The Great Wall of Dubai

The exhibition, called ‘Islands’, needs explaining. For several days up to last Wednesday, Akhavan and a handful of volunteers laid gold leaf onto a massive map of Dubai drawn onto a wall in the gallery. For massive, think double-decker bus. Once finished, the golden wall map of Dubai went on display from Wednesday evening. Of course, the art is for sale, so the wall has been carved into 132 pieces, which will be sold off at differing prices that reflect the land value the pieces cover.

This may not sound like your average art gallery exhibition, but The Third Line is not your average gallery, and Abbas Akhavan is not your usual artist — he is drawn to the unusual. He has previously used trees in his art, and also made cakes — thus feeding his art to people — so conceptual works are in his repertoire. The ‘Islands’ exhibition is a first for Akhavan; in fact the idea may be a first for Dubai. The artist says this reflects well on The Third Line, “They don’t just show things that sell really well. That’s just called a dealership. Everyone buys a Mercedes Benz, but this is more about what creates an interesting dialogue, what gives way to interesting writing... What happens if this show fails — does it mean that Dubai is no longer a hot place? Or it’s no longer any good; or my work is bad; or there’s no longer any money for art? They’ve had shows that do well, and also more risky shows, but they’re pushing the market. It’s not about showing really nice, well-framed pictures. 
It’s about pushing it a bit. There’s no inherent value in plastic on canvas; it’s given a designated value. So in this case, it’s no different to having gold leaf on dry wall.”

Creating a show that people talk about is something close to Akhavan’s heart. And there are many issues that this show brings up. “I think there’s a level that people come here [to Dubai] to gorge, as there’s so much for them to take. So, there’s that side — the depletion of resources — so as the work disappears [when sold] it becomes worthless and nobody wants it. Of course, there’s a duality, because the less there is on wall, the less there is to look at, but it means the piece is worth much more as so much of it has 
already gone.”

The artist is also interested in the show reflecting the economy and construction boom in Dubai. He says, “There’s a relationship to ruins and real estate construction; a relationship to what’s happening in the economy, so we’re dealing with a resource and with a landscape of construction.” This is also important to him when it comes to picking a piece of Dubai he would like to take back to Canada with him. “Well, if I got to keep one piece, which I won’t, I like the idea of buying white [squares]. White dry wall. Because the show is called ‘Islands’, so there’s the potential that what you buy will have value, because the ocean becomes beach property. In this case, the monochromatic sections will have value so there’s this idea that they will all have value eventually as land is built on ocean, so the white has this kind of promise. It’s just as much art as the rest of it.”

As the show is now underway, pieces are being taken away as they are sold. Akhavan is unsure what the average art aficionado will make of it, but he says that is part of the project. “People may hate it, or love it. It’s twice the chance of failure and twice the chance of success. So part of it might be people saying, ‘Whatever, it’s a map of Dubai, we’ve seen it a million times’, but I’m more interested in the relationship between the ornament, the highly aesthetiscised wall, versus the iconoclastic destruction that’s going to happen afterwards. So, you make this perfect piece only to have it ripped apart.”

Slowly, but surely, the wall will be ripped apart as pieces are sold off, framed and sent to new owners. Akhavan relishes the idea of it being taken apart as he sees it as the ripping apart of a cliché: “I think taking it apart might be a more interesting idea than making it in gold. It’s almost a cliché of it [the map]. So what we’re trying to do is make the cliché, then undo it.”

With so much to think about in his work, it’s easy to forget there is also a commercial gallery behind it, with staff and bills to pay. Akhavan appreciates there is a market force behind the show, saying, “I’m more interested in what people will say, rather than who comes to buy what, but the market is an inevitable part of the show.” It certainly is, but the gallery is open to those wishing to see the exhibition, as much as buy their own square of Dubai. A visit is highly recommended, for the work, as much as visiting a gallery willing to experiment with art in this way.

Once his installation is dismantled, the artist behind the golden map of Dubai is heading back to Canada where he says he is to work on an ice sculpture. Certainly not a man obsessed about seeing longevity in his works, he is content to create the discussion, and hopefully, in the process, attract some business for his daring commercial backers.

charlie@khaleejtimes.com