Olaf Breuning makes his UAE debut

The Swiss artist is showing works meant to be a humorous depiction of an extinct species of camel.

Olaf Breuning's Camelops Femina. Courtesy Olaf Breuning / Carbon 12

Dressed as a camel and down on all fours: the images in Olaf Breuning's debut show in the region are supposed to be a playful and humorous depiction of an extinct species of camel that wandered across North America some 10,000 years ago.

Camelops Femina, which opens at Carbon 12 gallery tomorrow, is particularly relevant to the region because "it is another interpretation of an animal [people here] know very well", says the artist. He also asserts that the art should be appreciated for its aesthetic approach rather than cause any controversy. "People and critics should not talk at all about serious things," he says. "I rather want them to talk about the fun and beauty of it. By no means are my works intended to carry any judgment or criticise anything."

Bruening is a Swiss artist who is based in New York and has exhibited in solo shows at the Institute of Modern Art in Brisbane, the Palais de Tokyo in Paris and the Kunstmuseum in Lucerne, Switzerland. He says he is looking forward to showing his work in the Middle East and not at all worried about the reaction. "My work is like French fries," he says. "People usually just like it."

Camelops Femina runs from March 18 to April 30 at Carbon 12, Dubai

Follow us