Nidaa Aboulhosn
Please scroll down for the English version
Nida Abulhosn (Nidaa Aboulhosn, 1973) je fotografkinja i multimedijalna umetnica iz Libana koja već više od dvadeset godina živi i radi u Sjedinjenim Američkim Državama. Povod za razgovor sa Nidom Abulhosn bila je njena sedmodnevna poseta Beogradu i boravak u fotografskoj koloniji u selu Orlovat kod Zrenjanina. Tokom vremena provedenog u Beogradu, gde se upoznala sa mnogim predstavnicima srpske umetničke scene, Nida Abulhosn je održala prezentaciju svog rada u galeriji Opservatorijum.
Kako bi predstavila svoju dosadašnju umetničku praksu?
Moj osnovni medija je fotografija, ali takođe se bavim i videom, animacijom, zvukom i tekstom. Volim da se krećem od jednog do drugog medija i načina izražavanja i da ih uključujem u svoj rad. Stoga mislim o svom radu kao o procesu otkrivanja, mešavini intuicije i svesne namere. Rad koji kreiram u rasponu je od sekvenci slika pokretanih metaforama do očiglednih refleksija na društvena i kulturna pitanja. U pogledu fotografije sebe smatram uličnim fotografom, što je veoma organski i spontan pristup stvaranju slika u kome sam otvorena za sve žanrove i sadržaje. Od nedavno me, međutim, zaokuplja ponavljanje tematskih motiva. Kada stvaram takve tipološke radove moj kreativni proces je sistematičniji i usmereniji.
Da li svoju umetničku praksu smatraš konceptualnom? Koja je razlika između konceptualne i tvoje umetničke prakse?
Koncept se u većini mojih radova pojavljuje iz samih slika, a ne iz ideje koja je prethodno formulisana. Ideja se polako razvija tokom perioda u kome stvaram slike. Nasuprot tome, mislim da se konceptualna umetnost uveliko oslanja na ideju koja se nalazi u osnovi rada, a ne izrasta iz samog vizuelnog materijala. Njeno razumevanje zahteva postojanje tekstualnog materijala. Ja volim da stvaram radove koji su vizuelno ubedljivi i govore sami za sebe, ali ne na krajnje eksplicitan način. Za razumevanje istinskog značenja koje je u osnovi mojih radova potrebno je vreme. Potrebna je promišljanje. Kada radim sa sekvencama slika, volim da kreiram dijalog između njih, kroz motive i znakove koji se ponavljaju. Tako da je to kombinacija doslovnog sadržaja i simboličkih referenci. Na neki način, to je slično pesmi koju je nekada potrebno pročitati više puta da bi se shvatila njena istinska suština, za razliku od linearnog narativa koji pripoveda nedvosmislenu priču.
Koji su umetnici uticali na tvoj rad?
Lista je dugačka. Naravno, prvobitno su me veoma dotakli radovi nekih od velikih majstora: Majnor Vajt (Minor White), Robert Frenk (Robert Frank), Gari Vajnogrand (Garry Winogrand), Vilijam Eglston (William Eggleston). Bila sam inspirisana njihovom vizuelnom poetikom, dubinom njihove percepcije, interpretativnom i transformativnom snagom njihovih slika i prosto jednostavnom lepotom njihovih fotografija. Način na koji radim tokom više od jedne decenije je u direktnoj vezi sa Nejtan Lajonsovim (Nathan Lyons) učenjem o vizuelnom jeziku fotografije: stvaranje višeslojnih simboličkih značenja kroz fotografske sekvence. U najvećoj meri sam to naučila od dvoje ljudi sa kojima sam studirala i kojima se veoma divim: Vilijam Dženkins (William Jenkins) i Kristijan Vidmer (Christian Widmer).
