Figurative practises by Neda Hadizadeh, Ghadah Al Kandari, Hayv Kahraman and Lamya Gargash
The Third Line is proud to present Life Drawing, Figurative Practises by Neda Hadizadeh, Ghadah Al Kandari, Hayv Kahraman and Lamya Gargash, whose works all converge through literal or fragmented depictions of the body. Through the different mediums of drawing, painting and video, these four young female artists decipher the figure and its representation while simultaneously commenting on the environment in which they live.
Kuwaiti artist Ghadah Al Kandari's works range from colourful and brash like portraits to extremely simple black and white drawings. The commonality between her painting and drawings are her subjects - all are relatives depicted in off-beat domestic settings which hint toward family dynamics and the relationships between the individuals. Her works are portrayed in varying tone - some sentimental, sad, happy, at times comical. Al Kandari's paintings inhabit a naivety to them, while the drawings reference a rival of drawing as a prime artistic meaning.
Iraqi artist Hayv Kahraman's highly graphic drawings depict the ravaging effects of war, which always affect women the hardest. Using Sumi ink on brown paper, Hayv's wide stylistic references range from Japanese and Arabic calligraphy art nouveau, Persian miniature and Greek iconography. Her impeccable illustrative renderings create stunning but also unsettling, minutely detailed image which prevent us from looking away from tragedies such as rape and honour killings, forcing us to reflect on things that we would otherwise refuse to see.
Whereas Hayv prevents us from looking away because of the intricacies and the details, Emarati artists Lamya Gargash catches our curious gaze by omitting vital information from the female form. Gargash's video portraits highlight the awkward space between the garment and the body by manipulating two comparative images - one displayed with only the garment in view, the other with only the body in view, questioning society's perceived understanding of female representation.
Iranian artist Neda Hadizadeh paints fragmented figurative works with vibrant brush strokes and strong black lines. Dripping, figurative outlines are placed on a background of colour, usually contain the model's fingers or bony hands covering or concealing segments of the figure. Her work depicts the human form with angst and psychological drama in a dark and unsettling manner.
The four artists in Life Drawing all use figure as the starting point to explore different ideas. Their work acknowledges the history, theory and weight of the figure as subject and they explicitly employ it as a point of comparison and conjunction. By employing different mediums to display this traditional form of art, the artists highlight issues close to the heart such as war, torture, love, family and tradition. Life Drawing highlights not only the diverse manner in which these four artists approach the subject of the figure, but also examines the connections between their practices.
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About The Third Line
Formed in early 2005 by three partners, Sunny Rahbar, Omar Ghobash and Claudia Cellini, The Third Line is an art gallery bringing to Dubai art from the region, which until now has not had a platform. It creates paths that ultimately lead to a lively dialogue between the artists and the public.
Along with traditional gallery offerings, The Third Line organises non-profit, alternative programs including: Kutub, a bi-lingual Arab literature appreciation circle; Hiraf, an exhibition of contemporary Middle Eastern crafts; and a Documentary and Arab Feature Film Series, both of which feature moderated debates after each film screening.
Since The Third Line's inception, exhibiting artists include Golnaz Fathi, Muhammad Zeeshan, Khadim Ali, Saira Sheikh, Ayesha Mariam Durrani, Amir H Fallah, Youssef Nabil, Eric Chan, Shirin Aliabadi, Ramin Haerizadeh, Bahman Jalali, Rana Javadi, Shadi Ghadirian, Lamya Gargash, Raghda Bukhash, Amna Alzaabi, Farhad Moshiri, Laleh Khorramian, Rokni Haeri, Farhad Moshiri, Laleh Khorramian, Arwa Abouon, Doa Aly, Rana El Nemr, Mona Marzouk, Lateefa bint Maktoum, Latifa Saeed, Shamma Al Ameri, Wafar Hasher Al Maktoum, Mazyoona Abdulla, Alia Bin Drai, Maisam Darwish, Abdul Rahman Alhussain, Alex Cordier, Kaveh Kashani, Leila Ghomi, Maryam Jalali, Jumana H, Arwa Manager, Rahab Al-Majed, Raji Al-Alsarif, Maisam Darwish, Abdul Rahman Alhussain, Alex Cordier, Kaveh Kashani, Leila Ghomi, Maryam Jalali, Jumana H, Arwa Manager, Rahab Al-Majed, Raji Al-Alsarif, Fouad Elkoury, Marwan Sahmarani, Abbas Akhavan, Remi Arora, Rana Begum and Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian.
The warehouse gallery features cutting-edge exhibitions, showcases international calibre artists and has an established collectors base.
For more information, please contact:
Tel: 050 151 4893
Email: courtney@thethirdline.com
© Press Release 2007
