Robert Kluijver
“Almost no scholarly works exist to explain the sudden appearance of a thriving contemporary art scene in the Gulf. Most explanations in the West focus on the role of the art market, and the emergence of immensely wealthy local rulers eager to convert oil revenues into cultural capital, thus acquiring some standing on the global scene. These commentators insist on the absence in the region of any form of art history, or even cultural development. From this point of view, the current art world in the Gulf is wholly imported, and therefore as artificial as the cities being stamped out of the desert. In the Gulf itself, contemporary art is not much discussed and, when acknowledged, it is seen as a by-product of the overall social and cultural development affecting the region; at best, it is exalted as the manifestation of a contemporary Arab culture that is earning recognition in ever-wider international circles. Although the role of foreign artists and art professionals in fostering this local art scene is not denied, the emphasis is put on the vision of the rulers and the participation of the local elites in making this vision a reality. A person seriously investigating contemporary art in the Gulf is thus confronted with either bland, PR-like statements by local authorities, or with dismissive reports of the ‘Disneyworld in the desert’ variant, often tinged with old-world jealousy about the resources available for art in this ‘uncultured’ region. There is little in between. Although both of these perspectives are true up to a certain point, neither of them are sufficient for understanding the dynamics of contemporary art in this region. This essay is an effort to remedy this situation and fill in some blank spots in our knowledge about trends in the Gulf art world generally, and its relation to developments in the Arabian Peninsula in particular. It is meant to enable the art professional, or anybody interested in this region’s contemporary culture, to develop a broader understanding of how contemporary visual arts both reflect and stimulate broader socio-cultural developments in this region.”