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Local artists in Bahrain are being presented with an opportunity to showcase their work in Australia through a visiting international artists' initiative.
Entitled 'Across the Gulf', curator and artist Dr Irene Barberis from Melbourne is currently scouting the island, Dubai and Abu Dhabi for artists whose creations, ideas and work styles will form part of a film and publication of the Metasenta Projects.
Work of 16 of these artists' will also be selected for showcase at the ARC biennale called Lucid '09 in Brisbane this year.
Founder and director of Metasenta Projects, an arts research hub, which functions internationally between Universities and the wider Arts and Business Communities, Dr Irene Barberis said that she is interested in artists who are situated and consider Bahrain their home no matter what nationality they are.
She said: "I am looking for artists working from their own home base. And who have perhaps not had the opportunity to actually move out of their own culture or who have chosen not to move out.
"I am looking at the idea of meaning and the historical implications of staying in a site specifically and working from there.
"What I am interested in is that this is an island. It has a specific site and it has a specific history. I am interested in how the artist has dealt with that history and learning from that site."
In the kingdom on invitation from her student, Bahraini artist Mariam Haji, she became intrigued by the society and customs of the island. She decided to make this part of the centre's research projects for this year.
Mariam is the manager of the project and is introducing the artists to Dr Irene. She said: "We are going to the artists studios to get a feel of their lifestyle, work, their homes and heart and having a pure experience rather than a commercial experience."
'Across the Gulf' will have two parts - a film and a publication, which will record all the interviews with local artists from Bahrain, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Filmed by musician and architect Keith Winter who is also the co-editor of MetaSentaZine, the movie will also be presented at Lucid '09.
Dr Irene said: "I was fascinated and very interested in the culture and what was going on here. I felt that it would be a fantastic project to survey the various aspects of the gulf. Because of such a big issue I have restricted the whole parameters to make it very tight ... I want artists from these sites and not the world.
"All the artists who will be interviewed are going to be in the biennale through the film. They will also be in the Metasenta publication and in the biennale publication.
"Sixteen of these artists' work will be selected to be part of the biennale and the practical side of things will impact upon their selection.
"I will not be looking at any work that deals with large size canvases because it will be impossible for me to get these canvases there without getting damaged. However, sometimes I am interested in the areas that the artist sees as peripheral and I may possible ask them to further develop it.
"I am also interested in how artists are inventive about getting out of this site especially using the internet, webcam and all sorts of things that you can use to communicate and dialogue outside of that site."
Dr Irene believes that this opportunity is a great plus for all Bahraini artists as it would look good on their CV and give them an experience and encouragement to continue their good work.
Those who want to get in touch with Mariam can email her on janahi7@hotmail.com
