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The National
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Unstable Grounds: How NYUAD fine art graduates find clarity in ambiguity
For the fine arts graduates at NYU Abu Dhabi who are showcasing their work, art is an act of placemaking – a wrestling with materials in search of meaning. Titled Unstable Grounds, the exhibition running at 421 Arts Campus until September is layered and searching – a constellation of practices that reveal not just what is shown, but what resists visibility. One arresting example that deals with that idea is Consequences of Circumstance by Hala El Abora. Images of birds, neither definitely dead nor alive, are carved on slabs of stone, disrupting the historical trope of the bird as a symbol of beauty and freedom. Instead, they become 'omens and casualties,' suspended in unease. 'Their state is ambiguous, so when the viewer is confronted by them, they're confronted by their state and is questioning whether they are asleep or in flight,' El Abora says. 'They're carved on granite, and I needed it to be on stone. The weight needed to be heavy and the viewer had to be aware of it.' Surrounding this is a series of other works, including darkroom prints made on handblown glass from Jordan – a technique, El Abora says, that has never been applied in the UAE. As such, the glass becomes a lens of transformation, where archival images are distorted, not clarified. Themes of disappearance, distortion and reclamation recur throughout the exhibition. Adele Bea Cipste explores her evolving relationship to Abu Dhabi's shoreline across several works in her installation The Sea is a Body Which Moves. These include ink on paper works drawn from trips over the past few years that come as a kind of emotional cartography. 'Each panel is a dedication to a particular trip or a site,' Cipste says. 'Each one is a ink painting on paper by gradually building up the layers so they're actually not prints, they're drawings. The lines which are cutting through some of them are signified the horizon line.' Horizon lines are a motif throughout the exhibition, acting as both a literal marker and a conceptual anchor, a way to orient oneself in an urban landscape constantly in motion. 'So even though it's a very simple line to me, it holds a lot of, let's say, conceptual meaning within the piece,' Cipste says. Other works draw from maritime safety maps, rendering them as a source for abstracted drawings. Reassembled and scrambled, the maps form a parallel between cartographic order and personal disorientation. If Cipste looks towards Abu Dhabi's waters as a personal touchstone, Jude Maharmeh draws from the capital's urban aspect. Clay tiles, hand-cut and incised, are arranged on a pedestal to resemble rubble from a distance. Up close, their alignment reveals an intentional order, an embedded logic within the initial chaos. The piece, titled Gridlines, plays with scale, perspective and material familiarity, transforming Abu Dhabi's gridded urban fabric into something more tactile and fragile. 'I come from an architectural background, so a lot of my interests have to do with the built environment, and specifically Abu Dhabi, because I've grown up here my entire life,' Maharmeh says. 'These are 110 tiles, handmade clay tiles. They all start with the same first incision, but they all grew into individual designs.' Nearby, UV-printed works on aluminium and tempered glass extend this exploration. Based on blurry photographs of building facades taken while driving, the works echo the fragmented way we perceive the city through windshields and motion. Safeya Sharif, meanwhile, challenges traditions of framing. By using masking tape, she goads the viewer to reconsider what the frame is and what is being framed. Wooden frames with bare fawn canvasses are merely an element in the blue rectangle of the masking tape. 'It's about bodily experience and interaction, which I think the tape does on its own,' Sharif says. 'Artists would say the tape is ephemeral and fragile. Others would say it is very territorial. Then some works question the limitations of materials, form and meaning. Danute Vaitekunaite, Mowen Li and Bao all examine their personal histories while experimenting with materials. Their works, often sprawling room-filling installations, show how we assign importance to the objects that proliferate our daily lives – from Laban Up cartons to apples and the shawls on sale in souqs. Finally, Dima Abou Zannad's work presents a stripped view of these material experimentations. The work, So tell me, do the dead long for mourning?, pivots around the story of the Sacrificial Lamb found across Abrahamic religions. The work comprises illustrations of lambs scrawled on the wall, book collections as well as personal writings, all of which provide insight into our process of mythologising, ascribing meaning and the tension between individual and collective semantics. 'I am obsessed with how meaning is formed,' Abou Zannad says. 'Over the past year, I have been thinking about alongside my practice of writing and silence. I was trying to identify what I was feeling about silence. I realised it was a tautly muteness I was thinking about, not silence. The story of the lamb popped in my mind then.' The installation goes on to loosely connect a thread between the story and the state of muteness, referencing other popular stories and symbols in the process, including The Little Mermaid. 'The theme of sacrifice is used in different forms,' Abou Zannad says. 