FEREYDOUN AVE • ROKNI & RAMIN HAERIZADEH • NABIL NAHAS • ADEL SIWI • FADI YAZIGI ART ISTS WHO COLLECT Six Middle Eastern artists open their homes and collections exclusively for Canvas in our first feature on artists who collect. Hailing from Iran, Lebanon, Egypt and Syria and with artworks ranging from antiquities and Modern Arab art to Post War and Contemporary international art, the artists reveal their passions, advice and love for collecting. 76 FEREYDOUN AVE 77 Fereydoun Ave ( Canvas 3.4) is something of an institution. Arguably one of Iran’s most influential Contemporary artists, the 66 year- old has witnessed the evolution of the Iranian art scene over the past four decades. After attending boarding school in england, Ave joined Arizona State university (ASu) in 1964 to study desert agriculture. All did not, however, go according to plan. “ Everybody looked like they’d just come from the rodeo in their cowboy boots and I showed up in my Beatles suit and Beatles haircut,” Ave recalls. “everybody knew I was in the wrong class!” Seren- dipitously, ASu was famous for two things – snake antivenin research and architecture, with Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West centre nearby. Ave found himself inspired by the art and architec- ture courses offered, graduating with a degree in applied arts of the theatre in 1968 and going on to attend the prestigious new york university’s Film School. returning to Iran in 1970, Ave began working at the Iran America Society Cultural Cen- tre, followed by the role of art director at Tehran’s Zand Gallery, which led to an impressive art col- lection. With the onset of the Islamic revolution, however, much was lost, yet it brought about the creation of the seminal 13 Vanak Street Gallery. With the opening of his international art gallery, XVB in dubai in 2007, along with his versatile ca- reer as an artist, curator and gallerist, Ave’s private collection of Contemporary art spans houses in Iran, France and Greece. How were you introduced to the art scene? It was the era of The Factory and Andy Warhol and the whole underground cinema movement. My film teacher was Martin Scorsese, but we spent most evenings around Max’s Kansas City, a night- club where Andy and would-be superstars and artists hung out. They were crazy, wonderful years and I was an idiot because I didn’t buy anything. you live that gypsy attitude and collecting really is the last thing on your menu. What was the first piece you bought? When I came back to Iran in 1970 after nearly 20 years abroad, my english was better than my Farsi. The only cultural centre then was the Iran Ameri- ca Society Cultural Centre, which was also coinci- dentally designed by Wright. It had a theatre, four galleries and a downstairs annex – it was perfect for me and it was bilingual! I worked as resident designer with douglas Johnson, the art director and an artist in his own right. It was through him that I met Cy Twombly and then Charles Hossein Zenderoudi ( Canvas 5.5). I didn’t know any of the Contemporary Iranian artists and when I saw Zenderoudi’s work, I thought WoW! I designed the catalogue, the poster, the exhibition. This was the first time I really wanted to own something. Facing page: Fereydoun Ave unfolding a work by Andy Warhol. Mao wallpaper. 1974. Silkscreen on laminated paper. 1974. Approximately 250 x 250 cm. Below: Left: Parviz Tanavoli. Heech on Chair . 2008. Bronze. 18 x 9 x 7 cm. Edition of 10. Right: Cy Twombly. (Detail) Untitled study used for poster invitation card for Fereydoun Ave 1999–2000 exhibition in Tehran. Circa 1999–2000. Pencil on paper. 29 x 21 cm. SPeCIAL FeATure ArTISTS WHo CoLLeCT Ever swap works? Lots of times. Regional artists in your collection? Youssef Nabil ( Canvas 1.1), Faisal Samra ( Canvas 1.2) and Lalla Essaydi ( Canvas 6.4). International artists? Twombly, Rauschenberg, Warhol, Rosenquist, Christo, Richard Serra and Joan Mitchell. Favourite works? Three studies done in pencil by Twombly as a poster that was the invitation for my show in Tehran. They’re so simple, just pencil signed in red crayon, dated 2000. “My taste changed especially after the Revolution.” 78 SPeCIAL FeATure ArTISTS WHo CoLLeCT I pleaded with my grandmother for a loan and I bought this wonderful Zendroudi piece for about $10,000. unfortunately or fortunately, that was the start of it all. I also started collecting kilims, carpets and fabrics so I could surround myself with things that would inspire me. Was there a direction to your collecting? When I met Twombly in 1975, I became inter- ested in Art with a capital ‘A’, not just Contempo- rary Iranian art. At Zand Gallery, which I helped to start, I was interested in educating and starting others off on collecting. I should’ve been more selfish and selected the best pieces for myself, because that’s how one builds a great collec- tion. I bought Hockney, Warhol and all the Iranian artists like Leyly Matin daftari, Ardeshir Mohas- sess, Parviz Tanavoli ( Canvas 4.2) and Vaziri. I just bought what I liked. unfortunately I bought a lot of what I liked and hardly any of the others. This filling-in-the-gaps started after the revolution, when people started selling their collections. I had the place and the time and I was getting more serious about putting together a more chronological collection. How did the Revolution affect all this? They confiscated Zand Gallery and many lost their collections and houses, so a lot of artworks fell into very strange hands. Most people thought that the revolution was temporary, but things never return to what they were. I asked my fam- ily to go through my collection and destroy any- thing that might have created problems. Losing artworks is a disaster, but it’s out of your hands. you make the best of it, learn and move on. Be- cause I had lost the major part of my early collec- tion, I went back to Iran with a great sense of fear and apprehension, but determined to see if there were creative seeds that would grow. My taste changed especially after the revolution – it was fuelled in the direction of more experimentation and helping younger artists to grow. How did the opening of 13 Vanak Street influence your collection? It really began as my studio, until I decided to show some of my friends by putting their work in the window and keeping it lit 24 hours a day. Friends then asked if we could put works inside so people could visit. I started experimenting with my own pieces and an artist cooperative concept began, and so 13 Vanak Street opened its doors. younger artists then began showing me their works and this was before the million-dollar prices for Contemporary Iranian art. Most were willing to give away pieces as long as they could buy mate- rials to continue working. I would personally buy to help them economically. It was to encourage, more than my need to collect. Being an artist, I just wished somebody had done that for me! Why have you auctioned off a lot of works? When 13 Vanak Street came above the radar, I ended up with a lot of works. We never took commissions but artists donated pieces. This “Buying is the smallest part of being a collector.” 79 Facing page: Left: 18th–century sculpture depicting angels from Germany in front of a work by Pablo Picasso. Faune from the series Flora and Fauna of Antibes Circa 1960s. Silkscreen on paper. 60 x 50 cm. Right: Robert Rauschenberg. (Detail) Untitled from the Arcadia series. 1981. Silkscreen and collage on paper. 58 x 40 cm. Edition 26 out of 85. Above from left to right: Sohrab Sepehri. Untitled. Circa 1960. Gouache on paper. 70 x 50 cm; Farhad Moshiri. Untitled. 2001. Mixed media on canvas. 185 x 150 cm; Charles Hossein Zenderoudi. Untitled. 1975. Silkscreen. 60 x 80 cm; Shirin Neshat’s special edition for the fundraising of the Ardeshir Mohassess show at the Asia Society, New York, New York. 2008. Ink on photography. 30 x 40 cm; Shahla Hosseini Barzi. Untitled. Circa 1980. Graphite. 60 x 80 cm. On the floor: Bita Fayyazi. Cockroaches Circa 1990. Mixed media and ceramic. 15 x 5 cm. Unlimited edition. All photography by Cathy Bistour. showed I had faith in their talent and they would feel they were paying something towards a free- bie space. Then I had pieces from people I didn’t show, but who needed financial help to be able to continue. So the collection after the revolu- tion, for a while, was mainly based on people who I wanted to give economic freedom to, so they could continue to work. Then when I de- cided no more 13 Vanak Street, I had Ave Gallery in dubai, so my collection also includes works from the two years it was open. A lot of peo- ple thought I was selling off through auctions. I wasn’t. The Zoroastrian Cultural Centre needed financing and I would only put stuff into auction if it was for a cause. What makes a good collector? Buying is the smallest part of being a collector. What is important is maintaining, restoring, doc- umenting and then eventually putting the works on public display, so the people have recourse to this richness that you’re trying to present. If it’s chronological, your collection is of historic im- portance. If it’s just your taste, then it’s a portrait of you. These steps have to be followed after you decide to buy something. It’s all documented, which is the hardest part, but is what every col- lector has to do. you don’t call yourself a collector because you have a lot of stuff, it’s when you’re actually serious about keeping your works in good shape, restoring them and loaning them. How is an ‘artist collector’ different? There is a difference between a collector and an artist collector – the latter collects with a wholly different eye, because they want to be inspired when they see something original, as opposed to being chronological and wanting to fill in gaps in a collection. I try to find something to- tally inventive, totally individual. They aren’t nec- essarily their best works, but those I see the most experimentation and