HOW GLOBAL ART INSTITUTIONS IMPACT ON LOCAL ECOLOGIES IN NEW YORK AND JEDDAH

Posted: January 4th, 2023

HOW GLOBAL ART INSTITUTIONS IMPACT ON LOCAL ECOLOGIES IN NEW YORK AND JEDDAH

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How global art institutions impact on local ecologies in New York and Jeddah

The research pays particular attention to how global art institutions have impacted on local ecologies in New York in the United States and in Jeddah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) capital city. The report utilizes the term global art institutions to refer to the social and cultural agencies that are both instigators of transformation and receivers of change. As such, the report shall pay considerable attention to how global art institutions such as private and public museums, biennials or biennale’s, art schools, and art movements influence ecological relations in New York and Jeddah. The study, while trying to analyze how the global art institutions influence the local ecologies, borrows from some of the concepts that are important to the world of art, such as globalization and gentrification.

The Influence of Globalization on the Development of Global Art Institutions

Globalization has a significant impact on how people relate to each other, and the environment, as well as to the development of art. Globalization, according to the definition by Raikhan et al. (2014), refers to the process of integration and interaction among companies, people, and governments all over the world. Often, people move from one place to the other in a quest for business, employment, and learning opportunities, and end up spreading their ideologies while picking up new ones (Raikhan et al. 2014). The growth of the internet in the early 1990s has been credited as one of the leading reasons for the concept of globalization because of the increased speed of communication and lessening of distance in the exchange of financial and human capital (Raikhan et al. 2014). Digital platforms are vital to the functioning of the art world through several avenues, including sales, communication, and sales, all of which are amplified by globalization. Regarding production, new forms of digital and global art have been created, which may be termed as born-digital forms of art (Raikhan et al., 2014). Globalization and the increased development of technology are crucial advocates for freedom of expression, and the internet helps to create more open platforms for dialogues. This in turn is transforming what can be promoted, initiated, and discussed. Raikhan et al. (2014) predict that KSA will be the core of future cultural and artistic production in the Gulf region because of the emergence of new communication technologies that allow people to organize themselves and establish initiatives at a grass roots level. Raikhan et al. (2014) maintain that the internet has formed a breathing space outside of the adverse conservative approaches that form part of the Saudi Arabian community. The internet, in short, has been vital in transforming the global modern art world and is a unique feature that disseminates artistic concepts from one place to the other. 

How the Development of Museums Impact on Local Ecology

Art institutions and museums have long been at the forefront of representing cultural morals and values, being used as places of instruction for many years now. It is no wonder that in a world that is increasingly interlinked, these same museums and art institutions come to play their functions on a global scale, and have increasingly been utilized and applied in International Relations (IR) (McAndrew 2009). Both the New Yorkers and the residents of Jeddah acknowledge the importance of developing museums and art institutions because of the crucial ecological functions that these facilities play. The locals and visitors in both cities get to visit the museums and, other than getting to see the various artifacts and artworks, they get the chance to interact with each other, and to share some of the issues that affect their society, and the environment (Amirsadeghi 2010). Sometimes, visiting the museums offers a good opportunity to understand certain features of society, such as understanding how past communities related to each other.

The vital ecological roles the private and public museums play is the main reason the government and private investors in New York and Jeddah are focusing on developing more facilities. The establishment of the Museum of Modern Art in 1929 changed the course of preserving art in New York,. It also offered an opportunity for people to understand each other and their environment much better. New York has other major museums such as the Brooklyn Museum, the Jewish Museum of New York, and the Museum of the City of New York among many others (Voorsanger et al. 2010). Some of the museums in Jeddah that attract huge visitors on a daily basis, and which offer a suitable environment to present and address ecological concerns include the Saudi Center for Fine Arts, the Atelier Jeddah, Rochan Gallery, and Arabian Wings Gallery among others.

