Inloco Initiative’s unique concept revolves around art interventions and the creation of nomadic galleries across various locations in Dubai, embodying the adventurous spirit of artists in search of fresh venues and concepts. The ME Hotel exhibition marks a new opportunity to illuminate contemporary art in an innovative setting.
Starting from June 21 through August 21, 2023, ME BY MELIÁ will unveil the captivating exhibition, Welcome Home / Marhaba al Sah / محر ب ا ال س اع , showcasing the remarkable works of Inloco artists Anton Selone, Filippo Minelli, and Neda Salmanpour. The public will get the chance to engage with these mesmerizing artworks in an intimate setting. The exhibition theme explores the diverse interpretations of ‘home’, inspiring questions on topics such as nomadism, the relentless quest for home, and the narratives crafted by individuals. It attempts to redefine the concept of home in the modern age, and its relationship with one’s roots, culture, and traditions.
Inloco has meticulously chosen a collection of artworks that reflect the inventive and thought-provoking essence of contemporary art in relation to this subject matter. Anton Celone, a celebrated documentary photographer, captures artists’ creative processes with a vintage Hasselblad film camera, preserving the moment of creation in its authentic setting. Italian artist Filippo Minelli presents several intriguing pieces, including the WTAN A/M series, a blend of physical and digital landscapes that urges viewers to critically consider the artwork’s context. Iranian artist and architect, Neda Salmanpour, explores the contrast between strength and fragility through her series of Sandscapes sculptures, inspired by the properties of sand and the weathering of rocks.
The exhibition “Welcome Home / Marhaba al sah / glull he ye” at the ME Hotel is inspired by the artistic intervention in the Mleiha Desert in December 2022. The shown site-specific artworks were created in the field. Such traces of artistic presence in the desert have been transported into a pure “sterile” environment of the ME Hotel where they have acquired a new meaning within the walls of a hospitality space. The emergence of the exhibition at the ME Hotel is a contextual statement that carries on the reflection on the theme of home. It raises multiple questions inviting us to consider the meaning of nomadism, the never-ending search for home, and the history that people write.
What does “home” mean to a modern man? Does the modern man have a sense of connection to his own ancestry, culture, traditions? Does he have a permanent home, or does he merely have temporary havens, transitory homes that he passes through on his life’s journey? Can a temporary home, such as a hotel room, really be a home for the modern nomad?
The Mleiha desert serves as the region’s focal point and a genius locus for the UAE. The desert harbours secrets of the region’s ancient culture, where people lived as early as during the Neolithic age. In the same way that archaeology reconstructs the past using fragments of material culture, artists closely examine pieces of the present breaking it down into fragments of significance. They found themselves in abandoned village in the middle of the desert, establishing an art environment with discovered artefacts or obiects created by them on the spot. Just like archeologists, they acted as sleuths and treasure hunters, and then, as true nomads, they explored the new territory and used it.
Finally, like artists, they came up with these vibrant artworks of different genres. Reality reconstructed in the Mleiha desert eventually became a hologram and a virtual world where the artistic intervention conducted at the abandoned village ended up being a metaverse exhibition available online, with time no longer a linear circuit of the past, the present and the future.
The exhibition is designed to interact with the very essence of its location. Our artists have contemplated the concept of ‘home’, placing their works in various spaces. Whether in a hotel lobby, a desert, or a gallery, the thought-provoking creations of Minelli, Selone, and Salmanpour compel us to rethink our notions of home and belonging.
Anna Vetoshkina, the curator of the exhibition
ME BY MELIÁ, a trend-setting lifestyle brand, ingeniously merges innovative style with local nuances to captivate audiences passionate about contemporary art, design, music, and fashion. Rooted in the European lifestyle, every ME hotel forms a unique bond with its locale, delivering personal, meaningful, and inspirational experiences to guests.
“We are honored to welcome Inloco Initiative and its remarkable artists to our hotel,” said Ayman Saqfelhait, MAM – Director of Sales Marketing – ME Dubai, The Opus by Zaha Hadid. “We are delighted to provide a platform for these talented artists to showcase their work to our guests and the wider public. This collaboration truly embodies our commitment to offering a more personal touch to the guest experience, creating unforgettable moments that fuse art, design, and innovation.” The collaboration between Inloco Initiative and ME BY MELIÁ promises to be a truly unique and unforgettable experience for art enthusiasts, hotel guests, and the local community.
A new success for “Inloco”, from the Latin: “in the place” definition that is well suited to the contents of the company that with this series of exhibitions held in different places (an area in the desert, a “secret” place inside a building and now in the Hotel ME Dubai designed by the renowned architect Zaha Hadid) Inloco’s vision is clear and shareable, bringing the works of well-selected international artists to meet through events organized from time to time in unexpected and fascinating locations to create a bridge between the artists and the public who find inspiration in art.
Marco Fraschetti
About Inloco Initiatives
Inloco Initiatives is an international team focused on public and street art. They create interventions in the Middle East and sell resulting artworks. Their recent exhibition, “Useless Palace,” showcased diverse international artists inspired by street art. The nomadic Inloco Art Gallery challenges boundaries, offering thought-provoking experiences for art enthusiasts.
About ME BY MELIÁ
ME Dubai is the first ME by Meliá in the Middle East designed by the late and renowned architect Dame Zaha Hadid. ME Dubai is in the breathtaking The Opus by Omniyat building. The only hotel project where she has personally designed the interiors and exteriors. ME Dubai is situated in the heart of the Burj Khalifa district, one of the city’s most vibrant areas. The Opus building is developed by leading Middle East real estate developer, Omniyat. The property consists of 93 rooms and suites across four floors. The legacy hotel presents Central Cosmo Tapas and Bar as the owned F&B outlet.
For more information, please visit https://inlocogallery.com/, https://www.facebook.com/inloco.gallery/, https://www.instagram.com/inloco.gallery/