growth in. What advice would you offer to collectors? I believe in being an example. I have become less interested in collecting ever since everything’s become so much more expensive. I’m with- drawing a great deal from the nurturing thing as well, because fortunately Iranian Contemporary art has reached a point where it can nurture it- self. I used to be, at the start of the revolution, one of the few collector-nurturers, but I’m not anymore. And I’m glad about that. If have been instrumental in any way in encouraging it, then that is done by example and not by lecturing. So what’s next? I would like to open a private museum, but things in Iran are still so unsettled. I’m documenting and eliminating, not because works aren’t good but because I have 25 of something. I’m keeping the very best and letting go of the rest. I think my vision, my taste, is different from other people’s. When people buy from my collection, they’re getting my expertise plus the work itself. I’m also going to give works to the Zoroastrian Cultural Centre in Paris and try to put together cohesive exhibitions that could travel. I’m getting younger curators and have a programme with the private museum concept of training curators. My recent heart operation turned my life around in the sense that I nearly died. I feel this is a meditative period on what is really essential: my survival. 80 RAMIN & ROKNI HAERIZADEH 81 About 15 years ago, Iranian artist brothers Ramin and Rokni Haerizadeh ( Canvas 5.6) bought their first major artwork – a lithograph by bah- man Mohasses ( Canvas 6.6). At the time, Rokni’s works on paper were priced as low as $10 while works by Ramin were sold for around $90 during his first exhibition. “And the little money we made was put towards buying art and we were always in debt!” laughs Ramin. “We always believed that whatever we earned from our art should be spent on buying others’ art,” says Rokni. Initially, the bulk of their collecting was dedicated to emerging Ira- nian artists – “our way of supporting them,” says Rokni – and while that is a philosophy they still practice, the brothers also acquire works by up- and-coming international artists. Growing up, Ramin collected stamps, currency, books and magazines; Rokni collected miniature toy animals, comic books and movies. “It’s important to col- lect,” adds Ramin, “somehow you freeze time in doing so and it becomes a memory that you keep with you always.” Pieces in the Haerizadeh collection reign su- preme when it comes to placement. Ramin is quick to point out that “the artworks come first and then the furniture”. the brothers’ home boasts an eclectic mix of ceramics, which they’ve painted over, ornate bowls of fresh fruit and nuts, a canoe used as a bookshelf, long purple velvet curtains and dozens of varied candelabras – all within a space carpeted in Astroturf and walls on which the brothers have painted murals. “We feed our eyes and brains through the colours and differ- ent energies around us,” laughs Rokni, “even our dreams get complicated!” there is humour and playfulness in their surroundings, but certainly a lot of creativity too. “It’s actually very tidy,” grins SPECIAL FEAtuRE ARtIStS WHo CoLLECt Wish List? Francis Alys, Paul McCartney, Walid Raad ( Canvas 5.2), Wolfgang Tillmans, Robert Mapplethorpe and a sculpture by Louise Bourgeois. Collection future? Maybe a foundation. Is your home complete? No, it never will be. The difference between buying an artwork and a design object is: Design is more industrial. Tips on being a collector? Maintain a long-term relationship with artists. “Artists are not race horses – when you buy their work, you also buy a piece of their being.” Ramin Haerizadeh Facing page: Rokni and Ramin Haerizadeh in their Dubai apartment. (Clockwise) David Hockney. Jamie McHale # 1 . 2008. Inkjet printed computer drawing on paper. 125 x 86 cm; Hesam Rahmanian. Goose . 2011. Acrylic on paper. 55 x 78 cm; Houshang Pezashknia. Agha Fazi . 1958. Ink and watercolour on paper. 70 x 57 cm; Ramin Haerizadeh. Dance Me to the End of Love . 2010. Mixed media and collage on canvas. Tetraptych. Each panel: 250 x 100 cm; On table: Bita Fayyazi. Baby (Gold). 2007. Fibreglass and oil paint. 47 x 20 x 27 cm. Background: Farshid Maleki. Untitled. 2008. Magic marker and acrylic on paper. 100 x 110 cm. Hanging from the ceiling is a 2009 hexagon light by James Clar. 220 x 90 cm. Below: Left: Olafur Eliasson Untitled (Yet). 2011. Watercolour on paper. 28.7 x 28.5 cm. Image courtesy Neugerriemschneider, Berlin. Right: Tala Madani. (Detail) Pink Connection . 2008. Oil on canvas. 