Before Nature (I Am Both Created and Destroyed) is a solo exhibition by American artist Kamran Samimi drawing from the land’s rich tapestry of natural materials. On view are elemental works he has recently created during his three-week trip to Dubai, exploring and taking cues from the organic shapes of the Emirates’ mountains and rocks. Hosted by The Third Line, the show will be open to the public until the 16th of February, 2024.
The displayed art pieces include a series of oil paintings Translations (2023), which delves into what is hidden beneath Dubai’s contemporary architecture: the stories in the city’s roots. Observing and interpreting the boulders lying in the surrounding desert, through this series, Samimi resurrects the spirit of the landscape.
The Third Line, Dubai, 2024. Courtesy of the gallery.
Visitors can look at his Small Monuments (2023), a collection of rhythmic stone sculptures. Unearthing stones from significant locations across the world, the artist collaborates with nature (as he describes it) to transform each stone into a canvas. “I look at and listen to [it],” he says. “I observe it, feel it.” Eventually, the stone will show him how to work with it. The exhibition also features Rain Paintings (2023) that capture the nightly rain and pay tribute to Samimi’s childhood in Hawai’i.
The Third Line, Dubai, 2024. Courtesy of the gallery.
The key exhibit is Unbroken Column (2023), a limestone sculpture inspired by a single standing column from the ruins of King Cyrus’ palace Pasargadae in Iran. The artwork pays homage to ancient religious structures in the region and reflects on the practice of carving beliefs into stone. On display outdoors in Alserkal Avenue, amidst Dubai’s modern architecture, the sculpture symbolises a connection between ancient traditions and contemporary aspirations.
About the artist
Kamran Samimi (b. 1984) obtained his BFA in Printmaking from the University of Hawai’i (Manoa, Honolulu, HI, USA) in 2010. In 2011, he continued his education at the School of Visual Arts (New York, NY, USA), where he studied Graphic Design. In 2016, Samimi earned an MFA in Print Media and Sculpture from the University of Hawai’i (Manoa).
40 × 30 in | 101.6 × 76.2 cm
Samimi, whose father is from Iran and whose mother is an American with Norwegian heritage, grew up in Laupāhoehoe (Hawai‘i Island), so his multicultural background informs his art. He delves into the theme of identity and one’s relationship to the environment, as well as explores the connections and conflicts between human and non-human ancestors. In his practice, the artist searched for the spiritual essence of the natural world, seeing its capacity for insight into concepts of space, time, and impermanence.
19 7/10 × 12 3/5 × 5 9/10 in | 50 × 32 × 15 cm
Samimi has displayed his artworks in multiple solo and group shows across Hawaii, such as Recollection (Thomas Square Park, Honolulu, 2022); Ascendants (The Liljestrand House Foundation, Honolulu, 2021); In Stillness (Honolulu Museum of Art, Honolulu, 2020); Unearthed (Kahilu Theatre, Waimea, 2019); Art on the Avenue (Saks Fifth Ave, Waikiki, 2017); Passage (University of Hawaii Manoa Department of Art and Art History, Honolulu, 2016); Prototype (Honolulu Museum of Art School, Honolulu, 2015); Against the Grain (Pauahi Tower, Honolulu, 2014); Annual Graduate Student Exhibition (UH Manoa Commons Gallery, Honolulu, 2013); and many others. He has also exhibited his work in the continental US, the UAE, Japan, and Australia. From 2020 to 2021, Samimi undertook an art residency at the Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art, Culture & Design (Honolulu).
To learn more about Before Nature (I Am Both Created and Destroyed), please visit the exhibition’s official web page.
You might also be interested in looking at the artworks by Michael Rice, which are on view at Mestaria Gallery.
