"Zuhoor" Exhibition

Visual imaginations of Arabness are limited to the cultural products we see in news, film and marketing campaigns. Seldom is there a study of our daily, colourful attire that extends beyond the structures of formality? The fabrics we place on our skin, the patterns we highlight through our bodies, and the colours we brighten our souls with are familiar narrative elements that we investigate daily.

Through our artists’ installations, we enter a dreamlike world and enjoy a glimpse of various visually alluring stories — dresses, gloves, flowers and planets, coupled with accessories that delight those who wear them. The hyperfixation of the artists on traditional houseware, props, clothing, lighting, carpets and backdrops recreates familiar environments that slowly become unrecognisable. The exhibition then deploys a strong juxtaposition between the two artists and the worlds they create, with Homed Maqbali using warmth and realism, while Fatma AlAli delves into vibrant, neon Gulf-surrealism.

This exhibition incorporates an element of interactivity, creating a dynamic relationship between the visitor and the artist and blurring the line between the art and the audience. It introduces an immersive experience that informs visitors about the process the two artists underwent in creating the photographs.

The audience is invited to participate in the storytelling, not simply as passive onlookers but as active agents in the narrative. The documented mind mapping of sceneries, the production of a set and costume, and the opportunity for engagement with props aim to create an educational landscape.

This exhibition travels through typical explorations of identity and lands with an articulated observation of what it feels to be photographed, fruitful and colourful. As the old saying goes, beauty is the eye of the beholder, and nothing is more beautiful than the patterns we see and image we create ourselves in our homes, communities and cities.

After the completion of its run, Zuhoor completed 3 public workshops, with around 15-30 participants each, as well as having garnered around 4,000 visitors.