30 x 24 cm. 82 Ramin, “but also completely chaotic.” the broth- ers are equally mindful of a curatorial approach to their home – artworks are often grouped togeth- er to suggest narratives, but the Haerizadehs are keen to rotate works whenever a new storyline surfaces. “Sometimes we change everything around the house for the smallest artwork,” adds Ramin, “and we have endless discussions.” Why is it important to collect? Ramin: In April 2009, we were in Dubai and ad- vised by friends not to return to Iran [after Iranian officials saw their work in Saatchi’s Unveiled: New Art from the Middle East and deemed them con- troversial]. We were totally depressed and really felt the absence of works from our collection. two months earlier, we were in London and bought a work by tala Madani ( Canvas 7.3) and it arrived in Dubai. So, there we were, with two suitcases and an artwork! the chairs in the hotel were getting on my nerves and we started redecorating the room and moving the Madani piece around! Below: Rokni and Ramin Haerizadeh surrounded by works. From left to right: Ardeshir Mohasses. Untitled. 1985. Colour pencil on paper. 42 x 29.7 cm; Nam June Paik. Untitled. 2000. Pencil drawing on paper. 42 x 30 cm; George Baselitz. Untitled. 2010. India ink, watercolour and acrylic on paper. 65 x 61 cm; Keith Haring. Original Erect Penis . Hand drawing over Warhol stamp. 1989. Mixed media. 5.7 x 7 cm; Louise Bourgeois. Pregnant Woman . 2007. Gouache on paper. 60 x 45 cm; Tala Madani. Pink Connection 2008. Oil on canvas. 30 x 24 cm; Nader Ahriman. Form of Self-Consciousness 2004–06. Ink, watercolour and collage on paper. 29.5 x 21.5 cm; Alice Nikitinová. Untitled. 2011. Oil on canvas. 25 x 30 cm; Alice Nikitinová. Paper Clip . 2011. Oil on canvas. 40 x 20 cm; On table: Bita Fayyazi. Baby (Gold). 2007. Fibreglass and oil paint. 47 x 20 x 27 cm; On floor: Mona Hakimi Schueler. Heroic Deeds 2009–10. Sponge and latex. 100 x 200 x 80cm. Facing page: Left: Mona Hatoum. Van Gogh’s Back 1995. Photograph on paper. 60 x40 cm. Edition of 15. Right: Billy Childish. Fallada with Wife (Study). 2010. Oil and charcoal on linen. 61 x 46 cm. Image courtesy of Neugerriemschneider, Berlin. Photography by Haider Yousuf unless otherwise specified. SPECIAL FEAtuRE ARtIStS WHo CoLLECt How do you ‘curate’ your surroundings? Ramin: We like to have narratives on all the walls and use our imagination. Each wall has a story and sometimes a name. We’re not fans of putting just our own works on our walls. I think if one enters a space, there should be a spec- trum of all artworks to give audiences a differ- ent feeling. For us, we see energy behind such a spectrum; it helps us function better and be able to compare. Rokni: our house is like an artwork, like an ex- hibition too. We thought of hanging works by Iranian masters alongside their Western coun- terparts. this had probably never happened before! So, for example, we put Mohasses with Louise bourgeois or David Hockney with Ahmad Amin Nazar – the collection’s diversity becomes greater. the sculptures by Mohasses, for example, are placed on Roman-like plinths against a mirror mosaic by Monir Farmanfar- maian ( Canvas 4.5), so it looks like a shrine, or a memorial to him. 83 Have you made any acquisition mistakes? Rokni: No, never. I think that happens when people think commercially. our approach has always been about building narratives and that is why we have works by artists from different stages in their careers. What can you, as artists, see in artworks that others perhaps cannot? Ramin : Sarcasm and humour. Rokni: Different energies. Do you research before buying art? Rokni: being artists, we are in the middle of the art scene and the reason we bought some art- ists’ works is because they’re not in the main- stream. that’s our way of supporting them and introducing them to the public. Ramin: When we like an artist’s work and feel that he/she has potential, we talk about him/ her to different collectors whom we know. You own a lot of works on paper. How come? Rokni: We feel that drawings are very impor- tant; they are ‘closer’ to the artist in a sense. they are like contemporary poems. Ramin: We collect a lot of distinctive works on paper. How has collecting changed the way you approach your own work? Ramin: It makes up our lives. You live with it inside your house. All of the artworks we own have been made with differnt energies and we live with that. What would you advise collectors? Rokni: Make sure you diversify – don’t stick to a country or just emerging talents, and if you buy a work by an artist, keep following him/her. If collec- tors are asked to lend a piece, they should because that’s for the art and the artists. A collector should also consider the gallery, because it is an impor- tant part of the whole art world mechanism. “You can tell when a house has been selected for the house or for its walls.” Rokni Haerizadeh Ramin: Collectors must stay in touch with art- ists – as an artist, you want to see where your work is and get to know the collector, and as a collector, you should follow artists. the Mid- dle Eastern art market is new and it makes me angry to know that most collectors are looking for an investment rather than art. Artists are not race horses – when you buy their work, you also buy a piece of their being. What about framing? Rokni: It’s like a