Art on Display
“You have been given the gift of intellect and perspective. Use it, or you’ll be reincarnated straight to hell,” one of my friends warned me, as he continued to sip on his white wine and munch on tapas that looked fancy but were highly unfulfilling. We stood on bar tables in a tight corner, talking about art and censorship in the UAE. One might argue this isn’t your average conversation at a random work function he invited me to, but little did I know that speaking to a former literature-gone-finance graduate would give me just the perspective I needed.
Growing up in Lebanon, I was brainwashed into thinking that my country was the only Arab country with real democracy and free speech. As soon as I grew more politicized during my college years, I realized that the situation was much more complicated than that. Lebanon retains one too many dictators to be a democracy; “leaders” that emerged during the civil war waving the banner of democracy and justice, only to plunge the country deeper into sectarianism and rampant corruption. The country boasts that it is the beacon of free speech in the region, yet the country’s criminal defamation laws have created a deplorable effect on free speech. Freedom of expression is censored, regulated, and penalized, but was still practiced by the brave hearted who had a revolutionary vision, and an army of comrades who had their backs.
Upon moving to the UAE, my mother cautioned me to “tone it down.” I always contested the idea of having to mellow down my opinions or artistic inclinations, especially at times when I had something to say. I did not like that “art on display” in the UAE consisted of the same 3 faces in every portrait painting, neither did I like that the dull and monotonous streets were never turned vibrant by graffiti artists who had something to say. I guess when you grow up in a chaotic place like Lebanon, you begin to find solace in tumultuous expression – like some form of cathartic release. I was angry at the fact that I could neither be explicitly political, nor resort to art as an outlet.
On the flip side, I was fortunate enough to find and immerse myself in the creative scene in Abu Dhabi shortly after moving here, which allowed me to gain some perspective on how artists navigate strict speech laws in the name of art. A few creatives were quick to defend the laws, explaining that they never felt limited in their creativity and that these laws are put in place to maintain order in the country. Others complained that there’s “no real sense of culture,” and how “there’s nothing genuine about art here.”
My friend and I eventually gave up on the tasteless tapas and went for a smoke to block out the façade of corporate social events. Shrouded in a cloud of fragrant smoke, he drew the cigarette away from his lips with a sense of urgency and purpose. “It is exactly within these restrictions that artists can break free and express themselves liberally. I mean on the one hand, the city influences art, so maybe that’s why the art mirrors the lifelessness. I don’t want to prompt you too much, but T.S. Elliot says you need to be in the system to change the system. Make of it what you will.”
It may sound counterintuitive at first, but the more I thought about it, the more I was able to make sense of it. By definition, a restriction is a limitation that restricts or limits someone from doing or achieving something. If you are determined to convey your message without crossing any boundaries that might conflict with imposed constraints, you are bound to find a way to speak without necessarily speaking. Though the condition is not ideal, restrictions birth creativity beyond creativity. By embracing restrictions, artists fuel their creativity and push themselves beyond the limits. Now that I think of it, complete and utter freedom might very well be the enemy of creativity.
Although it might take me a while to get used to the spotless streets and highways that stretch out before you like a never-ending void, I’m excited to make sense of the local art I’m exposing myself to. I’ll be sure to inject my own unique set of beliefs, values, and life experiences to the table to create a dynamic interplay between the artist’s invention and my interpretation. The open-ended nature of art is what makes it so endlessly fascinating and rewarding.
Despite their often-unforgiving nature, I guess highways also offer a sense of freedom and possibility, a chance for travelers to escape the constraints of their daily lives and explore new horizons. They are a symbol of the boundless potential of the human spirit, a testament to our ability to adapt in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges.