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Min 18º Max 34º FREE www.kuwaittimes.net NO: 16838- Friday, April 8, 2016 Local FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2016 Local Spotlight Accumulated errors By Muna Al-Fuzai [email protected] From maid to prostitute he police recently arrested a group of Asian A visit to one of Kuwait’s ‘Ghost Houses’ Twomen for engaging in sex deals through social media. Six women, Filipinas and Nepalese, were arrested in Hawally for prostitution. Five of these women had article 20 visas, issued to domestic helpers, and one had an article 18 visa, issued to private sector workers. The women were sent to concerned authorities and their sponsors were summoned for questioning. The report was not surprising because we read about such incidents every day. But I’m more con- cerned over the large number of women who enter the country as maids, then end up depending on the sex trade to make a living and stay in Kuwait, aware that they are violating the laws here because they know that this trade is forbidden. I can’t imag- By Nawara Fattahova We started investigating the place while waiting for our ine how these women suddenly fled their sponsors third colleague. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a man and decided to sell their bodies. ome people believe in ghosts or super natural spirits, quickly entering the place. My colleague didn’t believe Maybe not getting their salaries can lead to des- Swhile others don’t. But whether they believe or not, what I saw, and we approached the door that I saw him peration, because there is no doubt that these most most people are curious to find out what is in entering through, which was also locked with chains. We an “haunted house”, and whether it’s really haunted at all. went near it and called if there was anyone there. When I was a child, many people and even the press used Suddenly, an Arab man came out and said he was the haris to tell stories of the ghost houses of Kuwait and the many (guard) of this place, claiming he even slept there. The absence of parental guidance strange things people experienced in them. The most pop- I asked him if this building was haunted and if he ever can also provoke boys to be ular of these ‘haunted’ houses was located at the junction saw any demons there. He said “yes”, then quickly said of the Fourth Ring Road and Fahaheel Expressway. “no”. He seemed nervous and scared of strangers. I asked if dragged into such relations. Unfortunately it was demolished. However, there are still we could enter and check the place, but he said this was several popular and well known ‘haunted houses’ in not allowed. When I asked what was he doing in this place Kuwait. and why couldn’t we enter, he said his kafeel may punish As a journalist, I have a desire to know. A curiosity to dis- him, as he is guarding marble and porcelain material in the women know that prostitution is illegal. We should cover and seek out the stories of Kuwait. So one quiet building. unearth the reasons that forced these women to weekday night, I set out to discover the secrets of one such So I told him we will come back, and we left to wait for run away from their sponsors without seeking any haunted house in Kuwait. The building is located in our colleague. When he arrived, we went there again, but kind of assistance from their embassies. They could Salmiya, opposite the Gulf Road. The complex was likely the haris didn’t open the gate although we called out to be infected with HIV, and possibly have already once a school, with three buildings surrounded by an him and knocked the door. After taking a few photos from infected some of the men who interacted with almost destroyed wall. the outside and going back to our cars to leave, we saw the The building is now completely shuttered and there is haris re-emerge. We convinced him to let us in, but he them. no entrance open to the public. The courtyard wall, now warned us not to take photos of the stored material and These five maids clearly ran away from their mostly disintegrating though most of holes in the wall not stay for a long time. We took a few photos, but couldn’t sponsors and became sex objects, so if there was have been patched with bars and secured with chains and check the whole place out from inside, as many areas were abuse, either verbal or physical, then this matter locks. Before arriving at the place, the weather was warm. damaged. must be exposed and investigated. After all, these But when my colleagues and I came near the building, the There was graffiti on the walls and a few empty bottles women could be victims who turned into law- weather suddenly turned windy. My colleague murmured in one of the buildings. Anticlimactically, we didn’t find any breakers and might be jailed and deported empty- the breeze was a sign of ghosts or goblins. It wasn’t a full- demons or ghosts - just an abandoned building possibly handed, if not ending up with diseases. moon night, but the moon and stars were bright and clear. being used for the storage of illicit goods. Another issue here is the use of social media. Most users in Kuwait are youths and teenagers who may not be careful or aware of the danger of the sex trade and possibly catch multiple diseases. The absence of parental guidance can also provoke boys to be dragged into such relations. The impact of social media in conservative societies is huge and must be dealt with caution. The media should take some responsibility, being the messengers of awareness. After all, we are a very small society. Unless these reasons and possibly others are taken into consideration by everyone, more crimes and law-breaking men and women would keep appearing in the papers with black stickers to cover the truth behind their misery. Local FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2016 Paintings from her latest exhibition. — Photos by Athoob Al-Shuaibi ‘Mad World’ after ‘Man’s World’ By Athoob A Al-Shuaibi World”, curated by Martina Corgnati in col- laboration with Ayyam Gallery, Dubai. here is a difference between an artist creating an arbitrary stir and a contro- Some excerpts: T Kuwait Times: versial artist. Kuwaiti artist Shurooq This is your first exhibition Amin is definitely someone who provokes in Kuwait after the closure of your earlier society, not merely with her artistic vision, exhibition. Coming back with “It’s a Mad but with her strength. Being a mother of World” is definitely going to stir up contro- versy. How are you going to deal with this? Shurooq Amin: I’ve dealt with contro- versy all my life, as an artist and as a woman, simply because I live my life trans- parently - no easy feat in our society. So of course, I’m expecting some controversy, but I am not worried about censorship this time round. I think by now the authorities realize that if they try to stop me or shut me up by closing down my exhibition or banning my work, they will simply make a superstar out of me a second time. So I am not worried about that. This is not what is important here: What is important is the message I am trying to send through these images, especially the installation ‘The Last Sip’, which deals with the serious problem of alcoholism as a disease in our society. Artist Shurooq Amin Kuwait Times: The Mad World exhibi- tion wouldn’t have come to life if you three hasn’t stopped her from pursuing her hadn’t been living in a mad world and dreams. She has displayed her art in breathing it. I wonder how “It’s a Mad London and Dubai to breathe the air of World” is adapted from real life. freedom after the shutdown of her exhibi- Amin: The title “It’s a Mad World” is not tion by censors in Kuwait four years ago. a unique phrase by any means; in fact, its Perhaps her PhD in the connection very simplicity that makes it all the more between art and poetry makes her artworks relevant for this series. What has been trigger minds and extend to souls. In other going on in the world around us over the words, Amin knows exactly what is going last four years has been a whirlwind of to be evoked by her paintbrush. Kuwait wars, genocide, climate change, financial Times spoke to Amin about her upcoming crashes and a general mood of malaise and exhibition at the Contemporary Art hopelessness. Platform of Kuwait (CAP) titled “It’s a Mad Continued on Page 4 Local FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2016 I have been allowed complete freedom of expression and I have never abused it Continued from Page 3 By juxtaposing images of social and politi- cal hypocrisies against backdrops of man- made catastrophes, I hope to jolt that mood from careless obliviousness to action. Kuwait Times: You’ve been collaborating with other galleries outside Kuwait since the shutdown, in places where freedom of expression is respected. Tell us about the dif- ference between exhibiting your work in Kuwait and other countries. Amin: Thanks to my representative gallery, Ayyam Gallery, and thanks to the support of wonderful people who believe in me, like Omar Donia (of Contemporary Practices), and others like the great curator Martina Corgnati (who is curating this show), I have been fortunate enough to exhibit in Dubai and London, and became the first Kuwaiti female artist to exhibit at the Venice Biennale.

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