performance! We choose the frames and sometimes, months later, change our minds, but save them for something else! Ramin: It’s like taking something to the tailor! What does someone’s home tell you about their personality? Rokni: I always look at what’s hanging on the walls first, which tells me about a collector’s taste. It’s the way in which artworks are ar- ranged. You can tell when a house has been selected for the house or for its walls. Ramin: I look to see if artworks are being ‘tor- tured’ – if a work has been hung intentionally above a very expensive couch instead of on its own. I’ve sometimes felt like I’ve stepped into houses featured in interior design magazines – the ones that look like décor sections in Harvey Nichols or Ralph Lauren! Is your desire to own an artwork instant? Rokni: Yes, we know at first sight, the second it comes into our vision. Ramin: Absolutely and it doesn’t matter what the artwork or who the artist is. Where do you buy from? Ramin: Different galleries. If we started buying from auctions, we’d spend all our money and buy everything! We follow auctions around the world, especially artists whose work we own, and if we find good pieces to buy at auctions, sure, why not? Do you ever exchange artworks with other artists? Rokni: Yes, but most of the time, we try and buy, because money is important for young artists and will make them happy. And when you actually pay for an artwork, you take more care of it. 84 DESCRIbING his art collecting motto as “all over the place”, Lebanese artist Nabil Nahas’s ( Canvas 4.6) approach to acquisitions is guided by his “moods which shift with time”. Having grown up in Egypt and Lebanon before settling in the uSA in 1968 to pursue under- graduate studies at Louisiana State university and an MFA from Yale university, Nahas’s exten- sive collection (which dates back to the 1960s) mirrors the cultural dichotomies that have af- fected his life. While his apartment in New York houses works by American Figurative artist Alex Katz, the walls of his beirut home are adorned with pieces by luminaries of the Arab art world, including Shafic Abboud ( Canvas 3.2), Fateh Moudarres, Youssef Kamel and Mahmoud Said ( Canvas 7.1). Although Nahas remains adamant that his purchases “do not orient towards I know I should like it but I just can’t: Peanut butter and jam. The works I could stare at for hours: My own. The artwork I will get by hook or by crook: the one I could sell for a great profit. I’d love to dine with: Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. My top three art fairs: Art basel, Art basel Miami beach and Abu Dhabi Art. Best art advice I ever got: “Forget everything you’ve learned and start over”. NABIL NAHAS 85 a specific genre or era”, over the years, he has amassed an impressive selection of Modern Arab works, which presents a jarring contrast to his own Contemporary oeuvre , sated with colourful abstractions. When asked why he feels it is important to collect works by fellow artists, Nahas, who now lives between the uSA and Lebanon, emphasises the power of visual stimulation. “Some people like to read for inspi- ration. I like to look,” he says. “What is wonderful is that each piece that I own has something dif- ferent to offer, as well as a story attached to it.” What did you collect as a child? When I was 12 years-old and living in Lebanon, I would spend my weekends in byblos with my friend Roy Sarrafian and scour the cliffs looking for beads, flint stones and pottery shards. Roy, who came from a family of renowned antiquar- ians, initiated me to this genre so I slowly began collecting these objects. the idea of owning and handling such ancient items was, and still is, fascinating to me. Were your parents art collectors? My parents were not ‘collectors’ per se , but they would buy paintings to hang on the walls of the house. Looking back, they had very good works, although not by any means Avant-garde; they were mostly by artists such as Georges Sabbagh and Said. How did you educate yourself about art? Pioneer Lebanese Abstract painter Yvette Achkar is my mother’s first cousin, so both she and her paintings were very much around! I also began buying art books at a very young age, which meant that I had a strong knowledge of Modern art history early on. then, at the age of 17, I made my first art purchases in Paris – an ink drawing by Henri Michaux, followed by a pastel work by Hans Hartung and a small Max Ernst drawing. I remember these pieces bringing me tremendous pleasure when I looked at them. And so, I continued acquiring works when I was studying at Yale and would spend my week- ends in New York City and occasionally drop by Sotheby’s, where I purchased a still-life by Auguste Herbin, a piece by Filippo de Pisis, one by Yves Klein and several works by Lucio Fon- tana. that is how my art collecting began. All these names were familiar to me thanks to my childhood art books rampage! one must also remember that these were pre-Internet days and the art market had not yet been globalised, so you could still luck out once in a while. How did works by Middle Eastern artists start featuring in your collection? I feel like my interest in artists from the region Facing page: Nabil Nahas holding a work by Fateh Moudarres. Untitled. 