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Abu Dhabi: The NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Art Gallery is proud to announce the opening of its next Project Space exhibition: Ugandan Splendor – Imagining Home and History on January 12 with an opening reception at 5:30pm.
Running until January 28, the exhibition features the work of Saidi Ali Nasser Sowafy and traces the arc of his creative practice. As the first sustained study of his work in the UAE, the solo exhibition highlights the Ugandan artist’s perspectives on celebrations of birth, harvest, and homecoming; the impact of famine, political conflict, and landmines; as well as addressing questions of postmodern identity in a contemporary African concept.
Sowafy’s paintings offer a rich visual experience of 20th century Ugandan village culture and society. Ranging from grand-scale depictions covering a combined variety of themes, to small contemplative portraits of musicians, mothers, and village elders in a cubist-inspired style; Sowafy’s work seeks to capture the Ugandan people as a symbol of dignity and pride in who they are, personified.
Reflecting on his work, he said: “Painting is another way of conveying a message, the untold stories. Not everybody knows about Africa, and the media only covers the important things. But when you look more deeply at the man who has been hit by a landmine, it becomes clear that even those manufacturing the landmine don’t know who has been hit, or the impact that they had.”
Upon observing his work, visitors to the exhibition will be able to recognize bright colors and bold African geometric vocabulary, and once inspected closely, viewers will be able to identify despairing figures, escaping war victims, or praying expectant mothers.
Curated by former Executive Director, Inclusion and Equity at NYUAD Tamu Al-Islam, the exhibition is titled after the artist’s vivid and multi-layered color palette, as well as the rich and cultural imaginary of societal events in the Ugandan community.
The Project Space is operated by the staff of The NYUAD Art Gallery and housed within the campus’ Arts Center. It is The Art Gallery’s auxiliary venue dedicated to NYU Abu Dhabi’s community projects such as the annual Capstone Festival, semester-end exhibitions of student works, and faculty-curated exhibitions, providing a platform for experimentation and exploration.
Exhibition details:
Title: Saidi Ali Nasser Sowafy: Ugandan Splendor – Imagining Home and History
Exhibition dates: January 12 - 28, 2020
Address: The Project Space, The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi
Opening Times: Saturday-Thursday, 3-10pm
Admission: Free
Website: https://www.nyuad-artgallery.org/en_US/arts-center-project-space/sowafy/
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For more information, please contact:
Shaimaa El Nazer
Four Communications
Tel: +971 (0)55 942 1294
E: NYUADArtGallery@fourcommunications.com
Maisoon Mubarak
NYU Abu Dhabi
Tel: +971 50 322 95 32
E: Maisoon.mubarak@nyu.edu
Follow NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery on social media channels:
About the Project Space
The Project Space is managed by the NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery team and housed within the campus’ Arts Center. It is dedicated to exhibitions generated by the communities in and around NYU Abu Dhabi, including the annual Capstone Festival, faculty exhibitions, and projects by artists based in the UAE. Its mission is to provide a non-commercial platform for experimentation and exploration.
About The NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery
The NYUAD Art Gallery is an academic museum-gallery that presents work by internationally-established artists, curators, and scholars, to serve the intellectual and creative dialogue among the university and wider communities, via topics of regional relevance and international significance. The Gallery and its projects serve as a catalyst and locus of intellectual and creative activity through multiple venues and projects. The main gallery is a teaching museum, connecting the curriculum and the public. The Project Space is an exhibition laboratory for community artists. Collectively these two spaces, the new Reading Room, the annual Christo Award, the Campus Collection, and a series of original publications catalyze regional and international dialogue.
About NYU Abu Dhabi
NYU Abu Dhabi is the first comprehensive liberal arts and science campus in the Middle East to be operated abroad by a major American research university. NYU Abu Dhabi has integrated a highly-selective liberal arts, engineering and science curriculum with a world center for advanced research and scholarship enabling its students to succeed in an increasingly interdependent world and advance cooperation and progress on humanity’s shared challenges. NYU Abu Dhabi’s high-achieving students have come from 115 nations and speak over 115 languages. Together, NYU's campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai form the backbone of a unique global university, giving faculty and students opportunities to experience varied learning environments and immersion in other cultures at one or more of the numerous study-abroad sites NYU maintains on six continents.
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