I lista se nastavlja. Volim nekoliko serija radova Pola Greama (Paul Graham). Emet Gouvinov (Emmett Gowin) pristup stvaranju umetnosti i senzbilinost koja se iskazuje u njegovim radovima i njegovim rečima su mi oduvek bili izvor inspiracije. Knjiga fotografija ‘Dokaz’ Larija Saltana i Majka Mandele (‘Evidence’, Larry Sultan & Mike Mandel) predstavlja veliki uticaj na način na koji ja interpretiram i obrađujem fotografije. Jedna od mojih omiljenih savremenih foto knjiga je ‘Velika nestvarnost’ Taija Onorata i Nika Krebsa (‘The Great Unreal’, Taiyo Onorato & Nico Krebs). Volim nestašnu, satiričnu i nadrealnu prirodu njihovih fotografija. Njihova dovitljivost i osećaj za humor su sjajni. Takođe su na mene veoma uticali film, muzika i komedija, posebno Monti Pajton (Monty Python)! Mislim da je komedija uvek nalazila put u moj rad, premda indirektno i nenamerno.
Puno putuješ i snimaš fotografije u raznim zemljama, ali ti je ipak bitno da ne može da se prepozna na kojoj su geografskoj lokaciji nastale. Šta želiš time da postigneš?
Najveći deo mojih radova koristi sliku kao kompleksan sistem simbola, a ne kao nedvosmislen dokument. Zanimaju me metafora i simboličke reference, više nego što me interesuje direktno dokumentovanje fotografisanog predmeta. To je posebno slučaj sa serijom fotografija ‘Izgraditi sebi propast ili čudo’ (To Build Itself Ruin or Wonder). To opisujem kao ‘vizuelnu poemu’ koja promišlja našu interakciju sa prostorom koji zauzimamo, stvarima koje činimo i pravimo, i oblicima koji ostaju iza nas. Moja motivacija bila je da posmatram kako nalazimo značenje i definišemo sami sebe kroz fizičku materijalizaciju u našem nastojanju da ostavimo trag svog prisustva, kao dokaz našeg postojanja, našeg značaja. Pravila sam fotografije tokom više od četiri godine u nekoliko zemalja, uključujući SAD, Meksiko, Liban, Slovačku i Austriju. Ali te slike nisu bile o nijednom od tih mesta. Moja namera u vezi sa ovim radom bila je da gledam izvan konkretnih geografskih lokacija, da sakupljam trenutke iz drugih svetova nezavisno od njihovih kulturnih obeležja. Želela sam da gledalac promatra slike iz nove perspektive, da zaista vidi, neuslovljen onim što prethodno zna o ovom ili onom mestu ili ovoj ili onoj grupi ljudi. Nadala sam se da ću rasvetliti predubeđenja, ostvariti način percepcije i stvaranja veza koji nije određen prethodno determinisanim kulturnim i geografskim identifikatorima.
S druge strane imaš jedan rad koji je specifičan u tom smislu, geografski je lociran? Kaži nam nešto o tome.
‘Potop’ (Deluge) je nešto drugo. Predstavlja preokret u odnosu na moj kompletan prethodni rad. To je serija radova koje sam morala da uradim kao reakciju na specifičnu situaciju u kojoj sam se našla, kao način procesuiranja i nošenja s tim. Rad se bavi preteranim razvitkom i hiper-materijalizmom koji se odvija u Libanu, po eksponencijalnoj stopi, kao i užasnom situacijom sa izbeglicama. Ali pre nego politički stav, rad je lični odgovor, lament na neki način. Moja prirodna sklonost je da sistematski, kontinuirano, opsesivno i gotovo frenetično beležim znake pustošenja za koje osećam da me obuzimaju. Iako je to rad posvećen Libanu, tema transcendira određenu zemlju. Može biti primenjena na bilo koje mesto u sličnoj situaciji i na bilo koje ljude suočene sa sličnim okolnostima.
Kako bi definisala što se tiče medija svoj rad ‘Potop’?