'This is my way of exploring that. You have an installation in both corners that has a curated collection of books. 'People can read through my notes, my investigation and sometimes they can be hard to grasp, but the point is that I'm trying to make a mark and that mark can also be seen as a matter of life and death.' The range of practices featured in Unstable Grounds reflects upon the nature of the master of fine arts at NYU Abu Dhabi. The programme, founded in 2021, is unlike any other in the region, opting for an interdisciplinary approach that is rooted in studio practice and academic rigour. 'Students come to us from all over the world, particularly from the region,' says Tina Sherwel l, co-director of the master of fine arts programme. She adds that the students benefit from regular critiques by visiting curators and artists, including delegations from Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Sharjah Art Foundation, Art Jameel, and others. They also have the opportunity to travel, present work and collaborate internationally, including at the Venice Biennale and across NYU's global network. The ambitious results are on full display in Unstable Grounds. The works are conceptual and technically rigorous. They have also been wrote by artists whose practices are driven by intellectual curiosity, material risk and deeply personal inquiry. 'We have faculty who are from film and new media, from art and art history, from theatre, from Creative Writing, from anthropology,' Sherwell says. 'It's a very, very interdisciplinary programme, and it emphasises developing their individual projects and their own research.'
Asharq Al-Awsat
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Alla Abdunabi: Solo Show Transformed How I Engage With My Work
Libyan-British artist Alla Abdunabi is elated by the success of her debut solo exhibition, hosted by Abu Dhabi's 421 Arts Campus as part of its 2025 winter season. With a focus on memory and memories, the exhibition ran from January 22 to March 21, drawing visitors into a deeply personal exploration of nostalgia and identity. Abdunabi is among the emerging artists supported by 421 Arts Campus, an independent platform in Abu Dhabi dedicated to fostering creative talent. This year, the institution spotlighted her work with her first solo exhibition, 'Are your memories of me enough for you?', offering audiences an intimate glimpse into her artistic journey. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat about her experience in Abu Dhabi, Abdunabi reflected on her participation in the 2025 cycle of the 421 Artistic Development Program and the launch of her first solo exhibition. She said the program was a turning point for her, and that it gave her the chance to grow an artistic practice in a space of dialogue with other artists and mentors. Working on a solo exhibition changed the way she engaged with her own work, she explained. One of the key lessons Abdunabi learned was understanding how different bodies of work interact—conceptually and spatially. That added layers of complexity she found exciting, opening up new possibilities for exploration. Conceptual Approach Abdunabi's academic background is not strictly in fine arts. She studied interdisciplinary design, focusing on motion graphics, spatial and experimental design, and art installations. Her artistic practice has expanded beyond the existence of objects themselves to how they interact with the surrounding space—whether inside a white-walled gallery or in a public setting. For Abdunabi, engaging with an artwork is as significant as the piece itself. Research through design was a core part of her studies and remains central to Abdunabi's approach today. Even though the work has a conceptual nature, it always begins with research, using the history of objects to better understand the world we live in. In 'Are your memories of me enough for you?' Abdunabi examines the concept of false resemblance, questioning how truth is constructed and how objects shape specific versions of reality through their symbols. She explores how these icons are preserved, restored, and reinterpreted over time, prompting reflections on how contemporary audiences engage with such narratives. Her work draws from the theories of French philosopher Jean Baudrillard, who argued that in today's world, images do not merely reflect reality but create their own, blurring the lines between authenticity and illusion. In an era flooded with visual representations, Abdunabi investigates how individuals discern between the real and the fabricated. Through her exhibition, she challenges the conventional role of images and symbols, positioning them as active agents in shaping truth rather than simply depicting it. By presenting alternative narratives, the show encourages visitors to reflect on how easily new realities can be constructed through visual culture. Abdunabi sees art as a fundamental force in shaping how history is remembered and interpreted. Cultural symbols, she argues, carry layers of meaning that evolve over time, influencing collective memory in ways that are not always immediately visible. Her work explores how these symbols are preserved, repurposed, or erased—and what those choices reveal about the narratives societies choose to uphold. Her exhibition also raises critical questions about how institutions handle objects tied to histories of violence. It challenges audiences to consider how museums, archives, and galleries frame and