A group exhibition at the Ministry of Culture's Abu Dhabi Creative Centre is offering a glimpse into the breadth of Emirati art from the late 20th century onwards.
Through the Years brings together works by 27 Emirati artists from across two generations. It highlights the diversity of practices and styles that make up the fabric of Emirati art, from the haunting still life of Khalil Abdulwahid to the kaleidoscopic cityscapes of Nujoom Al Ghanem; the rust-printed canvases of Mohamed Al Astad to the lofty and twisting ladder-like sculptures of Rawdha Al Ketbi.
The inaugural event of the Abu Dhabi Creative Centre, which has reopened after closing in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, it was conceived as a way of celebrating the artists that “paved the way for the arts in the UAE,” says Sumayyah Al Suwaidi, who curated the exhibition alongside Walter Willems.
“They started when there was nothing,” Al Suwaidi, who is director of the Cultural and Creative Centres at the Ministry of Culture, tells The National. “Not many people understood their concepts or the way they were thinking. What does it mean that you’re painting? That was the mentality back then. Can you imagine what they had to struggle with, or what they had to go through to reach where they are today, to be recognised the way they are recognised today?”
Including emerging names, such as Shaikha Al Ketbi, Sultan Al Remeithi and Saoud Al Dhaheri, was also essential to show the different trajectories Emirati art has taken as it has rapidly gained momentum over the past two decades.
“The young generation who we have in this exhibition are people who are accomplished in the art community,” Al Suwaidi says. “Their names were part of the official lists of the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation and the Department of Culture and Tourism. We didn't just choose any young artist, but those who are active and professional.”
Through the Years takes a unique curatorial approach. Participating artists were free to choose which of their works would represent them in the exhibition, letting a narrative organically develop within the exhibition.
Veteran artist Najat Makki, for instance, who is celebrated for her vibrant mastery of colours and hallucinatory canvases, says she wanted to bring a dose of mirth to the exhibition. Her work at the show is a sprawling canvas that features layered swathes of green, blue and red, dappled with the printed patterns that Makki is known for.
“Each colour has an individual effect to the viewer. Much like if a person greets another with a smile, they impart a positive energy. Colours are the same,” she says. “I wanted to greet audiences here with a sense of joy.”
Jalal Luqman, meanwhile, is known for his multidisciplinary practice, often merging traditional and digital forms of media. His painting at Through the Years, however, leans towards the more traditional side of the spectrum. The work, titled Flower to my Father II, depicts a girl holding a flower and looking at the viewer with a potent expression of mourning.
“The first one was for the children of the martyrs,” Luqman says. “This one is more general, because of the state the world is in now. It isn’t specific to one place or conflict.”
The painting, he says, reflects upon the relationship between a girl and her father. The figure in the painting looks forlornly back at the viewer with a gaze that is frigid in grief and shock. “She has lost the backbone of her life,” Luqman says. “She is disheveled. Her hands are dirty.”
Luqman says he made the painting specifically for Through the Years, saying he wanted to exhibit a painting that “has to hit and has to be memorable".
Other works, meanwhile, tread towards abstraction. In her Reflections of Ether, Camelia Mohebi presents a work that takes inspiration from theories of esoteric cosmology. “It's based on philosophy that there are seven planes of existence,” she says. “This work is based on the sixth plane, where all inspiration and mathematics and sacred geometry lies.”
The painting marks the beginning of a series that Mohebi is working on based on those theories. It was created using disparate materials and with a somewhat untraditional approach.
“I love exploring new media,” she tells The National. “I start with an illustration then I scan it. I take it across several new media, like apps and softwares. Then I print it and paint on it.” In the case of Reflections of Ether, she also uses strings that have been woven in the center of the canvas, marking a meeting point for its two symmetrical halves.
There are several other evocative works within Through the Years that employ surprising materials. Asma Khoory’s works, for instance, show vibrant portraits of domestic life that have been painted on concrete blocks. Mohamed Yousif presents a series of sculptures that make use of organic materials such as wood and palm reeds.
Even more traditional art forms are strikingly original. Hamdan Al Shamsi takes a collage-like approach to photographs and archival materials while using empty space as a formative element. Faisal Abdelqader’s still life incorporates everyday objects that are recognisable to everyone from the region, including Flower Basket matches and Vimto bottles. Saggaf Al Hashemi, meanwhile, depicts a dramatic gazelle hunting scene, featuring salukis and a hunter on horseback with his spear raised high, ready for the kill.
Al Suwaidi says an exhibition celebrating the diversity of Emirati art seemed like a fitting way to mark the reopening of the Abu Dhabi Creative Centre. “As you can see, the subject matter is different,” she says. “What brings them together is the timeline. What brings them together is they are all Emirati. From one artist to another, you can see the development and change in perspectives.”
Through the Years is running at the Abu Dhabi Creative Centre until March 31