1962. Oil on board. 70 x 50 cm. On the floor, left to right: Khalil Zgheib. Chaanine Circa 1960. Oil on masonite. 100 x 60 cm; Georges H Sabbagh. Suburbs of Cairo . 1921. Oil on canvas. 30 x 40 cm. Below: Left: Mahmoud Said. (Detail) Zikir . 1934. Oil on canvas. 30 x 40 cm. Right: Saloua Raouda Choucair. Poem . 1963–65. Wood. 39 x 19 x 7.5 cm. SPECIAL FEAtuRE ARtIStS WHo CoLLECt “I feel like my interest in artists from [the Middle East] has been engraved in my subconscious, as it is part of my heritage.” 86 has been engraved in my subconscious, as it is part of my heritage. the first work I purchased by a Lebanese artist was a painting by Khalil Zgheib, who was one of the greatest Lebanese artists of our time. unfortunately, I lost that work! I also had several pastels by Paul Guira- gossian ( Canvas 2.4), which were lost during the war. When I went back to Lebanon in the 1990s after a 20-year absence, I purchased an apartment and filled it with art and furniture pertaining to the region. I acquired orientalist paintings by the likes of David Roberts, Alex- andre Descamps, Eugène Fromentin, Alexan- dre bida and William Woodward. on the Arab front, I purchased pieces by Daoud Corm, Sal- oua Raouda Choucair ( Canvas 2.1), omar onsi, Saliba Douaihy, bibi Zoghbi and Georges Cyr, to name a few. What does your purchasing process entail? I buy on the whim of the moment; I don’t search for artworks, I stumble upon them. I absolutely have no rules that determine what kind of art I surround myself with, but I never look at it as an investment. What grabs you in an artwork? Art is a visual and plastic language so it is very difficult for me to verbalise why I gravitate towards a certain piece. Sometimes I feel as though the work is just there waiting for me. Art is a bit like magic, it has a life of its own and its appeal is unexplainable. As an artist, what do you think the role of a collector is? there are several levels of collecting, as there are several levels of art. It is important for a seri- ous collector not to be a ‘fashion victim’, which means not to buy what everybody else owns because it is à la mode . A great collector buys with his eyes, not his ears. Collectors are also supposed to be educators, and ideally, an intel- SPECIAL FEAtuRE ARtIStS WHo CoLLECt 87 ligently put together collection should be given to an institution and shared with the public. What future plans do you have for your collection? I am thinking of eventually turning my studio in Ain Aar in Lebanon into a foundation. but I am going to keep the art to myself for another 15 years before turning it into a public collection. I need more time to paint without interference! Whose art advice do you take and trust? My own. I absolutely go by my own judgment and it has proven me right so far! So you don’t regret any acquisitions? No, I haven’t made any mistakes over acquisi- tions because I buy things that I like, never what is fashionable. I always go against the grain. Do you ever purchase a work as a way of endorsing the artist? only if I am truly convinced by it. For example, very early on, I could tell that Ayman baalbaki ( Canvas 5.2) was a great painter. Ever since Saleh barakat [Agial Art Gallery Founder] showed me his works, I knew that baalbaki was going to go a long way. I am hoping to build up my col- lection of Contemporary Middle Eastern art, as there are still many great artists whose works I would like to own. How has your attitude to collecting changed over the years? When I started collecting, the works were mostly by European and American artists such as Auguste Herbin, Jean Dubuffet, André Mas- son, Jean Fautrier, Fontana, Mardsen Hartley, thomas Eakins and Arshile Gorky. Now, in New York, I am mostly focused on works by Katz. At this point, I am also more interested in what is coming up in the Middle East rather than the West as the works feel fresher. What are your thoughts on the current Contemporary art scene in Lebanon? I think it is extremely interesting and lively, given the outstanding number of emerging artists living there at the moment. I also think that there is a general interest in the arts that is booming right now over there, and that hasn’t always been the case. Although my parents’ generation was involved in the arts, mine, the war generation, was not. Now, when I look at my nephew’s generation, I am pleased to see that there is a renewed interest and a very seri- ous one at that. Facing page: Above: Saliba Douaihy. View of Beiteddine . 1938. Oil on canvas. 38 x 48 cm. Below: Nabil Nahas holding a work by Moustafa Khalidy. Untitled. 2010. Acrylic on canvas. 50 x 70 cm. Above: Left: Background: Nabil Nahas. Untitled. 