Summary
Omar Koleif, an artist, author, curator, and cultural historian, shares insights into his work and the themes of memory, migration, and belonging in a recent conversation. Koleif discusses his exhibition "Fellow Travelers," which he curated at Tabari Artspace in Dubai, featuring five women artists whose works reflect on personal experiences and broader histories. This exhibition marks a significant moment for Koleif, as it showcases his own paintings for the first time, intertwining his artistic practice with the narratives of the featured artists.
The dialogue delves into the concept of the trickster, a recurring archetype in Koleif's life and work, representing the dualities of existence and the complexities of identity. He reflects on how this figure has influenced his understanding of art and its power to challenge societal norms. Koleif emphasizes the importance of creating intimate spaces for artistic expression and the need for artists to be dream workers who foster creativity and connection in a world increasingly dominated by digital interactions.
As the conversation unfolds, Koleif also touches on the significance of personal experiences in shaping artistic narratives and the challenges faced by artists in a competitive and often superficial art world. He expresses a desire to advocate for artists and to create environments where their voices can be authentically heard and valued. The discussion concludes with a preview of Koleif's upcoming exhibition "Afterglow," which explores themes of trauma, memory, and the beauty that can emerge from pain, reinforcing the idea that art serves as a vital conduit for emotional and cultural expression.
Show Notes
Omar Kholeif has curated more than 100 exhibitions and written or edited over forty books. Showing their own paintings under their own name, however, meant giving up something they had wanted to keep private. Recorded at Kholeif’s home in East London, this episode of The Art Bystander brings Roland-Philippe Kretzschmar into conversation with the artist, author, curator and broadcaster about the experiences behind their work.
Kholeif is Professor of Global Modern and Contemporary Art History at the Glasgow School of Art and leads its postgraduate programme in curatorial practice, delivered jointly with the University of Glasgow. They previously held senior positions at Sharjah Art Foundation, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and Whitechapel Gallery. Their books include Internet_Art: From the Birth of the Web to the Rise of NFTs.
We discuss Fellow Travellers at Tabari in Dubai, which brings five women artists into conversation with Kholeif’s paintings, and the research, friendships and personal decisions behind the exhibition. Kholeif recalls the trickster stories of their childhood, the influence of Jean Fisher and the encounter with Derek Jarman’s Blue that helped them understand why they had to make art.
The conversation also addresses the art world’s fixation on biography, the financial reality behind a public career, and “dreamwork”: protecting the conditions in which people can imagine and create. We conclude with Afterglow in London and paintings made through experiences of physical pain, family separation and survival.
Fellow Travellers: Tabari, DIFC, Dubai, until 10 January 2027. Afterglow: From the Residue of a Departed Sun, No.9 Frieze Cork Street, London, 30 October–21 November 2026. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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