Galleria Continua in Dubai is hosting Bottle Neck, a solo show by Egyptian artist Moataz Nasr. It invites visitors to reflect on the current state of our society, bringing up such issues as migration, globalisation, cultural exchange, and the impact of political and economic choices on people. Being held at the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, the exhibition will end on 26 May 2024.
A bottleneck means a restriction (real or virtual) that holds up progress. Employing this expression as the show’s title, Nasr refers to the overload of information, news, and events we experience every day, which creates a blockage in our societies and eventually affects our lives. The exhibited artworks spotlight this situation and its consequences.
Among the art pieces on view is, for example, Barzakh, which explores the theme of migration. Reminiscent of the first shelters humans built to protect themselves, the structure comprises wooden shovels resembling those used to put bread in public ovens and the paddles of migrant boats. These elements represent the fundamental things humans need: bread, knowledge, and courage to shelter themselves.
In the Mac Gate artwork, which is also on display, Nasr examines the influence the Western world (consumerism) has on the Middle East (traditional culture). To portray contradictions, he combined an image of Coca-Cola, a sign of the Western consumerist world, with the ancient technique of carpet weaving. In his other work on view, Untitled, the artist uses signs and colours inspired by geography and history to reflect on conflicts, geopolitical changes, and borders.
About the artist
Moataz Nasr (b. 1961, Alexandria, Egypt) is an artist, painter, sculptor, and cultural activist residing in Cairo. He studied economics at the University of Alexandria but was eager to pursue an art career. His journey as an artist began in 1995 when he won the third prize in a competition organised by the Egyptian Ministry of Culturу. In 2001, Nasr won the Grand Prize at the 8th International Cairo Biennale and since then has received multiple prestigious awards, for instance, the Grand Prize (Sharjah Biennale, UAE, 2005) and the Ministry of Culture Prize (Dak’art Biennale, Dakar, Senegal, 2004).
In his practice, Nasr uses painting, sculpture, installation, photography, and video to examine the complex cultural developments currently underway in the Islamic world. The feeling of belonging to a particular geopolitical and cultural context and the need to maintain a link with his homeland are crucial elements of his life and work. Among the sources of the artist’s inspiration are his childhood memories, frustrations, and the society in which he is evolving.
Nasr has displayed his creations in numerous solo and group shows, which include Broken Patterns (Leila Heller Gallery, New York, USA, 2015); GALLERIA CONTINUA / Le Moulin de Saint Marie (France, 2014); The Tunnel (Galleria Continua, Beijing, China, 2012); Thessaloniki Biennale (Greece, 2011); the 2nd Lubumbashi Biennale, Lubumbashi, Congo, 2010); the 2nd Canary Islands Biennale Centro (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 2009), and the 3rd Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial (Japan, 2006), to name a few.
The artist’s works have been added to such public collections as Crystal Ball / Al Maaden, Parc de Sculptures Al Maaden (Marrakech, Morocco), MACRO (Rome, Italy), Platform for Cultural Initiatives (Ukraine), and others.
To learn more about Bottle Neck, please visit the exhibition’s official web page.
You might also be interested in visiting Platforms and Patterns for a Postcolonial Avant-Garde.
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