Prvobitno sam opisivala ‘Potop’ kao ‘fotografske sekvence napravljene u video formatu’. Opširan opis. Ali video umetnici i akademski stručnjaci su mi rekli da bi bilo preciznije nazvati ga jednostavno ‘video’, obzirom da ima sve elemente videa, posebno vreme, osim činjenice da je načinjen od kadrova. Umetnici animacije su mi rekli da se tehnički smatra animacijom. Nedavno sam pročitala sledeće objašnjenje: ‘video polazi od kontinuiranog kretanja i razbija ga u diskretne kadrove. Animacija počinje sa nezavisnim slikama i sastavlja ih da bi stvorila iluziju kontinuiranog kretanja.’ U ‘Potopu’ postoje segmenti u kojima kreiram iluziju kretanja kroz sled uzastopnih slika koje stvaraju efekat vremena koje prolazi. U drugim slučajevima sled slika nema nameru da predstavi kretanje ili kontinirani vizuelni prelaz. Premda povezan sadržajem ili aluzijom, prelaz je namerno nenadan i ‘grub’. Stoga, mislim da ću nastaviti da ga opisujem kao u prethodno navedenom dok me ne obaveste suprotno…
U kom pravcu želiš da razvijaš svoj dalji rad?
Trenutno moj rad ide u novom smeru, zapravo u nekoliko smerova. Mislim da bih želela da se malo odmorim od tradicionalne fotografije, nakon što sam joj posvetila više od jedne decenije. Sve više i više uključujem različite medije i proširujem način na koji se bavim fotografijom. Želela bih da radim više projekata zasnovanih na animaciji, kao i video instalacije. Više me privlače eksperimentalni projekti, a manje radovi koji u osnovi imaju određenu temu. Imam nekoliko ideja za knjige fotografija, u obliku memoara ili ličnih promišljanja, koje bi uz fotografije uključivale tekst i ilustracije. Stil bi bio zabavan i istraživački. Želela bih da stvorim više radova koji imaju snažan element humora. Videću šta će se od svega toga desiti.
Provela si dve nedelje u Srbji. Kakvi su ti utisci?
Vreme koje sam provela u Srbiji, kako u Beogradu tako i u selu Orlovatu, bilo je doista predivno. Iskustvo koje sam tamo doživela prevazilazi moja očekivanja. Veoma su mi dragi svi ljudi koje sam upoznala i dotakla me je sveukupna energija tog mesta. Ono što mi se posebno dopalo kod Beograda je činjenica da postoji toliko toga da se otkrije. Bila sam neprekidno iznenađivana. To nije blještav grad ni u kom smislu. Ima toliko toga da ponudi, sa svojom bogatom i različitom istorijom i kulturnom i umetničkom scenom, ali osećala sam da su stvari uvek prisutne ispod površine i na suptilan način. Poseduje taj kvalitet neuhvatljivosti. Potrebno je vreme i strpljenje da bi se zaista upoznao. Izuzetno sam uživala u tome. Bilo je to okruženje u kome sam se osećala slobodno i inspirisano. U Orlovatu sam srela najtoplije i najljubaznije ljude. Cenim jednostavnost njihovog stila života i gostoprimstvo koje mi je ponuđeno. Veoma sam zahvalna svojim domaćinima na pažnji i njihovom nastojanju da se osećam prijatno, kao i za sve aktivnosti koje su za mene isplanirali. Bilo je divno upoznati ljude sa umetničke scene i van nje kojima su me predstavili, od kojih će nekoliko njih ostati trajni prijatelji i veze. Bilo je to iskustvo koje doista obogaćuje, ali i veoma zabavno.
Šta je proizvod tvog boravka u Fotografskoj koloniji u Orlovatu?
Srbija je iz mene ponovo izvukla uličnog fotografa, nakon jednogodišnjeg prekida. Tokom svog boravka u Orlovatu stalno sam šetala okolo praveći fotografije nasumice izabranih stvari i ljudi. Ali najviše sam bila zaintrigirana mnoštvom automobila marke ‘Jugo’, od kojih su većina bili crvene boje. Bili su svuda gde bih se okrenula. Nalazila sam to osećanje ugodnosti gledajući svudaprisutne i poznate elemente u stranoj zemlji. Želela sam da stvorim rad koji bi bio lak i veseo, ali kratak period boravka nije omogućavao stvaranje obimnijih radova. ‘Jugo’ se činio ikoničkim simbolom Srbije i kao potpuno reprezentativan za srpsku političku i ekonomsku prošlost. Nedavno sam postala zainteresovana za stvaranje tipoloških sistematskih kolekcija, a takođe veoma volim automobile iz osamdesetih godina. Činilo se da je svako u selu imao jedan, tako da konačna manifestacija predstavlja portret jasne harmonije i doslednosti koju sam iskusila tamo. Takođe sam stvorila još jednu manju seriju, triptih koji promišlja toplinu ljudi koje sam srela u selu, i bogatu istoriju regije.
