Al Seef opens in Kuwait

Al Seef. The show of the Barjeel Art Foundation collection hosted in Contemporary Art Platform, Kuwait. Images courtesy of CAP Kuwait.

I was lucky enough to visit Kuwait this week to visit the opening of a show of art from the Barjeel Art Foundation, which opened in Contemporary ARt Platform (CAP), Kuwait. The show, Al Seef, curated by Suheyla Takesh, explores the development of coastal landscapes through art and from across the region.

The art captured fascinating narratives such as the building of Egypt’s Aswan Dam and ancient Egypt’s fixation on the Nile for its fertile properties. Through work by Iraq’s Nazir Yahya we also learned about the Tigris and how it held the memories of war and with a piece by Yto Barrada, there was the story of the Strait of Gibralter and Tangiers.

In the second space, Mahmoud Obaidi's The Replacement was also on show. This was exhibited in Meem Gallery in Dubai last year and was well received by Kuwaiti audiences. With over 200 people attending the opening, it was one of the biggest turn outs for an art show in Kuwait and by all accounts, a great success.

* A full story will follow in The National’s Arts & Life section.

For more info visit barjeelartfoundation.com or capkuwait.com