In an event the first of its kind at Katara Gallery in Doha, EOA.Projects will showcase a month-long exhibition entitled, Bending History on March 8th.
EOA.Projects, the gallery division of Edge of Arabia, was founded by Stephen Stapleton, Fady Jameel and the prominent Saudi arts initiative Edge of Arabia, to promote Middle Eastern contemporary artists, with more emphasis on those from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Renowned Saudi artists Abdulnasser Gharem, Ahmed Mater, Sara Al-Abdali and Saeed Salem will showcase their artwork at the exhibition, with the theme of expressing "the hopes and fears of a new generation in an era of great turmoil and transformation in several iconic pieces of artworks."
Sidonio Costa, Artistic Director and Head Curator of Katara Art Center said, “Edge of Arabia is a contemporary art movement which I am delighted to present to the art lovers of Doha. The works portray the voice of the new generation, expressing themselves through powerful art.”
Ahmed Mater, whose work is currently on show at the British Museum exhibition Hajj: Journey to the Heart of Islam, will present his piece Magnetism.
Abdulnasser Gharem, currently the highest selling living artist in the Gulf after the auction of his installation Message/Messenger in Dubai last year, will present a selection of his signature stamp paintings, such as Men at Work, Siraat (The Path), and The Stamp. “It is often assumed the divisions in Saudi Arabia are religious or political” says Gharem, “but they are really between the old and the new. I think after the Arab Spring a lot of people in Saudi have realized it’s time for the next generation to move up – challenging our past, reclaiming our future, and bending history."
Sara Al-Abdali, one of Saudi’s first street artists, will exhibit Makkah Street Sign, a sign pointing to Makkah’s skyline overlooking a distant Ka’aba.
Artist Saeed Salem will show his work Neonland, what he calls a “ball of consumer energy”, and is considered an iconic symbol of Jeddah.
Alongside the exhibition, Katara Gallery has also organized a series of workshops hosted by the artists themselves. Visitors and art enthusiasts are invited to take part in these exclusive and one of a kind workshops.
The exhibition will open at 7.00pm on Thursday 8th March and run until Sunday 8th April 2012 at Katara Gallery, Building 19, Katara Cultural Village, Doha, Qatar.
– Khaleejesque Staff
