Foundry Downtown Dubai presents “must i be useful? thoughts as objects”, a solo exhibition by sure ok (Zahra Khamissa). The show unfolds as a contemplative investigation into the tension between utility and contemplation in artistic making. Across the gallery space, works conceived as “thoughts as objects” blur the boundaries between conceptual reflection and tactile form, inviting viewers to ponder the question posed by the title: Must I be useful? The exhibition will be open to the public until 26 April 2026.
Through sculptural pieces, material experiments, and gestural interventions, Khamissa challenges the notion that art must serve a specific function to have value. Instead, her practice celebrates the poetic potential of objects to hold, transform, and transmit ideas without predefined utility, prompting an intimate dialogue between the work, the viewer, and the space it inhabits.
About the artist
Zahra Khamissa is a Dubai-based maker whose multidisciplinary practice is rooted in material play and conceptual exploration. Known for a hands-on approach that spans from jewellery and craft-based forms to larger sculptural gestures, Khamissa’s work often engages with playfulness, curiosity, and the unseen labours of making itself. She is interested in how objects can embody ideas, emotions, and memories beyond utility, transforming everyday materials into provocations that resonate on intellectual and sensory levels.
Khamissa first gained recognition within Dubai’s creative communities through projects that foreground unconventional materiality and DIY sensibilities. In her work, improvisation meets rigorous thought, creating a place where artistry isn’t measured only by practical function but by its capacity to inspire introspection and wonder. In must i be useful? thoughts as objects, this sensibility comes to the fore and asks audiences to feel and think with the objects on display.
To get more information about “must i be useful?”, please visit the official web page of the exhibition.
In addition, you might be interested in viewing LOBI LOBI by Pascale Marthine Tayou, one of the online exhibitions at the Cultural Foundation.
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