Until 11 January 2024, Maraya Art Centre in Sharjah is holding Thinking Art, a group exhibition celebrating seven esteemed Emirati artists and authors: Hassan Sharif, Dr Najat Makki, Dr Mohammad Yousif, Nujoom Alghanem, Abdullah Al Saadi, Ali Al Abdan, and Nasir Nasrallah. Curated by Dr Noha Farran (an art historian, researcher, curator, and visual artist), the show has been organised by the Emirates Fine Arts Society.
The exhibition explores the interplay between intellectual and artistic creativity. It juxtaposes artworks and publications (which range from poetry and fiction to diaries and academic research) and highlights the dynamic interaction between artistic and written forms of expression. The exhibits are presented in a circular layout, so one can browse the participating artist’s publications and view their art pieces in unison.
The show is accompanied by the Thinking Art publication that chronicles the intellectual and cultural movement in the Emirates. Written by Dr Noha Farran, the book brings together archival material, extensive academic research, interviews with the artists, and an impressive display of their creations and publications.
About the participants
Hassan Sharif (b. 1951, Bandar Lengeh, Iran – 2016) was a Dubai-based artist, writer, educator, art critic, activist, and mentor, who is considered to be the father of conceptual art in the Middle East. In his practice, which deployed performance, installation, drawing, and painting, Sharif explored form, time, social action, and mathematical systems. The artist drew his inspiration from British Constructionism and the Fluxus art community’s work.
Dr Najat Makki (b. 1956, Dubai), one of the first female artists in the Emirates and the first Emirati woman to obtain a PhD in Art (2001), is a member of the Dubai Cultural Council, the Emirates Plastic Arts Society, and the Art Friends Society. Among the sources of Makki’s inspiration are her childhood memories, myths from various cultures, and the moon and the lunar cycles. A female figure is an important image in the artist’s work; she employs natural elements to symbolise women.
Dr Mohamed Yousif (b. 1953, Sharjah) is among the first sculptors in the Emirates. He is one of the founders of the Emirates Fine Art Society and the Sharjah National Theatre. His unusual wooden sculptures (many of them are woven out of palm tree fronds handpicked in the Emirati desert) are inspired by the world of nature. Yousif’s work also involves writing plays as well as directing, acting, and designing in theatre productions.
Nujoom Alghanem (b. 1962, Dubai) is a poet, artist, scriptwriter, and film director, who has published eight poetry books and produced around twenty films (short fiction, art films, and both short and length documentaries). She has also founded Nahar Productions (a film production company in Dubai). In addition, Alghanem works as a professional trainer and film, media, and cultural consultant.
Abdullah Al Saadi (b. 1967, Khorfakkan, UAE), one of a pioneering generation of Emirati artists, produces drawings, paintings, and sculptures; his practice also includes performed activities. In his art, he delves into the relationships between individuals and their natural and social environment.
Ali Al Abdan is a visual artist, critic, poet, musician, and director of the Artistic Heritage Department at the Sharjah Institute for Heritage. Many of his literary works are dedicated to art («The New Century…Trends of Fine Art in the Emirates after the year 2000», for example) and Arabic music (the «Letter and Play» encyclopaedia). In them, Al Abdan tells about the history of folklore in the Emirates and sheds light on important aspects of the literary, artistic, and cultural heritage.
Artist and curator Nasir Nasrallah (b. 1984, Sharjah) is Director of Education at Sharjah Art Foundation and Ambassador for the UAE Board on Books for Young People. In his art practice which features painting, writing, journaling, planning, and video installations, he focuses on human communication. Nasrallah gets especially inspired by the physical items he collects (toys, buttons, wood, etc.) and incorporates them into his art.
To get more information about Thinking Art, please visit the exhibition’s official web page.
You might also be interested in attending 33 Songs, 99 Words by Sawsan Al Bahar and Distilled Lessons: Abstraction in Arab Modernism at Mathaf.
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