Kun: To Be is a solo show by Emirati photographer and filmmaker Lamya Gargash, which is on view at Maraya Art Centre (Sharjah). Running through 10 January 2025 and curated by Cima Azzam, the exhibition takes inspiration from the Arabic word “kun” (“to be”) that symbolises a state of existence. The show delves into Gargash’s transformative journey and explores liminal spaces as conduits for spiritual growth and personal evolution.
In her work, Gargash often examines themes of identity, taking cues from inhabited and abandoned spaces, as well as communal and cultural settings. She investigates the interplay between the spaces we occupy and the ways we imprint ourselves upon them. Through photographs of concert halls, museums, schools, homes, and offices, the artist captures not just their physicality but also their intangible essence: atmospheres and emotions that turn static spaces into meaningful sites.
The Kun: To Be exhibition showcases over 50 photographs depicting interiors, domestic spaces, and abandoned buildings, many of which are dimly lit and imbued with a sense of mystery. Narrating the artist’s life between the UK and the Emirates, the series connects four cities — Sharjah, Dubai, London, and Bath — through the use of gold draping gestures.
Meticulously placed in each frame, these golden drapes are guided by the Qibla, a modified compass pointing to the direction of prayer. This element serves as a symbol of spirituality, direction, and unity. The fabric, draped across different objects and spaces, creates a visual bridge between the sacred and the secular, breaking the stillness of the compositions and drawing focus to specific elements within the frame.
About the artist
Lamya Gargash (b. 1982, Dubai), who lives and works in her hometown, obtained a BS in Visual Communication from the American University of Sharjah (2004) and an MA in Communication Design from Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design, University of the Arts London (2007).
Gargash has displayed her art pieces in multiple exhibitions, such as Art Here, Richard Mille Art Prize (Louvre Abu Dhabi, 2024); Ballarat International Foto Biennale (Victoria, Australia, 2021); The Heart of Phoenix: Art and Culture of the United Arab Emirates-Sharjah (Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art, South Korea, 2011); and Familial Series, UAE Pavilion, 53rd Venice Biennale (solo) (Italy, 2009), among others.
Gargash has also participated in international film festivals, including the Locarno Film Festival (Switzerland), Osaka Film Festival (Japan), Festival Cinéma Arabe (Amsterdam, the Netherlands), Malmö Arab Film Festival (Sweden), and Dubai International Film Festival.
Among her accolades, the artist has received the Ibdaa Special Jury Award for Movie (Wet Tiles, Dubai, 2004), won the first place at the Emirates Film Festival (Abu Dhabi, 2003), and earned the Ibdaa Photography Award (Dubai, 2003). Her works are part of the public collections of the Sharjah Art Foundation and the Barjeel Art Foundation (Sharjah).
To get more information about Kun: To Be, please go to the official web page of the show.
In addition, you might be interested in viewing General Behaviour by Emirati artist Farah Al Qasimi, one of the virtual exhibitions at the Cultural Foundation.
