Until 4 December 2024, Lawrie Shabibi in Dubai is hosting Molding Anew, a solo exhibition by Iraqi artist Rand Abdul Jabbar, curated by Meitha Almazrooei and designed by Alejandro Stein. The show, which is based on Abdul Jabbar’s commission for Desert X Alula in KSA, where myths are born of mud and desire (2024), showcases her approach of intertwining ancient Mesopotamian mythology with modern narratives to reclaim, preserve, and reimagine Iraq’s cultural heritage.
The exhibition presents Tracing Origins (2022), a series of foil imprints of miniature ceramic reliefs collected in Iraq by the artist’s mother. Here, the palms and cultural motifs were objects of childhood play and imagination that shaped the artist’s perception of an unattainable homeland.
The Earthly Wonders, Celestial Beings (2019-ongoing) series of 20 ceramic sculptures is also on display. The existing works are complemented by 30 new sculptures made specifically for this show. These artworks expand on three themes: fertility, eye idols, and crowns, representing life, vision, and wisdom, respectively. The fertility group includes female figures and palm trees, referring to notions of birth, renewal, and abundance, respectively. The eye idols, reminiscent of those unearthed at the ancient Mesopotamian Eye Temple at Tell Brak in 1937, embody the memory of all they have seen. The crowns symbolise the accrued wisdom from centuries of knowledge.
The exhibition also includes (مـــذكـــورا لـــیكن) may it be remembered (2023), a series of nine mud sculptures that draw on Abdul Jabbar’s exploration of the ancient city of Hatra to contemplate our relationship to land and the remembrance of its legacy.
Meanwhile, the artist’s latest series, Alphabet (2024), introduces a developing visual language using iconography drawn from her sculptures. This series features five linen compositions printed from 80 individual blocks, each representing one of her sculptures. The panels align with the five chapters of the text she created to accompany the commission for Desert X Alula. Visitors can also see the Inanna’s Descent (2020-2024) diptych symbolising the search for belonging and the journey home.
About the artist
Rand Abdul Jabbar (b. 1990, Baghdad, Iraq) resides in Abu Dhabi. She obtained a Bachelor of Environmental Design with distinction from Dalhousie University (Halifax, Canada) in 2011 and a Master of Architecture from Columbia University (New York, USA) in 2014.
Abdul Jabbar’s work, which deploys sculpture, writing, video, and installation, draws on historical remnants and artefacts to reconstruct layers of past events intertwined with personal experiences. Her practice delves into themes of place and displacement, addressing individual and collective memory while engaging with archaeology, mythology, and material culture. Through extensive archival and museum research, the artist creates an experiential dialogue between recollection and reinterpretation.
Abdul Jabbar has showcased her works in numerous exhibitions, such as Crystal Clear (Bait Al Mamzar, Dubai, 2024); A Permanent Nostalgia for Departure: A Rehearsal on Legacy with Zaha Hadid (Contemporary Art Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, 2023); Every Act of Recognition Alters What Survives (Shubbak Festival, London, UK, 2021); An Instant Before the World, Biennale d’art contemporain de Rabat (Morocco, 2019), and many others.
The artist’s work and writing on architecture have appeared in numerous publications, including In Plain Sight: Scenes from Aridly Abundant Landscapes (Kaph Books), Architecture of Culture (Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council), and Woman Made: Great Women Designers (Phaidon). Her art pieces can be found in Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF) and Collection Frac Centre-Val de Loire (France).
Abdul Jabbar has received a number of awards and grants as well as participated in several residencies, such as the Richard Mille Art Prize by Louvre Abu Dhabi (2022), the University and Museum Engagement Grant (British Institute for the Study of Iraq, London, UK, 2021), and the William Kinne Fellows Travelling Prize (Columbia University, New York, 2014), to name a few.
To get more information about Molding Anew, please go to the exhibition’s official web page.
In addition, you might be interested in visiting Artist’s Rooms: Sancintya Mohini Simpson and Artist’s Rooms: Amba Sayal-Bennett.
