Multidisciplinary artist Yousra Wahba presents Translucent Threads of Life, her first solo exhibition, which is on display at Firetti Contemporary in Dubai. Curated by Céline Azem (Art Curator, Co-Founder and Director of the gallery), the show pays tribute to nature and women’s resilience as well as examines the theme of identity. It will run through the 9th of February, 2024.
To create her mesmerising luminous sculptures and installations, Wahba uses transparent resin. Chosen by her for its symbolic resonance, this material reflects the intricate dance of life. Manipulating temperature and pressure, the artist transforms liquid transparency into a solid form, creating art pieces which symbolise delicacy and strength. They embody the resilience found in nature and women alike.
The exhibition is divided into four sections. It starts with the Wild Beauty Unveiled series that comprises red-layered sculptures. These are inspired by the spirit of women and the significance of flora and aquatic ecosystems. The next series of works on display, Interconnected Echoes – Tidal Rhythms, explores the tapestry woven by the rhythmic movements of the ocean, marine life, and coral.
The series Harmony Unbound – Immersed in the Quiet Blue shows Wahba’s journey within tranquil blue surroundings; it metaphorically captures life’s fluidity and the interplay of identity, memory, and culture. The series is inspired by Palestinian-American writer Susan Abulhawa’s quote from her book The Blue Between the Sky and Water. Like her work humanises the Palestinian experience, Wahba’s art pieces encourage us to ponder identity, resilience, and the interplay of life and nature.
Left: 130 x 40 x 40cm
Middle: 108 x 40 x 40cm
Right: 130 x 40 x 40cm
The last exhibited series, Exquisite Moments, is dedicated to life’s delicate balance between strength and fragility. Thinner layers of the sculptures from this collection symbolise life’s transient nature and fuse biology, science, and art into a harmonious whole.
About the artist
Yousra Wahba (b. 1977, Saudi Arabia) is a multidisciplinary artist residing in Dubai who obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Pharmaceutical Science from Cairo University (Egypt, 2000). After that, she pursued her education at the American University (Cairo, Egypt), from which she graduated in 2013 with a Diploma degree in Sales & Marketing.
In her work, Wahba often confronts the visual memory of nature, the metaphor of frozen memories, a particular experience, or emotions in time. Delving into this theme, she combines natural and organic elements to produce observational metaphoric shapes, driven by her background in science. Relentlessly experimenting with her material of choice, the artist’s sculptures resemble organic life forms (coral, flowers, and splashing liquid), exploring the wild aspect of nature and reflecting fleeting moments of energy.
The artist has taken part in many group exhibitions and art events including Breaking Boundary II (Dubai Calligraphy Biennale, Firetti Contemporary, 2023); NARRATIVES III (Etihad Modern Art Gallery, Abu Dhabi, 2023); Prague Art Fair (The Czech Republic, 2023); Beautiful Mind & Floating Soul (Easel & Camera Gallery, Cairo, 2023); MADE IN TASHKEEL (Tashkeel, Dubai, 2022); Dialogue (AlOuis Cultural Foundation, Dubai, 2022); Festival of Art (Festival Gallery, Dubai, 2022); a show held at Atelier Montez in Rome (Italy, 2020); and others.
In 2022, Wahba won the 2nd place in the National Bank of Fujairah Art C Competition (Dubai). The same year, she was selected to represent Egypt in the Art Connect Women (the 5th Edition); she was also shortlisted in the Al Futtaim Art Competition (Dubai). In 2021, the artist became a nominee for the Global Art Awards 2021.
To get more information about Translucent Threads of Life, please visit the exhibition’s official web page.
You might also be interested in looking at the art pieces created by Michael Rice at Mestaria Gallery.