Živiš i radiš u Feniksu, Arizona, ali svake godine posećuješ Liban. Reci nam nešto o fotografskoj sceni u Feniksu i u Bejrutu?
Umetnička scena u Bejrutu je veoma živa. Postoji nekoliko manjih galerija, kao i veći izložbeni prostori i organizacije koje izlažu radove lokalnih i stranih savremenih umetnika. Najznačajnije su ‘Bejrutski umetnički centar’ (Beirut Art Center) i ‘Ashkal Alwan’, kulturno udruženje koje organizuje umetničke programe, izložbe i izdaje književne publikacije. Međutim, radovi koje te galerije i organizacije izlažu nisu posvećeni određenim medijima. Fotografija se obično izlaže zajedno sa videom, instalacijama i novim medijima. Postoji jedna organizacija koja se naziva ‘Arapska fondacija za sliku’ (Arab Image Foundation) i čiji je naglasak na arhiviranju i predstavljanju istorijskih fotografija iz Libana i ostalih arapskih zemalja, kao i iz arapske dijaspore.
U Feniksu postoji šira fotografska scena, što je prirodno, s obzirom da se radi o većem gradu. Takođe, Arizona je država u kojoj se nalazi ‘Centar za kreativnu fotografiju’ (Center for Creative Photography), jednan od najvećih muzeja i centara za proučavanje umetničke fotografije u svetu, koji je fokusiran na istoriju fotografije i savremenu umetničku fotografiju. ‘Centar za kreativnu fotografiju’ takođe ima i izložbeni program posvećen fotografiji u Muzeju umetnosti u Feniksu (Phoenix Art Museum). Tamo sam videla neke sjajne izložbe i učestvovala u jednoj od njih: izložba samoizdatih foto knjiga. U svakom slučaju, teško je porediti umetničku scenu u Bejrutu i Feniksu. To su dva veoma različita mesta, kulturno i istorijski. Svaki od ova dva grada ima svoju jedinstvenu umetničku i kreativnu energiju.
>>> English version
Nidaa Aboulhosn (1973) is a photographic and multimedia artist from Lebanon who has been living and working in the US for more than twenty years. Her seven-day visit to Belgrade and participation in a Photographic colony in the village Orlovat near Zrenjanin was the occasion for the following interview. During her time in Belgrade Nidaa Aboulhosn met a number of representatives of the Serbian art scene and presented her work in the gallery Opservatoijum.
An interview conducted by curatorial duo maramaida (Mara Prohaska Marković i Maida Gruden);
Photographs: Nidaa Abulhosn and maramaida
Serbian translation: Dejan Arsenovski
How would you present your art practice?
My main medium is photography, but I also work with video, animation, sound and text. I like to switch between different mediums and different modes of expression, and incorporate them. I draw inspiration from my surroundings. So I think of my work as a process of discovery, a mixture of intuition and intention. The work I make ranges from image sequences that are metaphor-driven to more overt reflections on social and cultural issues. In terms of photography I consider myself a street photographer, which is a very organic and spontaneous approach to picture making where I’m open to all genres and content. Recently, however, I’m into reiteration of subject matter. My process when making such typological work is more systematic and deliberate.
Do you consider your art practice conceptual? What are the differences between conceptual and your art practice?
