My Father's House

CULTURE: A major aspect that molds us into who we are today. Little do we know that our lifestyle, way of thought, and beliefs are massively affected by our culture. It is the core of our identity, in which we pass on from one generation to the next, creating a lasting heritage.

The topic of culture is discussed artistically through a year-long touring exhibition called My Father’s House, which focuses on cultural heritage through a variety of architectural artwork. My Father’s House is a comprehensive project by the British Council that aims to define cultural identity by using an architectural theme as a tool to discuss and examine how buildings form a nation’s culture. In addition to the photographic exhibition, which is the essence of the project, other events include an online photography competition, photographic treasure hunts for families, workshops for emerging and professional photographers, artists’ talks, seminars, a regional conference, and educational packs and events for schools and colleges.

This unique event is part of the British Council’s goal to demonstrate the role of cultural relations in raising awareness, building understanding, creating opportunities, and improving trust between countries of the Middle East and the UK. The touring exhibition began February 2009, opening for the first time in Oman. Afterwards, it continued through Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. On October 24, 2009, My Father’s House was inaugurated by Prince Sultan Bin Salman, President of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiques, in the National Museum of Riyadh.

The exhibition included the works of eight artists, five from the Middle East and three from the UK. The artists’ different backgrounds allowed them to contribute to the exhibition in a unique way, through their personal experiences and views. The regional artists are Wed Abdul-Jawad (Saudi Arabia), Boushra Almutawakel (Yemen), Lamya Gargash (United Arab Emirates), Hafiz Ali (Qatar), and Camille Zakharia (Lebanon). The artists from the UK are Tim Hetherington (winner of the 2007 World Press Photo), Tim Loveless, and Hazel Thompson. The artists utilized several mediums to display their artwork such as large-scale photography, audio-visual media and film. The different pieces, styles, and angles of artwork created a solitary atmosphere that focused on the importance of architectural cultural heritage and its connection with cultural identity. Does where we live have an effect on our character, our self? “Cultural heritage is a collection of ideas, traditions, the arts, and the environment around us,” said Adrian Chadwick, Director and Cultural Counselor of the British Council in Saudi Arabia. According to Chadwick, such collection plays a role in who we are today. He also stated that the objective of the project is to showcase an issue that all societies are dealing with: balancing and preserving the urban parts of a culture with today’s modernization and advances.

Another perspective on the relationship between cultural heritage and cultural identity was described by one of the regional artists, Wed Abdul-Jawad, by stating that “cultural heritage is knowledge of your own history and roots, knowledge of your family and their life story. You develop your cultural identity by acquiring that knowledge and being interested in it.” Abdul-Jawad’s participation in the event is her way of showing interest in developing her cultural identity, as she added, “Documenting my father and grandfather's history is my way of artistically contributing to the chain of documents between generations. The project is my way to contribute and preserve their history.” The photographic exhibition will continue touring through UAE and finally Qatar, ending its tour March 2010. Due to the large success and audience’s interest in the exhibition, there are future plans to also tour in the UK. This on-going project succeeded in reaching and connecting diverse people of all ages throughout different regions. A major achievement is how the project was able to stimulate the debate on the effects buildings have in influencing and shaping a nation’s culture. Also, the project was able to raise people’s awareness regarding their surroundings and help people realize the value of their cultural heritage.

In general, My Father’s House, with its creative and original artwork and its various activities, especially the workshops, proved the project’s success as a whole as it was able to leave a lasting impression on its audience. Personally, I am left with one question: Does the place we live in shape our identity, or does our identity shape the place we live in?