present artifacts with legacies of displacement, destruction, or exploitation. While these institutions often portray themselves as neutral spaces, they actively shape meaning through preservation, display, and classification. Rather than offering definitive answers, Abdunabi's work seeks to expose these underlying systems and interrogate the very concept of preservation. It questions whether preservation can, at times, serve as a form of erasure or control. The exhibition also examines the relationship between objects and the spaces they inhabit—whether in public settings, artistic contexts, or museum collections—highlighting the complexities of storytelling across these different environments. Blending Research and Artistic Experimentation For Abdunabi, research is always the starting point of her creative process—but it extends beyond gathering information. Her approach involves complicating historical narratives and engaging in speculative and imaginative interventions through art. Rather than treating research and artistic practice as separate processes that need balancing, she sees them as part of an ongoing dialogue. Research informs artistic decisions, while artistic interventions, in turn, open new perspectives for inquiry. Material experimentation is also central to her practice. She combines academic research, rooted in literature and historical analysis, with sensory and experimental exploration—emphasizing the importance of physical interaction with objects and materials. This interplay between intellectual inquiry and hands-on experimentation shapes the depth and complexity of her work. Looking Ahead: Expanding Artistic Exploration Abdunabi aims to deepen her exploration of the themes she has been working on while pushing them into new forms. Recently, she has been reflecting on how history is confronted both within institutional spaces and beyond. She is also keen to experiment with different media, particularly spatial and immersive approaches that enhance the experience of interacting with objects and images. Ultimately, her goal remains the same—to continue asking questions and engaging with the world in ways that are both direct and necessary.
Khaleej Times
03-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Baby shark, luqaimat: Explore Abu Dhabi through delicacies with this food trail
From delicious Sudanese foul and falafel to shark soup at one of the oldest restaurants in the emirate, one platform is helping UAE residents discover Abu Dhabi one dish at a time. The 421 Arts Campus, an independent platform dedicated to emerging artists and creative practitioners in the UAE, is organising food walks across the capital city to help residents discover hidden gems and learn more about the emirate. 'We believe food is one of the best ways to explore a community or place — offering a direct connection to its cultural fabric and history,' said Mays Albaik, Programs Manager at 421 Arts Campus. 'The Abu Dhabi Food Trails are a unique food walk series, where we use food as a lens to discover the vibrant culinary landscape of the UAE, all while connecting with fellow foodies and likeminded individuals.' During its first session held last month, tour guides Ayesha and Sanju introduced a group of foodies to some of the oldest restaurants in the emirate. The series will have two more food walks with separate themes. One, which will be held on March 7, will take visitors through some of the lesser-known cuisines and dishes in the emirate. Meanwhile, another one titled Lunchbox Classics, will be held on March 22 and will take attendees down the memory lane by introducing them to some classic street food including luqaimat and roasted corn. Oldest Restaurant The trail began at Abul Afwal cafeteria that served Sudanese foul and falafel. According to many of the diners, the creamy and nutty foul was 'perfect' to scoop out with bread. However, the highlight of the day was a stop at the Al Dhafra restaurant, one of the oldest restaurants in the city. Inaugurated by the late Sheikh Zayed, the father of the nation, the restaurant has cemented its reputation as one of the finest seafood restaurants. It served a dish of the Emirati minced baby shark dish, Jesheed, along with rice. The food walk participants were also treated to an assorted platter of grilled seafood. After a brief stop at Calicut Paragon, where everyone was treated to Kerala porotta, beef, appam and fish mango curry, the tour took its participants to the final stop of the day at Olive Branch. There, they tasted zaatar, Palestinian olive oil, olives and jams. Started as strangers, left as friends For participant Hiba Basheer, the best part of the food tour was being able to connect with like-minded foodies. 'The tour brought together people from different walks of life,' she said. 'We started off as strangers and a silent bus but by the end of it we were a noisy lot that jammed over good food and fun conversations. I enjoyed meeting new people from different walks of life and bonding with them over food and culture.' She added that she discovered new ways to cook with ingredients, noting it was interesting to see how similar dishes were eaten differently by people of different cultures. She also learnt more about the city she grew up in. 'We learnt how the Abu Dhabi city developed from a desert with fishing as its business into the world-class city it is today,' she said. 'We also heard of how baby sharks were caught in plenty by the fishermen and how it became a staple at most homes.'