Concept, in most of my work, emerges from the images themselves, not from an idea that is pre-formulated prior to the making of the work. The idea develops slowly over time as I make the images. In contrast, I think of conceptual art as relying heavily on the idea behind the work rather than emerging directly from the visual material itself. It requires textual material to understand it. I like to make work that is visually compelling and speaks for itself, not so much through a statement on the wall. To grasp the true meaning behind the work I make requires times. It asks for contemplation. When working with image sequences, I like to create a dialogue between the images, through repeating motifs and signs. So it’s a combination of literal content and symbolic references. In a way, it’s similar to a poem that you may need to read several times to grasp its true essence, in comparison to a linear narrative that tells a straightforward story.
Could you tell us who influenced you? Who are the artists you like?
It’s a long list. Naturally, I was originally very moved by the work of some of the great masters: Minor White, Robert Frank, Garry Winogrand, William Eggleston. I was inspired by their visual poetry, their depth of perception, the interpretive and transformative power of their images and simply the simple beauty of their photographs. The way I’ve worked for over a decade is in direct connection to Nathan Lyons’ teachings on the visual language of photography: creating multi-layered symbolic meaning through a photographic sequence. I mostly learned this through two people that I studied with and that I highly admire: William Jenkins and Christian Widmer.
And the list continues. I love several bodies of work by Paul Graham. Emmett Gowin’s approach to art making and his sensibility through his work and his words have always been a source of inspiration. The book Evidence by Larry Sultan and Mike Mandel is a huge influence on the way I interpret and edit photographs. One of my favorite contemporary photobooks is The Great Unreal by Taiyo Onorato and Nico Krebs. I love the whimsical, satirical and surreal nature of their photographs. Their wit and sense of humor is brilliant. I’m also highly influenced by film and music and comedy, especially Monty Python! I think that comedy always make its way into my work, though indirectly and unintentionally.
You travel a lot and make photographs in different countries. Still it’s important for you that location where the photograph is shot one can’t recognize. Why is that?
Most of my work employs the image as a complex system of symbols rather than a straight document. I am interested in metaphor and symbolic references, more than I am in direct records of the subject photographed. This was especially the case with the series To Build Itself Ruin or Wonder. I describe it as a “visual poem” that reflects upon our interaction with the spaces we occupy, the things we do and make, and the forms we leave behind. My motivation was to observe how we come to find meaning and define ourselves through physical materializations in our quest to mark our presence, as a proof of our existence, our significance. I made the photographs over a period of 4 years in several countries, including the US, Mexico, Lebanon, Slovakia, and Austria. But the pictures were about none of these places. My main intention with this work was to look beyond specific geographic locations, to collect moments from different realms regardless of cultural denotations. I wanted the viewer to look at the images with a fresh perspective, to actually see, unconditioned by what they already know about this or that place or this or that group of people. I was hoping for a shedding of preconceived notions, a way of perceiving and making connections that is not determined by agreed-upon cultural and geographic identifiers.
Although, there is one of your works geographically located. Could you tell us something about that?
Deluge is a different story. A shift from all the work I had done before. It is a body of work that I had to make as a reaction to a specific situation I found myself in, as a way of processing and coping. The work is about the over-development and hyper-materialism that is taking place in Lebanon, at an exponential rate, and the dire refugee situation. But rather than a political statement, the work is a personal response, a lament in a way. My natural inclination was to systematically, continuously, obsessively and almost frantically record the signs of the mayhem I felt myself consumed by. Even though this work is about Lebanon, the theme transcends this specific country. It can be applied to any place with a similar situation, and any people facing such conditions.
How would you define your work Deluge regarding the media?
I was originally describing Deluge as “a photographic sequence rendered in video format”. A long description. But I’ve been told by video artists and academics that it would be accurate to simply call it ‘video’, since it has all the elements of a video, specifically time, except that it is made of stills. Animation artists told me it is technically considered: animation. I recently read this explanation: “video takes continuous motion and breaks it up into discrete frames. Animation starts with independent pictures and puts them together to form the illusion of continuous motion.” In Deluge there are segments in which I am creating the illusion of motion, through consecutive images that produce a time-lapse effect. At other times the sequence of images is not intended to portray motion or continual visual transition. Though connected by content or by allusion, the transition is intentionally abrupt and “jumpy”. Therefore, I think I shall continue to describe it as all the above until I am otherwise informed…
In which direction would you like to evolve?
