Artist Alia Zaal’s solo exhibition “I Saw Time Passing (I)” is hosted by Foundry, Dubai, until April 30th, 2022. Artworks made during the artist’s ongoing residency in the former house of the master of Impressionism, Claude Monet, in Vétheuil (France), are presented at the exhibition.
In Vétheuil, light changes dramatically during the day and this influenced Claude Monet’s art which started to focus on light and colour. Alia Zaal has responded to Claude Monet’s artworks. Her interest in light began when she wanted to better understand the eyesight of her father whose drawings have fascinated her since she was a child. During her residency in Vétheuil, Alia Zaal has painted and photographed subjects focusing on the atmospheric element. The residency has also allowed her to research the scientific and neurological aspect of eyesight in relation to art.
“When I first arrived to Vetheuil, I was taken away by the serenity and tranquility of this little town. I arrived at night, the road was completely empty and dark but made me curious and more excited to see the town in daylight… It strikes me that it was not easy to select what you want to paint without adding in a way or another some elements from your extended periphery of vision. The eye can focus on a spot, but the mind must be very focused in order to depict exactly what you see. For this reason, I decided to select elements which I wanted to depict like a lot of artists who paint from real life as opposed to a reference photograph or a sketch…” – said artist.
Alia Zaal combines different processes of image-recording such as photography, film, and drawing with plein-air painting in the manner of Modernist painters from Cézanne to Monet. Responding to Impressionism, she studies the natural landscapes of Vétheuil, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai in their natural and artificial ecosystems.
Foundry is a hybrid progressive art space founded as a response to the evolving cultural scene in the UAE . It is a new cycle of creative attitude consisting of a collaborative open work space, podcast studio, micro library, café and surrounding gallery spaces.
For more information, please visit Foundry.downtowndubai.ae
