Fayakunu member, Mahmud Manning, was invited by the Saudi Government to participate in an Artist Residency for six weeks based in the ‘old’ city of Belad within the larger port of Jeddah and the historical entry point for Pilgrims travelling to Mecca Mukarama and Madinah Munawarah.
Mahmud joined artists from Mexico, Argentina, Morocco as well as local Saudi artists from various cities. It was a valued time of focus, making and responding to varied layers socially, acknowledging the Kingdom's intention to restore the central and initial part of the city with its quite unique architectural elements; their merchant houses made of Coral stone, timber and the distinctive ‘Roshan’ screens used to view as well as encourage ventilation.
Our purpose was to create a cross fertilisation of creative ideas, sharing of practises and strengthening of experience for future works. 9 artists were brought together within a ‘Ribaat’; a building previously used for women and their children who were without their husbands. A supportive WAQF or endowment by a local merchant enabled the purpose built building to provide shelter and a means of secure employment through local enterprise and production. A Mr Kunji, whose name the building carried, provided the means for protection to these women and their children.
Today the building has been renovated together with others in the vicinity, including other waqf endowments, the original American embassy and another important building used by the first King of Saudi Arabia, King Abdal Aziz. Many further buildings are in the process of restoration together with the intention to encourage owners to create a renewed civic participation and involvement within this area. The area of Belad proved to be a wonderful place to discover and appreciate. Famous for its gold markets, spices and textiles, it reflected the diverse peoples of neighbouring lands who visited and traded goods.
Mahmud used the opportunity to reflect on the quality of urban connection, both as an ‘organic star-city’ as well as the ‘grid-pattern and U turn’ of the expanded new city of Jeddah. It was also a personal record of a relationship with the country, having previously lived and visited there, including during the residency visits to the two great spiritual centres, Madinah and Mecca. The Star-city of central Belad with its four traditional gates, was further enhanced by including a cosmology of event and record, which included the three cities of the Hejaz region and the mountains surrounding Madinah and Mecca with its linear horizon line. Sun, Moon and visible planets were placed upon a geometric grid, with the accompanying Zodiac constellations, cities and mountains.
A micro layer was also looked at, from a desert plant recorded when visiting the land adjacent to Jeddah, its own water source from mountains to sea, a famous desert locust/grasshopper, coral stone and sea-shells formed within the coral as the sea retreated leaving the stone to be excavated and used within the Jedawi building/architectural construction. The work became showcased a Macro view of cosmology with a geographic netting, together a personal response of spiritual connection and affirmation as well acknowledging the micro-world of plant and animal life. The antennae of the grasshopper mirroring the stalks of the desert plant it took shade in.
A memorable visit occurred in Dammam, where the group visited the ITHRA, a post-modernist building with an echo of stones left in the desert as meeting points. The building was constructed with steel beams and screw bolts with beautiful, rammed Pise earth walls. "The Line" was also promoted in Jeddah, a new development as city in the desert. These developments struck me as initiatives away from the Star-city of Belad with its relevance, proof as habitable space, human scale yet quite dense foot-plate, so a mixed metaphor of enquiry and adoption seemed to take place within the country.
It was hoped that our voice as enquiring artists could add to the mix for civic reflective enquiry. The artists brought their unique qualities, expertise and view-points, varied and broad-based. It provided an enriching experience and one which could be of benefit to wider political consideration. The meeting ground at the ribat proved a great opportunity for this to occur with lots of points were brought out: it became relevant to see the contribution of artists not as aesthetic practitioners but as instigators of thought and connection, as people who have a part to play as creative initiators. Better before decisions are taken than after.
"A number of works were made within the residency, some on paper, some framed under glass and one piece was initiated on canvas. These works became connected, first from a wide ‘macro’ perspective, recognising geographic placement and astronomical ‘event’ as a moment in time, another perspective was introduced, seeing the ‘micro’ as a unique Cosmos in itself.
A unifying ‘Tauhid’ painting was initiated, reflecting upon the ‘coral’ city of Belad; a circular, organic, ‘natural’ city with the additional grid system of regularity adjoined to the old city as witnessed within the greater city of Jeddah." - Mahmud Manning
A voice for those who perhaps are excluded or whose voice needs to be heard, can be made through bringing artists together. Artists that voice are close to those who count and become part of the area; they rub alongside and connect. This residency proved that. The artists added and contributed positively, food for thought for actions closer to home.
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