XVA Gallery invites everyone to attend two parallel exhibitions: Mythological Love by Iraqi photographer and artist Halim Al Karim and MATAB (Material Abstraction) by conceptual artist Al Braithwaite. On view until 22 May 2025, these shows offer distinct yet complementary explorations of myth, memory, and identity through innovative artistic lenses.
Halim Al Karim’s Mythological Love is a series that delves into themes of trauma, spirituality, and transformation. Known for his ethereal, blurred photographs, Al Karim employs techniques such as layering silk over images to create a dreamlike veil, inviting viewers into a liminal space between reality and illusion. For Al Karim, photography is a means to question, analyse, and understand the essence and complexity of the world around him. His work often reflects his personal history and draws inspiration from Sufi mysticism and ancient Mesopotamian mythology.
Meanwhile, Al Braithwaite’s MATAB exhibition engages with the language of symbols and the subconscious. Employing sculpture, installation, assemblage, and found materials, the artist deconstructs familiar logos and signs, transforming them into abstract forms that challenge viewers to reconsider their meanings. His work is influenced by movements such as Dada and Surrealism, and he often explores themes related to cultural identity and the impact of mass media.
About the artists
Halim Al Karim (b. 1963, Iraq) divides his time between Denver (Colorado, USA) and Dubai. After graduating with a BA in Ceramics from Baghdad’s Academy of Fine Arts in 1988, he left Iraq and later studied at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam (1996-2000), where he deepened his understanding of photography as a technical and philosophical medium.
Al Karim’s work has been displayed in various international exhibitions and art events, such as Halim Al Karim: Witness from Baghdad (solo) (Artspace, London, 2013); Art Basel Hong Kong (China, 2015); Arab Express: The Latest Art From The Arab World (Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, 2012); and 54th Venice Biennale (Italy, 2011), where he presented the Iraqi Pavilion.
Among Al Karim’s honours are a nomination for the Sovereign Art Prize (Hong Kong, 2010) and the Jury Prize for Painting at the Cairo Biennale (Egypt, 2001). His works are part of prestigious public collections such as the Victoria & Albert Museum (London), Yinchuan MoCA (China), and L’Institut du Monde Arabe (IMA) (Paris, France).
Al Braithwaite (b. 1979, Rinteln, Germany), who resides in London, graduated from Oxford University in 2002 and co-founded The Offscreen Group with writer Henry Hemming. This collaborative project embraced a DIY ethic inspired by the Beat Poets and the Black Audio Film Collective and later included figures like filmmaker Georgie Weedon and curator Stephen A. Stapleton. From 2005 onwards, Braithwaite shifted focus to solo work while maintaining his interest in socially engaged, experimental art.
Al Braithwaite has showcased his creations in different solo exhibitions, including Transgressions (XVA Gallery, Dubai, 2012); Twinned Towers (Leila Heller Gallery, New York, USA, 2011); and Museum No.1: Hizbollah’s Caviar (Rose Issa Projects, London, 2009). His work is featured in multiple private and public collections, which include the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Private Collection (Abu Dhabi), the Sheikha Paula al-Sabah Private Collection (Kuwait), and British Museum Collection (London), to name a few.
To get more information about Mythological Love x MATAB, please go to the official website of XVA Gallery.
In addition, you might be interested in visiting Unraveling by Huda Lutfi.
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