Even though the need to develop museums and other art institutions has gained prominence in New York and Jeddah because of the vital ecological functions such facilities they perform, the practice of establishing these institutions seem to be a global phenomenon. The UK government, for example, co-sponsored the establishment of the Foundation Art Institutions of the 21^st Century(AI21C) in London (Art Institutions of the 21^st Century 2019). The foundation (a not-for-profit organization which commenced its activities in 2017 with the objective of bridging the gap between private and public art sectors) seeks to identify factors that derail the stability of modern art institutions. The parent group, Montabonel & Partners, aims to contribute to their sustainability in the fast-transforming aesthetic, economic, and political context (Art Institutions of the 21^st Century 2019). AI21C in its attempts to enlighten the various groups and individuals about art and the transformations in London, conducts networking events, large-scale exhibition programs, symposia, and workshops. The interested parties can even access publications by AI21C in digital and hard copies, and so far it has several copies that enlighten the public about changes in art (Art Institutions of the 21^st Century 2019). The AI21C through its activities, hopes to nurture the development of knowledge, to add to an understanding of the intricate cultural field, and to encourage more cooperation between the key partners and stakeholders. The institution carries out research and promotes education to offer art professionals tools to encourage the best cooperation from both private and public sectors when it comes to dealing with current challenges (Art Institutions of the 21^st Century 2019). Other than London, the desire to develop museums seems to be a global phenomenon because of the profound ecological functions that such facilities present.

Biennials

This section focuses on the connection between one of the links of the world of art – the biennial – as a vital component in globalization. Biennials are events that developed rapidly in the 1990s, and are perceived to have a crucial purpose in the furtherment of modern art in New York as well as Jeddah. The participants of the 2009 Bergen Biennial did not exhibit any art, and instead spent three days reflecting on and exploring the history of biennials, their socio-political influences, and the effects they have on curatorial and artistic practices (McAndrew 2009). The present teams agreed that if century gallery or museum exhibitions have mainly been the avenues through which most art becomes popular, then it is the biennial exhibitions that have arguably since been affirmed as the medium through which most contemporary arts come to be familiarized. The biennials are an intricate interaction between curators, artists, the financing and governing bodies, and, importantly, the visitors (McAndrew 2009). Biennials present themselves as intellectual platforms with no commercial interests compared to other approaches such as art fairs that mainly seek to generate funds for the artists and organizers (McAndrew 2009). The primary motive of the organizers of such events, as it appears, is to come up with other spaces beyond the traditional institutional system, and beyond the scope of a museum collection.

Biennials serve vital ecological functions both in New York and Jeddah where such events are not uncommon. The artists in Jeddah feel that besides being a way of presenting art, biennials give the opportunity for exchanges and can attain new markets and audiences, influence new artistic perceptions, and introduce features that surpass the market’s expectations (Markin 2016). The artists in Jeddah feel that biennials present the opportunity to know the consumers’ expectations and needs, and elaborate on how to meet the wants satisfactorily (Markin 2016). Through the biennials, the artists and interested parties in New York feel that they can reach out and gain awareness about the needs of younger audiences who are increasingly developing strong attachment with artistic impressions, as well as a way of reaching out to other members of the public who may not be in the capacity to visit the conventional art museums and galleries. Today, the curatorial attention in New York and Jeddah has turned away from museums and is now focused on biennials, which are seemingly taking over what had previously been the function of the museum (Markin 2016). While the biennial approach is often criticized as largely a marketing avenue, both in Western and the Arabic countries, it offers something different in New York and Jeddah, for the critical encounter with social and political issues, for which available institutions such as religious groups and the government give no attention or space (Markin 2016). Through the biennials, artists present the plight of the community, the suppressed groups, and the social and environmental injustices in a way that may not be offensive, but calls for quick and effective measures (Markin 2016). Furthermore, people get to interact during such events that occur after every two years in different cities, and during their conversations, they share about the socio-economic issues that they encounter, especially when they encounter art that relates to such issues.

Since the initial biennial in 1895 in Venice, Italy, the number of such exhibitions now exceeds 200. The development has resulted in the growth of a new generation of artists and art-lovers who are forming a globalized and unified art world (Markin 2016). The biennials challenge curators and critics that have a global perception while developing their works. Hosting the biennials encourages the locals, the artists, and the national leaders because this puts the city on the global map and brings global or international exposure to artists from a particular region (Markin 2016). Participating in the events for artists and locals in New York and Jeddah signifies the desire to participate in global activities where people can acquire more insight about dealing with the ecological issues that they face. The Gulf nations started to take part in the Venice Biennale relatively late compared to the Western countries, with KSA being the first take part in 2011, followed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2015 (Markin 2016). Qatar, however, is yet to secure a position at this crucial event.

Other than just offering curators and people the chance to explore the issues that they experience in their relation with each other and the environment, the biennials have reflected on some of the global themes, which further help to understand the impact of such a global institution of art on the local ecology. The event, for instance, addressed ‘Belonging’ as a theme in 2005 and ‘Still Life: Art, Ecology and the Politics of Change’ in 2007 (Markin 2016). The participants can acquire vital insight from such themes that seek to address the issues local communities experience as people interact on a local and global scale.

