Araman About Town
Painter turned photographer Toufic Araman's first public photographic exhibition in Dubai portrays the modern face of the host city in vibrant, electric hues on acrylic and Perspex surfaces, revealing an artistic vision that stretches beyond the ordinary.
With a degree in economics, another in fine art plus a stint in hotels before arriving in Dubai, Toufic Araman has found his vocation as a photographer in an interestingly circuitous way. Yet, with his first pubic photographic exhibition in Dubai, he proves his artistic vision stretches beyond the ordinary by applying a new slant to modern, urban imagery. Although the photographer is a trained painter who had several exhibitions in Egypt before coming to Dubai, he found it difficult to paint when he arrived in this city four years ago.
After taking courses here and in the U5, UK and France, and also attending exhibitions while traveling, Araman made what appears to be a seamless switch to photography. "Dubai is quite fast, extremely modern and dynamic and you need to produce a lot," says Araman. "With painting, it takes time. Although I will never stop painting, as I'm still an artist who loves the tactile nature of paint, my medium has changed for the time being I like the speed of photography and the productivity you get with it, and I'm composing pictures all of the time I also like the excitement of change and don't want to become stagnant, so this reflects my personality."
The constant change, speedy pace and modernity of Dubai has also had a direct impact on his choice of images for his exhibition at More Cafe, Garhoud, entitled From Ropes to Acrylic, Depicting Dubai from a new perspective by using industrial materials, the show focuses on the contemporary cityscape and its transformation. "Basically I've printed my images directly onto acrylic and Perspex, something that I haven't really seen around Dubai The technique is difficult but I love the transparency and elegance it adds to the images, which balance out the industrial elements," says Araman. He has not used any typical frames for the exhibition. "I don't like to put frames around my images because I think they set boundaries. I'd feel boxed in," he explains.
Instead he uses steel wires as a medium to depict the feel of the city, and in the exhibition space the photos are hung against an industrial aluminium wall "I got the idea from my surroundings. We're not living in an organic environment. All the buildings are steel and glass, so that modern industrial look and texture of the city is what I wanted to get across in the exhibition via the steel wires and Perspex," says Araman. 'Also, there is a concept in interior design of bringing some of the outside inside in order to have a connection between the two areas And what's outside currently, all around us, is beautiful architecture, so I have brought elements of this indoors,"
As for the images themselves, they are all about modern Dubai, not tourist Dubai with camels and sand, according to Araman. To the viewer, the pace and urban edge are readily apparent. "That's why I've also used powerful blues and hues of orange, because they are vibrant and electric, reflecting the pulse of the city and its nightlife," he says.
There are two striking panoramic views of the city. Part of the excitement for the photographer is that in just two years that skyline will change. There is another vivid shot taken from the Fairmont Bridge and amazingly, this view has changed already.
Araman also shows humorous contrasts, as in a clever shot of Sheikh Zayed Road's painted camels juxtaposed against the backdrop of Emirates Towers. The modern camel provides a tenuous link to history. Likewise, "There is only one photograph which incorporates actual camel rope instead of the steel wire, representing how the city was and how it has changed. Hence the name of the exhibition," says the photographer.
Although he has been a professional photographer for just over three years, Araman has won awards for his work and insists, "I don't think it's the longevity that gives anybody the edge. Someone can carry a camera for the first time and know how to compose a picture and understand colour. The technical part doesn't take you long to learn if you have the aptitude for it. If you are a visual person, much of this can come naturally."
Araman also has an advantage because of his training as an artist, which he brings to his photography. "I used to have arguments with my teachers because they would look at my photographs and ask, 'What's the difference between these and paintings?' Sometimes when you're stuck to a medium, you take it to an extreme and it becomes an end rather than a means to communicate.
If I can make all of my photographs look like paintings, I will do that, depending on what the message is or what I'd like to convey. I don't want my photographs to be real, I want them to look natural - as is." One of the things that Araman definitely doesn't do is graphic art or manipulating his images on computer, except for touching up. "I like my work because I can take it outside; I need natural elements; or if I'm not outside, I could be communicating with people so that there is the social, interactive element. I cannot sit behind a computer for five or six hours. That would kill my soul and my creativity," he says.
Although the photographer engages in regular commercial work, he refuses to neglect his more artistic endeavors. He explains that there is often a real conflict between commercial photography and fine art photography. "This is not meant to be a criticism, but photographers who are stuck as commercial photographers start to conform big time. When you do that you start to lose the artistic aspect. That's why there are photographers who only do fine art photography; they don't combine the two. On the one hand you may have a technical photographer who takes an image exactly as the client wants while on the other, there's a photographer who carries the camera to communicate a message. The ones who can do both are the most successful."
In this vein, Araman may spend one month on commercial and the next entirely on fine art photography. "One gives me the challenge of working under pressure; this is exciting, plus it puts my abilities to the test. The other keeps me creatively sane!" he says. Clearly, Araman is one of those who can combine both forms and in the end, that's what will keep him ticking in this fast-paced city. With exhibitions planned in Muscat and Geneva, his photography will soon have an even wider audience.
Whether in acrylic or some other unique medium for display, he's sure to impress his viewers with his penchant for the unique, contemporary and his anything-but-ordinary perspective.