Made in Tashkeel exhibition takes viewer on journey through artists’ thought processes

Made in Tashkeel offers an insight into the latent themes and thought processes of the artists.

A lady takes in Hadil Moufti's Animal Mandalas at the Made in Tashkeel exhibition. Courtesy: Tashkeel
Powered by automated translation

All of the works in Tashkeel’s group exhibition come together under the title Made In Tashkeel. It is self-explanatory – all the pieces of art were made on the premises, either by members or by the hundreds of workshop participants who visit the studio hub and multifaceted art facility each year.

There is a rhythm to the show that takes the viewer on a gentle and seamless journey through the latent themes and thought processes of the artists.

The show begins with Hadil Moufti’s animal mandalas. She has carefully laid out cut-out images of insects and animals in a repeating circular pattern around a central point.

These small and delicate works set the tone for the show, in which several works use grids and repetition to make their point.

Afshan Daneshvar’s work is perhaps the most popular in terms of social-media posts about this show. A large blue circle comprises hundreds of tiny origami boats laid out in circular patterns to create a meditative and reflective piece.

Saeed Al Madani’s digital image, titled Cultural Reflection, shows a man in traditional Emirati dress standing in front of a latticed grid. The exterior, in darker colours, is somewhat industrialised because the lines and structure are rigid – but at the centre of the image, a lighter pathway is revealed that seems to be made of natural fibres. Perhaps the figure is carving a route through his rapidly urbanising city back towards the desert landscape that once stood in its place.

This contrast between urban and rural is a common thread in some of the works. Carles Llonch Molina’s photographs are rather prescriptive – using the Dubai skyline and the mountainscapes of the northern emirates to highlight the quarrying of natural resources to build the cities – but they do highlight an ever-fascinating issue for artists in the UAE.

Other photographic works are more poetic. Mark Pilkington’s Moonrise is a triptych of staged photographs that show him in various landscapes contemplating a sapphire-blue sky. Fatima Al Budoor’s Gazing series appears at the back of the gallery and uses blurring and a blue wash, perhaps to denote fragility and memory as the subject fades into the landscape.

Ammar Al Attar has a series of A4 photographic prints on display that play with the notion of colour. Instead of presenting what is in the images as his subject, he uses the image itself as the subject and explores manipulation, colour and the different vessels in which we see images in modern society.

Hand-stitching is a technique used in several notable works. Katie Venner-Woodbridge has made ceramic casts of sea shells and then stitched across their open surfaces, perhaps highlighting the threat to the marine environment. Banu Colak uses thread to make repetitive patterns on photographic images that also bring to mind natural landscapes.

There is a section dedicated to graphic design, with an entire wall filled with the work of Marwan Shakarchi, who is also known as Myneandyours. His signature small cloud with crosses for eyes is shown in a variety of works, in stencils displayed in salon style across the wall. On the opposite wall are posters bearing bold and colourful digital creations.

Several pieces of jewellery made by members are displayed in cabinets and there is also a pop-up shop where visitors can get their hands on some custom-made, limited-edition merchandise.

This is a nice touch, because while several of the artworks in the show are priced affordably, the gift shop really gives visitors the chance to take a piece of art home with them.

Made in Tashkeel runs until August 30. For more information, visit www.tashkeel.org

aseaman@thenational.ae