1987. Acrylic on canvas. 150 x 300 cm. On buffet: Jean Royere. Fragment of a Phoenician bust. Late 14th-century, Ming Dynasty. Chinese porcelain. Variable dimensions. Right: Youssef Kamel. Egyptian Boy Circa 1930. Pastel on carton. 40 x 30 cm. All photography by Mansour Dib. “At this point, I am also more interested in what is coming up in the Middle East rather than the West as the works feel fresher.” 88 EGYPtIAN artist Adel Siwi ( Canvas 7.5) collects works of art based on a “feeling they transmit”. He will readily narrate the story be- hind each acquisition in his collection and how it was spurred by a particular sentiment. “Art per- meates my unconscious. It transmits a message and gives me inspiration every day. I appreciate an artwork for its beauty. I am not in pursuit of its value or the name of the artist who produced it,” he adds. Pieces in Siwi’s collection, he says, continue to surprise him and consistently offer new narratives. originally trained as a doctor, Siwi left his career in medicine to pursue life as an artist. In 1979, he abandoned his work in Cairo as a doctor specialising in psychiatry and left for Italy in 1980. It was while living in Milan that ADEL SIWI I should buy but can’t: David Hockney or Francis Bacon. The first thing I do when I buy an artwork is: Bring it directly to my studio. Favourite work of art that I own is: Monir Kanaan’s Crosses and Ahmed Askalany’s Hepo What I look for in a work of art is: Unconscious attraction. Favourite museum: The Archaeological Museum in Cairo. I love walking through: New York’s Museum of Modern Art. Siwi received his real artistic training and was introduced to the art of collecting. through his work in the studio of Italian artist Renzo Ferrari, Siwi became exposed to a whole new world of intellectuals, artists and collectors – experi- ences which led him to appreciate the ‘magi- cal unconscious energy’ of a work of art. After spending 10 years in Italy, he returned to Egypt, where he continues to make the dreamy ab- stract landscapes of the people and places of his homeland. Within his homes both in Cairo and in the Egyptian countryside, Siwi surrounds himself with works by his mentors, renowned Modern and Contemporary Egyptian artists such as Hani Rashed, Monir Kanaan, Hassan Soliman and Ahmed Askalany; artists with whom he has forged strong friendships and whose artistic explorations continue to influ- ence his oeuvre Why do you collect art? I’ve never been interested in buying art for the 89 turned from Italy, he became a good friend of mine for 20 years until his death. He gave me a collage with letters which are repeated three times. the small things create a great work of art; they become something magical. Soliman was another great influence on my work. through his oeuvre, he taught me how to explore move- ment, stability and the creation of figures with a robust central form. Soliman says many things through his pieces; he transmits a lot of feel- ing and this is why I like his work around me. It becomes magical for me. Askalany is impor- tant for me because he exhibited with me at the Venice biennale in 2009. He brings luck in his work and often reveals animals, such as hippos – animals which are becoming extinct and yet continue to live and breathe through his work – they almost have the spirit of babies or small children. Askalany’s work speaks about life to me. His artwork gives me a lot of positive energy every morning. “I am not at all interested in names; I don’t want to have a collection of names that represent status.” Facing page: Adel Siwi in front of his 2011 What About Flowers . Mixed media on canvas stretched on wood. 240 x 200 cm. Below: Left: Hany Rashed. Untitled. 2008. Monoprint. 23 x 20 cm. Right: Ahmed Askalany. Hepo Two . 2009. Bronze. 25 x 17 x 10 cm. sake of buying art. there’s a picture of Picasso in my studio surrounded by African and Asian art. the way in which his artworks are placed around him is nice, as they are real mate- rial sources for inspiration; their very presence around Picasso helped him to make his art. Art permeates your unconscious; it becomes a part of your being without a real effort to make it so. You simply need to have art around you. You must be surrounded by artwork which in- spires you. Your eyes look at these works of art every day. I initially began collecting art from young artists to help launch their careers. For me, buying art from these artists was a gesture of solidarity. I am not a real art collector in the true sense. I love these things. I feel that I am contributing to a tradition of a tradition. What do you consider are some highlights in your collection? Kanaan is a great Egyptian painter. When he re- SPECIAL FEAtuRE ARtIStS WHo CoLLECt 90 Do you believe you approach the art of collecting in a different manner from the average collector? I am not at all interested in names; I don’t want to have a collection of names that represent status. I want my works of art to be intimate; I