Abdulnasser Gharem
* 1973 Khamis Mushayt, Saudi Arabia.
Oxygen. 2006
Photographic documentation of a performance
In this performance the artist metaphorically receives respiration from the tree, which transforms his carbon dioxide into oxygen.
About the work
The work comprises a plastic bag that covers the top part of a tree and a human head. There is obvious fusion between the two elements; the human being produces carbon dioxide, the main gas necessary for the survival of the tree, while the tree produces oxygen, which in turn is the principal gas for the survival of the human being. The water is the common component between the two and constitutes their “intellectual” spine, meaning that these elements emphasise the true relationship between the human being as a labourer, rather than a master, on the one hand and the environment as a friend on the other. Both are at the same level, the human being is a product of this unity.
© From the catalogue of Sharjah Biennial 8, 2007.
© Photos: Abdulnasser Gharem
Part 2 of the photo tour through Sharjah Biennial 8, 4 April - 4 June 2007. Biennial Director: Hoor Al Qasimi. Artistic Director: Jack Persekian. Curators: Mohammed Kazem, Eva Scharrer, Jonathan Watkins. 79 artists and groups.