Art Schools

Other than the public and private museums and the biennials that present good avenues to sell the ideas of art, the increased development of art schools offer the opportunity for the residents of New York and Jeddah to deal with ecological issues through art. The government in both cities see the need to promote the establishment of art schools where people can learn about the various artistic styles that meet global expectations, and reflect the audience’s needs. Today, the lack of art schools in a particular region illustrates how far a country has to go to reach a level that is perceived artistically aware and developed (Velthuis 2013). In Jeddah, the University of Jeddah, the King AbdulAziz University College of Art and Design, and the Prince’s Foundation School of Traditional Art are some of the renowned learning institutions where artists and other individuals can acquire vital lessons about the various aspects of art (Porter 2006). Art schools are also abundant in New York, and play a vital function in terms of enlightening trainees about driving a message more clearly through art. Some of the renowned art institutions in New York include the Copper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, School of Visual Arts, Hunter College, and Columbia University among several others (McAndrew 2009).

Such schools offer people the opportunity to learn how art relates to society, and how through artistic representations it is possible to highlight some of the issues that affect members of society and their relationship with their environment. Such art schools offer artists and students the chance to learn how to improve social representation through art, which is a good avenue for addressing some of the issues that still affect members of the community (Velthuis 2013). The art schools, for instance, offer an opportunity to present how failure to relate with each other in the appropriate manner could lead to conflicts, and how an inappropriate relationship with the environment could cause further degradation (Velthuis 2013). The global phenomenon of establishing art schools because of the many advantages such facilities present has encouraged developers and investors in both cities to erect numerous institutions where artists and students can further their skills, competence, and knowledge.

Through the art schools, trainees can acquire helpful insights as to how to use patterns and design, geometry, color harmony, ornaments, woodwork, decorative styles and other artistic approaches that help to develop arts that are appealing to the audience, and address ecological issues. The Arabic and Western artists attending such schools, for example, get to know how to use color to present particular aspects that may be of considerable attention or interest to members of the society, and the same applies to the use of geometry and decorative approaches. The art schools in Jeddah, for example, informs artists about the need to come up with arts that advocate for gender equality, which seems to be a problem in the whole of KSA and a significant portion of the Middle East (Porter 2006). The need to develop art schools is not only gaining prominence in New York and Jeddah alone, but also in other cities that pay attention to art.

Art Movements

The arrival of the 20^th century was a time of significant changes, mainly because of the way in which people started to view civilization and its primary objective as a whole. World War I, and the unexpected destruction that followed, affected the foundation of many cultural beliefs, and also facilitated exploration and experimentation by artists in an attempt to describe exactly what art should be about, and what it should do for society (Elkins 2002). What followed thereafter was the emergence of artistic movements that worked hard to find their position in the ever transforming world (Elkins 2002). The effects of globalization and some effects of cultural imperialism have caused a scenario whereby other societies embrace artistic styles that are part of a particular art movement. Such movements influence how people present and view artwork, and also help to understand how societies address the various ecological issues that they experience such as a poor relationship with other groups, or inappropriate interaction with their environment. So much has changed since the times of renaissance artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael, and the changes have taken many years to actualize (Elkins 2002). The artistic movement of realism, for instance, gave artists the chance to develop arts that present realistic images that were likely to drive home a message with ease. Realism offered the chance to send a message at face value, which offered a good chance to deal with the issues human beings experience in their relationship with each other and the physical environment. The emergence of impressionism in the early 1860s further offered the chance for artists to present more real images, which made it easy to drive certain statements to the audience. The post-impressionist era that emerged between 1886 and 1905, as a reaction to the impressionist movement between 1886 and 1905, further changed the artistic presentation because artists would combine symbolic content and abstract elements (Elkins 2002). Other art movements that transformed the nature of art include surrealism, cubism, dada, and suprematism among others.

The artists in New York and Jeddah have not turned a blind eye to the art movements that transformed the art sphere over the years and offered better avenues for presenting the various themes. Art movements such as impressionism and post-impressionism helped artists in New York and Jeddah to present more realistic images that were clear in their message, and more likely to influence the thinking of their audiences. The changing art movements made it easy to present some of the contentious issues such as poverty, environmental degradation, and inequality among others that are part of everyday experiences. In short, it became easier for the people in New York and Jeddah to come up with appropriate solutions to the issues they experienced through art that was easier to analyze and understand.