I am currently going in a new direction in my work, in several directions actually. I think I would like to take a little break from traditional photography, after being immersed in it for over a decade. More and more I am incorporating different media and expanding the way I work with photographs. I would like to make more animation-based projects, as well as video installations. I am more drawn to experimental projects and less to subject-driven work. I have a couple of ideas for photobooks, in the form of memoirs or personal reflections, incorporating text and illustrations along with photographs. The style would be whimsical and exploratory. I would like to make more work that has a strong element of humor. I shall see what unfolds.
You spent two weeks in Serbia? What are your impressions?
I had an absolutely wonderful time in Serbia, both in Belgrade and in the village of Orlovat. My experience there was beyond my expectations. I am very fond of all the people I met and was touched by the overall energy of the place. What I loved about Belgrade especially is that there was so much to discover. I was constantly surprised. It is not a flashy city in any way. It has so much to offer, with its rich and diverse history and its cultural and artistic scene, but I felt that things were always present under the surface and in a subtle manner. It has this elusive quality. It requires time and patience to get to really know it. I enjoyed that immensely. It was an environment where I felt free and inspired. In Orlovat I met the warmest and kindest people. I appreciated the simplicity of their lifestyles and the hospitality I was offered. I am so grateful to my hosts for how attentive and accommodating they were, and for all the activities they planned for me to partake in. It was wonderful to get to know the people they introduced me to in the art scene and otherwise, several of which shall remain as lasting friendships and connections. It was such an enriching experience, and also a lot of fun.
What is the result of your participation at the Photographic Colony in Orlovat?
Serbia brought out in me the street photographer again, after a one-year hiatus. During my residency in the village of Orlovat I was always walking around making pictures of random things and people. But I was mainly intrigued by the abundance of Yugo/Zastava cars, most of which were red. They were everywhere I looked. I derived this feeling of comfort from seeing recurring and familiar elements in a foreign place. I wanted to make work that was light and playful, and the short duration of the residency was not conducive to creating an extensive body of work. The Yugo cars felt like an iconic symbol of Serbia, and quite representative of Serbia’s political and economic past. I’ve been recently interested in creating typological systematic collections, and I am also very fond of cars from the1980’s. It seemed like everyone in the village drove one, so the final manifestation is a portrait of the apparent harmony and consistency I experienced there. I also created another smaller series, a triptych that reflects upon the warmth of the people I met in the village, and the rich history of the region.
You live and work in Phoenix, Arizona but every year you visit Lebanon. Can you tell us something about the photographic scene both in Phoenix and in Beirut?
The art scene in Beirut is quite vibrant. There are several small galleries and larger art spaces and organizations exhibiting local and international contemporary artists. Most prominent ones are “Beirut Art Center” and Ashkal Alwan, a cultural association that produces artistic programs, exhibitions and literally publications. However, the work these galleries and organizations showcase is not medium-specific. Photographic art is usually shown in conjunction with video and installation art and new media. There is one organization called “Arab Image Foundation”, whose emphasis is archiving and presenting historical photographs from Lebanon and other Arabic countries and the Arabic diaspora.
In Phoenix there’s a wider photographic art scene, obviously, it being a larger city. And Arizona is home to the “Center for Creative Photography”, one of the world’s largest photographic art museums and study centers that focuses on the history of photography and contemporary photographic art. The CCP also has a photography exhibition program at the Phoenix Art Museum. I have seen some great exhibitions there, and have participated in one of them: an exhibition of self-published photobooks. Anyway, it is difficult to compare the art scene in Beirut and Phoenix. They are very different kinds of places, culturally and historically. Each city has its unique artistic and creative energy.
 je fotografkinja i multimedijalna umetnica iz Libana koja već više od dvadeset godina živi i radi u Sjedinjenim Američkim Državama. P){kind=link}