George Lewis: Capturing Art with Contrast

George Lewis, 35, is an artist that likes to showcase stark contrasts in his work. Having traveled the world extensively, his unique perspectives are captured in his photography and paintings. Born and raised in London, he discusses his love affair with the Middle East and its culture. We got a chance to speak with George about his ventures and equally interesting, his ideas.

Elan: How did you get into the art field?

George Lewis: Well that is an interesting first question. I think the only way to answer it, is by telling you the story: some people would call it a happy accident; I call it serendipity.

From very early on in my childhood I remember painting and drawing. The ability to create has always been one of my gifts but this didn’t necessarily mean that I wanted to “become an artist” whatever that term really means. My passions at secondary school were for history, politics and modern languages. In a sense I have always been an artist but my journey into the art world or art field as you call it was unorthodox.

I studied International Politics at university in the UK and I was set to do an MA at Cambridge University in International Relations. At the time of graduation I was looking to pursue a political career. My father however had other ideas and wouldn’t financially support me in this decision. At the time it was hard, but certainly looking back my father knew me better than I did myself. This helped me change my course. I established a successful entertainment business in London that supported me financially and so gave me the platform to develop my skills as an artist. I would have exhibitions of landscapes and seascapes annually and the more I practiced the better I got. I didn’t go to art school and yet I have never stopped learning. I have had mentors throughout my life, but no official teachers. It wasn’t until 2004 when I took the plunge and actually became a professional artist, in other words it became my sole profession and source of income.

Elan: In your artwork, you like to juxtapose the industrial/modern Arabia with the old. Why is that?

GL: Visually I am stimulated by contrast. I think we all are as human beings. It makes for an interesting visual image that is for sure. There are few places in the world that have as much dynamic contrast as that of modern Arabia. Whether it be the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa standing tall amongst a city of skyscrapers that is bursting forth from the desert; or a modern Khaliji in his pink range rover dune bashing in the Empty Quarter; or a caravan of camels walking past the largest oil refineries in the world. Photographically these are fascinating subject matter especially the latter at night with the canopy of stars intersecting with the vast amount of light emanating from the gas flares from the refineries. The symbolism is important here too. These images are not just interesting physical and geographical juxtapositions but also allude to the cultural and societal shifts that are taking place in this region. It cannot be denied that the oil bonanza of the 20^th century has been the largest gold rush in history. The Arabian Peninsula has benefited from this more than any other part of the world.

Elan: You spent a lot of time in the Middle East. What do you love about the region?

GL: I think it is the diversity of the region in terms of geography and peoples that so fascinates me. In 2008, I spent a month in Yemen. I was mainly in the north around the capital Sana’a. I stood beneath Jabal an-Nabi Shu’ayb the highest peak in Arabia and realized for the first time why Yemen has remained virtually unchanged in 2000 years: invaders can not penetrate successfully by land. The mountain range is too steep and high to command. This of course has other negative consequences for today’s local geopolitics. Last year I spent some time with the still extant nomadic Al Rashedi tribe in the Rub’al Khali, (the Empty Quarter). This gave me an invaluable experience on the realities of the desert environment and also into the machinations of the tribal system still very much alive in 21^st century Arabia.

Elan: You’re a photographer, painter, and now have stepped into film. Where do you hope to take that angle in your career?

GL: I suppose being an artist, especially in today’s world one shouldn’t limit ones media unless there is a strong reason to do so. I love painting and photography and on my new camera I have video so it would seem foolish not to utilize this aspect. Obviously video is so totally different to photography, it requires a completely different approach and mindset to capturing stills. I am still trying to get the hang of it so I am reluctant to say where I will take this angle in my career. I went to stay with an Amish family in Indiana last month where I shot some really interesting juxtapositions of the family in both video and stills so as long as I am producing some original work then I am happy. Above all I would say I am still in the experimental stage with the video side so stay tuned and you will see some interesting work in time.

Elan: You recently moved to New York. What do you hope to portray? What have you captured thus far?

GL: Well I alluded to this in my last question. I am interested in looking at minorities here in America generally and of course New York City is the perfect melting pot. I am still focusing on my juxtapositions as I call them, the only difference is now that is it not just focused on the Muslim world. I shot a fascinating candid photograph at the Boat Pond in Central Park in June where a Muslim woman in full burqa was sitting alongside a Hasidic Jew having a picnic with his family. I called this photograph “Melting Pot.”

Last month I managed to get an Amish family to come to New York so that I could photograph them in the city. I was very lucky to get this opportunity. It took a great deal of persuading and execution. I shot one of the older Amish men juxtaposed alongside the Empire State Building its such an unusual sight and obviously an excellent contrast. I have some of these examples on my website.

Elan: Where has been the most successful show? What was the feedback?

GL: I have had a number of successful shows at different locations and at different times. I would say however that last year at both the Abu Dhabi Art Fair and Green Art Abu Dhabi were my most successful in terms of exposure and sales. I was producing some quite socially and culturally thought provoking and challenging work where I was revealing some of these juxtapositions to the local population. It was a difficult balance, not wanting to be too provocative and being respectful and at the same time challenge people’s perceptions of their own culture and getting them to ask the questions themselves about their own culture. One of my pieces which became somewhat iconic was “universal interest” it caused a little bit of a stir perhaps because it told the truth.

Elan: You’ve had celebrity clients buy your artwork. How does it feel?

GL: I am very lucky with the people who have collected my work so far. Clearly the majority of buyers have come from the Middle East as that is where my focus has been in the past four years. That will now begin to change I presume as I live in New York now… who knows… you can never anticipate who will collect ones work. I feel very privileged that my work is in some important collections in the Middle East, it gives validation to an artist’s work, arguably the most important commodity.