The Sultan Gallery proudly presents the second solo show of Kuwaiti visual artist Aseel AlYaqoub during the national month of February. This exhibition, 'Culture Fair ', is the culmination of almost two years of research into Kuwait's postage stamps, focusing on AlYaqoub's dialogue with the nation's use of imagery and events during the Golden Era (circa 1940-1980). Aseel AlYaqoub, renowned for her politically satirical works of art, delves into various histories of Kuwait's past, bridging the gap between the past and the present. Her use of nostalgia as a tool for critical thought, rather than a mere longing for the past, allows her to explore the invention and reinvention of heritage and tradition.
In collecting Kuwaiti postage stamps, AlYaqoub probes at the exhibited propaganda's visually subdued and discreet nature. As it was once widely circulated, the postage stamp does not usually have an unmistakable message, enhancing its peculiar effectiveness as a propaganda model. It went from hand to hand and town to town; it reached the farthest corners and provinces of a country and even the farthest countries of the world. It was and may still be a symbol of the nation from which the stamp is mailed, a vivid expression of that country's culture, civilisation, ideas and ideals.
The exhibition is categorised into three modules of time. In Yesterday, AlYaqoub reconfigures the narratives of old stamps by dissecting and reassembling the layers, destroying the national artefact and image into collages. The new images are displayed as cultural relics found in world fairs, with magnifying domes that function as lenses to expand and emphasise the continuity of history. In the Palace of Justice, a dinosaur holding a large sword roams the green fields of the judicial building. Its presence suggests a pre-historic nature in the system. A Kuwaiti man stands in the forefront with white paint on his raised hands as though to claim his innocence.
In the Today section, AlYaqoub presents three concepts for postage stamps that offer glimpses of Kuwait's current culture and external politics. Inspired by an old stamp celebrating 'Traffic Day', Entrepreneurial Day appropriates Edward Hopper's Nighthawks diner and relocates it to a popular area in the city of Kuwait. The once serene eatery is now bustling with familiar young faces enjoying selfies, burgers, and coffee in a private soft opening. An immigrant worker in the background provides a stark contrast to this exclusive event through the act of sweeping the pavements.
The Tomorrow section offers a glimpse into future proposals and expresses the traditions and cultural appropriation attitudes that will extend into space. Architectural Fantasies pays homage to Russian constructivist architect Yakov Chernikhov. At its core is one of his designs for a future city resembling the spheres on the Kuwait Towers. The regional architectural competition to build cities on islands and arid deserts extends into space, offering citizens hope and aspiration. The six scenarios are digital collages that draw inspiration from the original Kuwaiti stamps' visual language and use the same offset plate printing and four-colour printing format used to manufacture them.
Alongside the artwork is a projected video of AlYaqoub's delicate process of slicing and reconfiguring stamps and the digital manipulations before their destruction as evidence of their existence.
In collecting Kuwaiti postage stamps, AlYaqoub probes at the exhibited propaganda's visually subdued and discreet nature. As it was once widely circulated, the postage stamp does not usually have an unmistakable message, enhancing its peculiar effectiveness as a propaganda model. It went from hand to hand and town to town; it reached the farthest corners and provinces of a country and even the farthest countries of the world. It was and may still be a symbol of the nation from which the stamp is mailed, a vivid expression of that country's culture, civilisation, ideas and ideals.
The exhibition is categorised into three modules of time. In Yesterday, AlYaqoub reconfigures the narratives of old stamps by dissecting and reassembling the layers, destroying the national artefact and image into collages. The new images are displayed as cultural relics found in world fairs, with magnifying domes that function as lenses to expand and emphasise the continuity of history. In the Palace of Justice, a dinosaur holding a large sword roams the green fields of the judicial building. Its presence suggests a pre-historic nature in the system. A Kuwaiti man stands in the forefront with white paint on his raised hands as though to claim his innocence.
In the Today section, AlYaqoub presents three concepts for postage stamps that offer glimpses of Kuwait's current culture and external politics. Inspired by an old stamp celebrating 'Traffic Day', Entrepreneurial Day appropriates Edward Hopper's Nighthawks diner and relocates it to a popular area in the city of Kuwait. The once serene eatery is now bustling with familiar young faces enjoying selfies, burgers, and coffee in a private soft opening. An immigrant worker in the background provides a stark contrast to this exclusive event through the act of sweeping the pavements.
The Tomorrow section offers a glimpse into future proposals and expresses the traditions and cultural appropriation attitudes that will extend into space. Architectural Fantasies pays homage to Russian constructivist architect Yakov Chernikhov. At its core is one of his designs for a future city resembling the spheres on the Kuwait Towers. The regional architectural competition to build cities on islands and arid deserts extends into space, offering citizens hope and aspiration. The six scenarios are digital collages that draw inspiration from the original Kuwaiti stamps' visual language and use the same offset plate printing and four-colour printing format used to manufacture them.
Alongside the artwork is a projected video of AlYaqoub's delicate process of slicing and reconfiguring stamps and the digital manipulations before their destruction as evidence of their existence.
Graduation Ceremony
March 7 - April 28, 2022
The Sultan Gallery, Kuwait
Information:
Wesbite: www.sultangallery.com
email: sultangallery@sadeer.com
Instagram: @sultangallery
ⓒ Aseel AlYaqoub, 2024
March 7 - April 28, 2022
The Sultan Gallery, Kuwait
Information:
Wesbite: www.sultangallery.com
email: sultangallery@sadeer.com
Instagram: @sultangallery
ⓒ Aseel AlYaqoub, 2024