Art from India and Pak finds a meeting ground at Dubai fair

DUBAI: At Dubai's recent international art fair, Pakistani sculptor Muzzumil Ruheel showed a piece he had named 'People Call Me Confusion'. The artwork explored the space people often find themselves in, between divergent choices and emotions. "It is an expression of my conversations with that transient space and time, and those questions that remain unanswered in our day-to-day lives," he says.
In many ways, Ruheel's annual rendezvous with his Indian counterparts in Dubai during its art week in March is much like these transients. It was here that he first connected with Tarq, the Mumbai gallery he currently works with. "We would come down, have meetings here and fly back to our respective countries the same day. Dubai is our stayover, a place where we can truly express how we as citizens of these two nationalities perceive each other."

Art Dubai and Sharjah Biennial mark the annual art season in Dubai and Sharjah, bustling with exhibitions, artist talks, collector meets and networking events. Over the years, it has also metamorphosed into a neutral space for collaborations. The ongoing Sharjah Biennial features works by Indian artists Rohini Devasher and Nalini Malani alongside those of Pakistani artist Anwar Jalal Shemza, and London-based multimedia artist of Indian-Pakistani origin Shezad Dawood. Dawood was recently awarded by the Sharjah Art Foundation for his latest VR (virtual reality) work titled 'Encroachments', prompting Mumbai gallery Jhaveri Contemporary to pick it up to be showcased at the Art Dubai fair.

Amrita Jhaveri, one of the gallery's founders says, "Shezad conceived this project last year, before all the conflict (post Pulwama) broke out ... A gallery has to show a broad spectrum, and we focus on talking about the work rather than where the artists come from." However, she adds, "it's true that if an Indian and Pakistani gallery want to share space, they have to do it in Dubai."

The writer was travelling on invitation from Art Dubai.