The Majlis of Firetti Contemporary, Lamborghini & Gaggenau salutes Art
- 30 Mar 2024
Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer
The Majlis, an exclusive Suhoor event, was held recently in the Lamborghini showroom at Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. It was a collaboration between Alserkal Avenue-based gallery Firetti Contemporary, Italian manufacturer of luxury sports cars and SUVs Lamborghini and luxury home appliances brand, Gaggenau. According to Firetti Contemporary Founder Mara Firetti, the occasion “united in a celebration of excellence, a blending of the sophistication of Lamborghini and the cultural richness of art and spirituality during Ramadan.” The event combined automotive elegance and the aesthetics of artistic expression and also featured a culinary journey catered by Gaggenau. The Majlis was curated by Firetti Contemporary; it highlighted the talents of artists from the MENA region and beyond, with an offering of sculptures, paintings, and live musical and art performances that aligned with the spiritual essence of a sacred time. Featured artists included Sylvestre Gauvrit (France), Yousra Wahba (Egypt), Diaa Allam (Egypt) and Ghaleb Hawila (Lebanon). Through their works, they paid homage to cross-cultural inspirations which foster connections among individuals from diverse backgrounds. Deeply intertwined with nature, Gauvrit’s sculptures reflect his sensitivity, perceptiveness and exceptional craftsmanship — a tribute to the environment and man’s place in it. Raised amidst millennium oaks, he presented two sculptures at the exhibition: one crafted from marble, the other from steel. Gauvrit’s ability to shape raw material into monumental artworks is second to none and his works radiate intensity, providing an arresting reflection of our world. They aligned with the exhibition’s central aim of nurturing cross-cultural understanding through art.
“The world is energy,” says the artist. “Life is energy, and so is Art. I create sculptures to generate energy in your daily life, either in a public space or in your intimate space. I like to compare my works with classical music, as Abstract Art is more delicate to understand, they are movements, like a sonata, a menuetto or a symphony; they are complex and simple at the same time, so it really needs time to penetrate your mind and get emotions from it. It’s the opposite of figurative works which could be compared to pop music, where you have an immediate perception of the song with words, so you understand what you hear or what you see right away …” Gauvrit sculpts and designs in marble, stone, metal, bronze and wood, and his works present qualities of sensuality, lightness, dynamism and harmony.
Allam’s innovative Arabic calligraphy bridges tradition and modernity, as was seen in his paintings, Tracks of Our Lives. The pieces explored the unique paths we traverse as individuals, from childhood to adulthood, encountering challenges, setbacks, and triumphs along the way. Each path — or track we make - is distinct, akin to fingerprints, with twists and turns, some more difficult than others. Yet, despite our differences, we all share the common journey of life, marked by a beginning, a journey, and an end. The experiences were splendidly brought out by the artist, with a minimum of lines or tracks, for a maximum of reflection.
A former urban planner, Allam has always been inspired by geometric shapes, mathematics and language. He has spent years perfecting his own 3D calligraphy and live art performance styles. He has also experimented with new technologies such as NFTs, AR and immersive experiences. He believes that in a world that is becoming increasingly uniform, creating art through Arabic calligraphy is a way of perpetuating the beauty of the language and its culture. He aims to introduce Arabic calligraphy to the general public through cutting edge mediums and believes that art should be seen and shared, as everyone deserves beautiful things - something that was illustrated in the Lamborghini showroom.
Wahba’s art revolves around freezing memories and evoking emotions blending science and art, to reflect the interconnectedness of nature and human existence. Her installation, Harmony Unbound - Immersed in the Quiet Blue, invited introspection and mirrored life’s fluidity. Her art is marked by a symphony of contrasts, such as light and dark, transparency and opacity, mimicking the intricacies of life. The work involves the patterns found in biology and emotional graphs, inviting viewers to contemplate the beauty of life’s fleeting moments. She combines her homeland Egypt’s ancient legacies with the mores of the modern age – expressing emotion as a visual language and using the flowing movement of colours to create her works. She says her background in pharmaceutical studies helps her in making art, since mixing colours too needs high accuracy!
Hawila, an Arabic calligraphy artist from Lebanon, merges tradition with contemporary expression, showcasing the beauty and elegance of the Arabic script. His live art performance during the event, which was juxtaposed with his artwork on the walls, was his personal bow to Arabic letters and a testament of his commitment to his art. Art helps brands build closer and more personal relations with clients and customers. Both luxury products and fine art require skill, patience and the talent for realisation. Corporates have always encouraged arts by being art patrons. But now the relationship has evolved to another level. Instead of only financing artists, brands have begun co-exhibiting their products alongside artworks. The resulting synergy helps both brands and the arts they support, making powerful communication statements. The Majlis event, besides showcasing the universal language of art, symbolised a diverse community which calls the UAE their home, unitedly embracing the spirit of Ramadan.