bring them back. I’m not sure why I do that, but maybe it’s because I know I won’t live forever, so I’d rather the works stay in my home country,” he says. Bellamine is no stranger to loaning works to museum and gallery exhibitions, even showcasing his collection publicly in 2006 at the Institut Français de Rabat and later in Tangier. “Why would someone keep art locked away in a room?” he asks. Endlessly inspired by the words of French artist Robert Fil- liou, “art is much too important for us to leave it to specialists. Like love, art belongs to everyone,” he says as he reveals an extensive, personal and treasured collection of art. SPECIAL FEATURE ARTISTS WHO COLLECT II 134 “Real collectors are not dealers: they are connoisseurs and critics.” Do you recall the first work you acquired? It was a painting by a very close friend of mine, Baghdad Benas, who studied with me at the School of Applied Arts in Casablanca. Shortly after, I also collected a work by another school- mate, Abdelbassit Ben Dahman, whose work is very figurative. I also used to go to flea markets to find pseudo-Orientalist paintings. How would you define your collection? It comprises around 200 artworks and it doesn’t have a theme. Rather, it is about time and his- tory. I started collecting some 43 years ago, so my collection is a record of the history of Moroc- can art. I like to support younger Contemporary artists but only, of course, if I like their work. So I have three or four works by Younes Rahmoun and some by Safa Raouas. I really don’t care what they cost; their value is sentimental. In 2006, you showcased your collection at the Institut Français in Rabat and later in Tangier. Yes. The show Juste Du Plaisir ( Just Pleasure ) in- 135 This page: Left: Huda Loutfi. Untitled. 2002. Acrylic on paper. 25 x 19.5 cm. Right: Yves Oppenheim. Untitled. 1996. Acrylic on paper. 51 x 36 cm. Facing page: Bellamine with (from left to right): Halim Al-Karim. Untitled, from the Urban Witness series. 2002. Lambda print. 73 x 53 cm; Philippe Cazal. Rub Out Your Life 2006. Silkscreen on card. 60 x 70 cm. Edition of 32; Amina Rezki. (Detail) Untitled 2011. Mixed media on paper mounted on canvas. 65 x 50 cm. Photography by Hafid Jender. cluded Modern and Contemporary works from my collection and happened at the behest of the director of the Institut. The reaction of the public was great and it was a mixed audience made up of both Moroccans and of foreigners, mainly from Europe. It was a great experience for me because people were curious. These works exist, in my opinion, so they can live and travel. One of the biggest ironies of the art world is seeing artworks locked away in storage – I hate that. I feel like my collection in my home is like a small museum and sometimes, strangers knock on my door and say, “We know you have an art collection, can we come in and see it?” It is my pleasure to share it. Do you have plans for your collection? I really don’t know. All I know is that I never want my collection to be broken up, because it has been put together and is coherent and continu- ous on a temporal level. It is quite autobiograph- ical actually. But of course, I will continue to loan works to exhibitions and museums. Have you ever had any regrets about any of your acquisitions? Not really. But of course, I would have loved to have a Twombly or a Jasper Johns, a Picasso or a Modigliani! What advice would you have to offer aspir- ing collectors? Only collect what your heart beats for. Real collectors are not dealers: they are connois- seurs and critics. To know what to buy, you should go to museums and exhibitions, visit artist studios and talk to people. All of this is important for someone’s cultural knowledge. Without all of this, how can someone know what to collect? 136 Parviz Tanavoli 137 Do you remember the first artwork you ever acquired? It was a pencil on paper drawing by a class- mate of mine in 1959 while I was studying at the Academy of Fine Arts of Brera in Milan. Her name is Savina Morra and it is a portrait of me. Does your collection have a certain focus? Collecting is, and has always been, in my blood. Long before I started collecting art, I was collecting locks. I love them and they are now part of an extensive collection, which I have published a book on, Locks from Iran – Pre-Islamic to the Twentieth Century (1976). Collecting Contemporary art was some- thing I did on the side whenever I had some money because I couldn’t always afford it. Today I have about 100 works, but they’re not just major works; I’m very much into works on paper. I probably have some of the earliest works of Iranian artists all on paper. Everybody P arviz Tanavoli’s deep-seated inspiration by the Farsi word Heech (nothingness) and the resemblance of its shape to the human body is longstanding; the Iranian artist has repeatedly reinterpreted the word in his sculptural works and today, they can be found in many important public and private collections around the world. “It’s always a good feeling to know that young collectors continue to show interest in my work,” says the 76 year-old Iranian pioneer. “I am grateful.” And indeed, Tanavoli returns the favour. A founder of the saqqakhaneh movement in Iran in the 1960s, he established Atelier Ka- boud in Tehran, a space that became a meeting place for artists such as Charles Hossein Zen- deroudi, Marcos Grigorian and Sohrab Sepehri. Early on, Tanavoli had his eye on the works of his contemporaries and exchanged various works with Zenderoudi, Grigorian and Sepehri among others. “Any pieces that weren’t sold at Atelier Kaboud, I bought,” he says, recalling the beginnings of his collection. “Aside from owning the largest collection of Zenderoudi’s earlier works, as time went by I bought works from other artists as well and that’s how it all began.” In 1979, the artist and his family fled the unrest of the Islamic Revolution and emigrated to Vancouver, Canada, halting the development of Tanavoli’s evolving collection. However, a move in 2002 to teach sculpture at the Mahe Mehr Institute in Tehran kick-started phase two of the collection, as Tanavoli became acquainted with a new generation of artists who, he says “are extremely talented.” Parviz Tanavoli with (in the background) an untitled work by Abbas Kiarostami from the Road series. 1980–2003. Digital print on Epson paper and ink. 70 x 80 cm. Edition one of five and (holding) an untitled work by Karl Schlaminger. 1969. Oil on canvas. 70 x 96 cm. Photography by Maryam Rahmanian. Favourite work in your collection: A drawing of JFK by Siah Armajani. Wish list: A bronze work by Arnaldo Pomodoro and a horse and rider by Marino Marini. The first thing I do when I buy an artwork is: Hide it. International artists in your collection: Siah Armajani and Marcos Grigorian. SPECIAL FEATURE ARTISTS WHO COLLECT II 138 “Whatever artists decide to acquire is fine because it is from the heart, from their knowledge and from their eyes.” wants oil paintings on canvas or paper now, but I am happy that I have drawings. Do you have any favourite pieces? The memories and sentiments attached to a work are what matter most to me. I have a small draw- ing by Siah Armajani of John F Kennedy that he made after his assassination that means a lot to me. At that time, I was in Minneapolis where Arma- jani lives, so we spent a lot of time together. I also have a very special drawing by Grigorian, which he made in a café of a lady who was sitting next to us; he didn’t have any paint so he used the remains of a coffee cup and sugar to give the drawing some texture. I also have a 13-metre painting by Zender- oudi, which I commissioned and exhibited in my atelier in Tehran, Kaboud. It is on paper but I have managed to conserve it for the past 50 years. Have you ever sold any artworks from your collection? During the Islamic Revolution and my family’s subsequent emigration to Vancouver, I had to 139 This page: Left: Mona Paad. Monument for Unity. 2006. Bronze. 16.5 x 4 x 3 cm. Right: Mina Sarlak. Shoes . 2011. Bronze. 66 x 45.5 x 48 cm. Facing page: Clockwise from top left: Siah Armajani. JF Kennedy . 1964. Ink on paper. 14 x 10 cm; Marcos Grigorian. Woman . 1960. Pen, sugar and coffee on paper. 29 x 22 cm; Parviz Tanavoli holding an untitled work by Mohammad Ehsai. 1975. Oil on paper. 98 x 69 cm; (background) his own The Last Poet of Iran 1967. Oil on canvas. 131 x 131 cm and (foreground) his Simorgh (Thirty Birds) sculpture. Brass. 2003. 164 x 248 x 65 cm. Photography by Maryam Rahmanian. All images courtesy the artist unless otherwise specified. sell some of the works in my Contemporary collection because we needed money. Have you ever made mistakes? I think sometimes collectors think they should have bought more from certain artists, but I think that is a normal feeling. I don’t let it bother me, because I am sure I did what I could and probably couldn’t have done more at the time. How are artist-collectors different from regular collectors? Artists have a sharp eye and they seldom make mistakes, and if they do, they are not really mis- takes. Whatever they decide to acquire is fine be- cause it is from the heart, from their knowledge and from their eyes. It isn’t calculated for the sake of investment such as when someone is acquiring for a bank collection or when it is a wealthy collec- tor shopping for works. Artists are not as anxious about the future of an artist; the present is what really counts. In my case, I have never bought any- thing from people I don’t know, so collecting is very meaningful to me and enriches my life. Do you have any plans for your collection? Every collector has a dream at the back of their mind and mine is the chance to have a museum to share my collection – especially the works that I have from young Iranian artists who are my sculpture students. My collection of sculp- tures is much better formed than the rest of it, so I would love to have a little sculpture mu- seum. There are hundreds of Iranian sculptors today compared to the 1960s and 1970s – it is very exciting. What advice do you have for anyone aspir- ing to be a collector? It’s easy and it’s a good investment to buy works by established artists if you have money. But, for artists or anyone who wants to start collecting, I’d recommend that you buy from your contemporaries rather than spend all of your money on one piece by one big name artist. It’s wiser to buy 10 works by an unknown who works hard – at least that is how I do it. I am not a collector who wants to have all the names from A to Z; I never was and never will be. 140 written by: #2 artists who collect Myrna Ayad | Rania Habib