want something to breathe under my eyes. I want true beauty to be near me. I recently bought a work which depicts the revolution of 25 January. there is a flag in one of the figure’s hands and the work highlights the genuine spirit of Egypt during the revolu- tion. It is a work of great personal significance for me. How do pieces from your collection fit at home? I have no preference. I put the works all over, especially where there is an empty space. Sometimes I’ll prefer to put a certain work in a partic- ular place. I have many works from my wife, who collects art. She buys beautiful things but has a different manner of col- lecting and displaying them. I focus more on the energy and inspiration that the artworks bring to my work. When you buy a work of art, it is almost like you are becoming a child again. You become so excited! I love works depicting animals. the presence and expression of an animal is full of significance for me. Even though I don’t have the language to speak with them, I try to under- stand their intentions through their gestures. I find their expression very beautiful because it is made up of emblems. While human beings communicate primarily through the spoken word, animals use the physical body which al- lows them to act more spontaneously. Animals represent surprise to me - you never know what will happen. It is precisely this element of sur- prise - or tackling of the unknown - which I like to incorporate within my work. Moreover, animals have a special place in Egypt. During the 1930s, Italian futurist artist Filippo tommaso Marian- etti wrote Fascino nel Egitto (Fascination with Egypt), in which he noted that he often saw buffalos in Egypt and that they were animals always deep in thought. the thinking of an animal is a physical movement – it has a physical presence. the presence of the body in a sculptural work is something real, it carries significant weight. How do you maintain your collection? there is no specific way I maintain my collec- tion. I put my drawings under glass. I do try and take care of my oil paintings with various tem- peratures. A work of art has a destiny like a hu- man being; there is something poetic and yet mortal about it as well, no matter how much you take care of it. How do you want to grow your collection? I have no need for it to be a certain size. SPECIAL FEAtuRE ARtIStS WHo CoLLECt “You need to fall in love. Don’t listen to gossip about the importance of buying a certain artist.” 91 Facing page: Mohammed Abla. Snake and Ladder . 1995. Ceramic. Height: 4 cm. Left: Above: Monir Kanan. Crosses 1985. Collage on paper. 55 x 40 cm. Below: Adel Siwi holding Alaa Al-Harthy’s 2009 wooden Head 42 x 17 x 12 cm. Why collect another’s person’s artwork when you are surrounded by your own? You need to buy an artwork because you love it and because it adds something to you. What are your hopes for the collection? My collection doesn’t represent anything specif- ic; I don’t want it to go public. It is just for me. I have no particular hopes. I buy artworks as they come to me. What do you look for in an artwork? I just really like looking at a work of art. It doesn’t have to have a certain story attached to it, be- cause it is always telling me stories. It needs to be beautiful and this will prompt my desire to purchase it. Any particular pointers you have when buying art? You need to fall in love. Don’t listen to gossip about the importance of buying a certain artist. You need to be ‘available’ or ‘ready’ for a certain artist. Don’t buy things just because they go well in your home and don’t buy for the sake of monetary investment. When you feel the value of something, it also means it is the right time - similar to an Italian expression which says that one must feel the value of an object just as hunters intuit the presence of their catch. For me, a real collector, like a hunter, buys a work of art because he loves it, because he needs it.’ 92 tENSIoNS may be running high in politically unstable Syria, but Damascene artist Fadi Yazigi ( Canvas 4.2) has hopes for a brighter future, and one that will eventually include a museum dedicated to Contemporary Syrian art. “It really is a dream,” he stresses, “and for a coun- try with such an old history like Syria, it would be wonderful to see its Contemporary artists cel- ebrated through a museum showing their art.” Yazigi believes that art collecting is essential, so much so that he has encouraged his broth- er-in-law to start doing so – “especially what- ever I couldn’t afford, and that way, I can still enjoy them!” While Yazigi’s collection includes Collecting tips? Always listen to your heart and make sure you’ve read enough. I’d love to dine with: Antoni Gaudí. Wish List? A 12th-century Mamluk ceramic plate at the V&A, a sketch by Rodin, a work by Mouddares from the 1960s, Mustafa Farroukh, Shafic Abboud ( Canvas 3.2), Frank Auerbach, Mahmoud Hammad and Oskar Kokoschka. I know it’s mine because: It’s instant and my