Maitha Abdalla and Rand Abdul Jabbar.
Art aficionados will get the chance to admire the work of two regional female artists thanks to “In the Studio.” Launched by Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, the new virtual programme, which is running from July 16 to August 18, will showcase pieces by artists Maitha Abdalla and Rand Abdul Jabbar. The series of studio visits and interviews, which also gives two Arab male artists, Hashel Al Lamki and Nasser Al Zayani. a fresh platform to display their work, supports the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi’s shared mission of promoting intellectual and artistic exchange.
As part of the series, an interview with Emirati Abdalla is taking place on July 21. Naturally, the interview is being carried out in Bait 15, the artist run studio and exhibition space she founded alongside fellow artists Al Lamki and Afra Al Dhaheri. Moving from the studio located in the heart of Abu Dhabi to her own atelier, Abdalla will speak about her work and its recurring themes of folklore, memory and travel.
"The Sacrifice Dance" acrylic on canvas artwork by Maitha Abdalla (2015)
Then on July 28, it’s Abdul Jabbar’s turn to introduce her art. which highlights and interprets contemporary stories from her homeland of Iraq. The Baghdad-born Abdul Jabber will recount her family’s past and explain the extensive research she has done on her country’s history, as well as delve deeper into her wide-ranging artistic practices that draw on archaeology and myth, melding the personal and the museological.
On the last day of the “In the Studio” progamme, which aims to inspire conversations around arts and culture, the two artists will also be part of a panel discussion. They will join Al Lamki and Al Zayani while talking to two Guggenheim Abu Dhabi curators, Sara Bin Safwan and Sasha Kalter-Wasserman, about their work, their interests, and the strengths of the local arts community in Abu Dhabi.
"Earthly Wonders, Celestial Beings" mixed media installation by Rand Abdul Jabbar (2019)
“In the Studio” is part of a broader effort to raise awareness of the importance of the arts, foster a deeper understanding of cultural heritage, engage audiences and implement multi-disciplinary programmes to enrich the local cultural network.
“Viewers can learn, explore and be inspired in the heart of the artist’s studio, without leaving the comfort of their homes,” Maisa Al Qassimi, Senior Project Manager at Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, a museum of modern and contemporary art that is part of Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Cultural District, said.
