Thursday, October 27, 2016
Experimental Bodypainting Trip to the Maldives
In march 2015 "WB Production" was invited with a team to the Maldives to be part of the Installation Art Project by Ismail Asif in the Maldives National Art Gallery. It's his 4th annual exhibition and this time its about the Abuse of woman and children in his country.
This time his focus is on the media and NGO's that he criticizes. Many NGO's and woman activist groups in the end use the story of abused women in order to get funding for their administration. Help is very often not delivered to the victims. Even though some organizations work well, the majority especially in developing countries such as the Maldives do only work for themselves in order to pay their salaries.
It's also the first time he incorporated Bodypainting into his art. The design of the Bodypainting was taken from the Dhivehi Libaas, the traditional Maldivian dress, elaborately adorned with a gold and silver neckline called Kasabu Bovalhu.
Every day protests out on the streets against the government were almost knocking the plan off.
The team of WB Production is very thankful to be part of this great experimental trip and very glad that the exhibition in the end did happen.
The artists intention was to raise awareness of a problem.
After the exhibition in the gallery we created some art on various empty islands. The video is a short blog from the trip. More about the installation project is comming up. Stay tuned.
www.wb-production.com
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Update by the author Alex Barendregt after reactions on Facebook and other Social Channels:
This project is not about bodypainting. It's also not about trying to do something inappropriate in your culture.
The artists intention was to raise awareness of a problem. If you would read what it is about, then the project is already a success.
Would the artist just ring up a journalist to tell him "Hey I think there is a problem in our country about the abuse of children and woman and we should speak about it". Do you really think any newspaper, magazine, TV or the society would care? For sure NOT!
So a group of people took some unconventional form of expression in a location that should host art, the National Art Gallery - So now society speaks about it.
You only see what you want to see, step back and see the bigger picture and you will understand.
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This is an insult to our culture!!!
ReplyDeleteYes i am maldivian and not a very proud one right now
Very bad, very bad, very bad from you guys!... :-(
ReplyDeleteif this is wrong i think all Maldivian should First jail the Judge Ali Hameed of Supreme Courts As he has playd porn or cnducted adultry and the video has been on public and yet he is in his office
ReplyDeleteeverything should be fare and equal
ReplyDeleteThis is an insult to our culture !!! Yes i am a maldivian and not a very proud one right now :(
ReplyDeleteThis project is not about bodypainting. It's also not about trying to do something inappropriate in your culture.
ReplyDeleteThe artists intention was to raise awareness of a problem. If you would read what it is about, then the project is already a success.
Would the artist just ring up a journalist to tell him "Hey I think there is a problem in our country about the abuse of children and woman and we should speak about it". Do you really think any newspaper, magazine, TV or the society would care? For sure NOT!
So a group of people took some unconventional form of expression in a location that should host art, the National Art Gallery - So now society speaks about it.
You only see what you want to see, step back and see the bigger picture and you will understand.
These people dosent really care...... these people do not follow islam as it is ment to be...... they do not rule according to quran(shariah). They have corrupt western secular rulers, like in the west. And i wonder why does this video is hurting them that much????????
ReplyDeleteThe bigger picture here is that illuminati has finally managed to cross our borders and that our corrupt government has allowed them in. What they were trying to portray here by posing women naked with a backdrop of protesters in male' is that the people were protesting to liberate women to western standards and that they are unhappy and oppressed by the Muslim laws. The truth is women in Maldives are happy to have embraced Islam . The people on the streets were protesting to free president Nasheed from an unfair trial by the same government that invited these fanatics into our country and made a mockery of our customs.
ReplyDeletePlease don't take heed of those who are saying that it is an insult to the Maldivian culture. Culture is ever-changing and fluid. There are wonderful groups of artists and performers alike who are open-minded enough to appreciate how this art performance has sparked conversation about a long on-going issue in our society.
ReplyDeleteAs a Maldivian, I can tell you that you have contributed to the progression of pushing boundaries of limitations placed upon us by religious dogma. Thank you.
Happy to hear that you have enjoyed the hospitality. Believe me. There are more of us out here who feel the same way even though we're not that vocal. Yet. :)
It is symbol of destruction of malidweep culture & religion .
ReplyDeleteThis is an insult to our culture!!!
ReplyDeleteim not very happy about that but it was cool
Hi I'm from maldives and I'm not really sure there is anything wrong with non-muslims body paint...... but it is still haram in Islam and I respect that . though recently i heard something about this body painting thing on the news. I don't think people were very happy about it .l don't have any objections....soo keep up the good work
ReplyDelete