Gentrification

Urban revitalization projects (also called gentrification) incorporates art-based industries, and even though such initiatives have varying reactions, there is no doubt that many cities are now embracing the approach. Even though gentrification is not an artistic movement or institution, but rather a concept of urban development, it is vital to look at art influences in this area, and how the global application of art in urban development impacts local ecology. Today, it is common to see graffiti along some of the major streets in New York and in Jeddah. The painting of graffiti along some of the major routes is an example of gentrification that seeks to add color and beauty to urban spaces. Al-Khudair (2019) asserts that the bride of the Red Sea, as Jeddah is popularly known, is an amazingly colorful city, thanks to the idea that the city is home to some prolific artists. Al-Khudair (2019) informs that one of the most popular and public approaches the artists in Jeddah are taking to brighten up the city is the escalating amount of colorful graffiti that can be spotted on walls across the city. One of the artists who contributes towards the existence of such wonderful artwork in the streets of Jeddah is 19-year-old Elias Tashkandi, who is still a student and developed a passion for graffiti at the age of eight while he traversed France and saw the incredible artworks in the streets and on the trains (Al-Khudair 2019). Tashkandi who does “calligraffiti” (a combination of art, graffiti and calligraphy) says each artist can come up with their own presentation of what they find appropriate, which makes it possible to address the various issues members of society experience, such as a lack of connection with one another and environmental degradation among others. 

The use of street art such as graffiti with the aim of beautifying the city is not only applicable in Jeddah, but also in New York where the practice is deeply rooted. It is believed that street art was born in New York City during the 1970s, at a time when the rate of crime and bankruptcy was quite high (Champion 2017). Young children, especially from the Bronx and Brooklyn took advantage of the chaos, and started to bomb buildings and subway cars with graffiti. The act was unlawful and sometimes risky, but it offered a form of art that would spread around the globe, and eventually find its way into the galleries and museums in New York (Champion 2017). Some of the most appealing street graffiti in New York include the Bushwick Collective that is situated in Bushwick Brooklyn, the World Trade Mural Project that was initiated at the site of the 2001 terror attack, the Harlem Street art, and along the Houston Bowery Wall (Champion 2017). Other than the graffiti, murals have been painted on many walls and surfaces in New York, which may be part of gentrification.

Involving artists in gentrification, however, still experiences some hurdles that must be eradicated to achieve more beautiful and appealing cities. One of the major challenges artists face is identifying a suitable space to spray the art, in addition to securing enough money to finance all their requirements. Concerning whether graffiti plays a role in the society and whether it can be used to bring about positive transformation, the artists in New York and Jeddah believe it depends on the perception on the part of the locals (Al-Khudair 2019). The developers of such art think that if people are open to such a style, then it can be utilized in many aspects, especially beautifying and forming spaces that allow individuals to appreciate artwork and widen their view towards art (Al-Khudair 2019). This style of art can also serve a positive function in terms of the message it conveys – a message that can be communicated with ease and that is instantaneous. Even as many people still question the meaning behind graffiti, it brightens up the lives of those who see and love it.

Conclusion

The study elaborates on how the various global art institutions have influenced the production of artworks that impact on the ecology of the local communities. The society has numerous issues, some of which are as a result of the interaction between human beings and their environment. The development of art and global institutions in this area have influenced the ecology of the locals in New York and Jeddah in significant ways. Globalization is a major factor that has facilitated the spread and adoption of common ways of developing, presenting, and preserving art in New York and Jeddah, some of the largest cities in the Western and Gulf regions respectively. The people in both cities see the need to develop and visit museums, and this helps them to present arts that address the issues people face in their attempt to relate with others as well as the environment. The emergence and the continued practice of biennials has also impacted on the ecology of the locals in New York and Jeddah in substantial ways. Both the U.S. and KSA have a slot at the Venice Biennial, and their participation in the event exposes members of the public, as well as artists, to new ways of highlighting ecological concerns through art. The global drive to develop art schools, as well as influential effects of the art movements have also had a paramount ecological impact on the locals in New York and Jeddah because of the way that curators and audiences have gained new awareness about how to use art to address the issues people face as they interact with their physical environment. Gentrification today employs art as well and this is visible on the streets of Jeddah and New York which are sprayed with graffiti and murals.

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