NAME: MJ Alhabeeb
BIRTH PLACE:
BIRTH DATE: 7.1.54
BIOGRAPHY
Born in Iraq 1954
U.S. citizen
Married, has two children
Ph.D. Economics
Introduction
Throughout the years, I have been engaging in a variety of artistic activities, where visual art takes its comprehensive range; from painting to graphic design and illustration, to calligraphy. I have followed different styles, and utilized many techniques and materials. I never found it important to label myself by a certain genre, style or school. I thought doing so could become a self-imposed limitation on creativity, which I believe should never be restrained. I know a great number of artists who strive to assert a unique stylistic theme for themselves, which can be a great development if only left to evolve naturally, as opposed to being stamped repetitively and obtusely.
For the last four years, I felt a great deal of responsibility to contribute as much as I can in supporting the newly emerging democratic atmosphere in Iraq. I participated in establishing the first non-profit organization to foster freedom and democracy for the Iraqi artists and writers, and I started to publish my views in the first free avenue for Iraqi artists (iraqiartist.com). My writings tackle important and needed issues such as freedom of expression, nature of the creative process, politicizing arts, Arts in the totalitarian systems, the value of Abstract art, and alike. I intend to continue to do whatever I can individually to contribute in the restoration of what forty years of Fascism has destroyed in the Iraqi arts realm.
Philosophy:
Painting, for me, is a thoroughfare for my imagination and a mode to free my mind and alleviate my tension. I feel I can breathe better and think more clearly as the painted forms start to take shape and color on my canvas. I believe art should have the capacity to make others breathe and think, if not better, at least differently. This logic is dictated by the notion that the physical and mental effects of art are cognate to the product as much as they are to the productive process. I subscribe to the idea that art should not be concerned with creating or modifying concepts as much as it induces perceptions, and indirectly may lead to the creation or modification of new ideas and views. In this context, an artist does not simply reveal his thoughts and reflections. Rather, the nature of his revelation, embodied in his product may define the qualities of his creativity, and therefore reveal his views. In other words, a work of art would define the artist more than the artist can define his art. However, an artist cannot escape his subjectivity for it is inherently and inextricably bound with his exposure as a reflective and expressive process. His subjectivity is also deeply rooted in his socialization and culture. I grew up in an era and country where art was severely controlled by politics, which instilled in me a sort of hypersensitivity against ÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ãâ¦Ã¢â¬Åpolitical artÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬ÃâÃÂ. I believe only in a democracy, and only by the free choice of an artist, can art transmit the artistÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢s genuine political views. Otherwise, art can gradually be reduced to cheap kitsch and reprehensible propaganda, and the boundaries between finer and inferior artists would be blurred.
I believe a true art cannot be spontaneous or incidental. It has to involve the artistÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢s deliberate, premeditated, and controlled process that is cognitive and characterized by coherence and comprehensiveness. It requires knowledge and mastery of skills, which separates a true artist from an imposter. Art as a conscious and calculated process would rule out considering the formations of nature or the scribbles of a toddler as works of art despite their dazzling composition and stunning colors. I believe art is inherently purposeful, and ultimately bound for people, all people. I resent the idea of art for artists and those who cheer for them. A certain level of education is required not only in the production of art but also in the distribution and consumption of art. If education were to mean what it should mean, and if artists and art patrons were to be faithful to its true nature, art would have been appreciated, and even practiced by a much wider circle than by only the elite.
