Human Features exhibits an in-depth study of the face. As a mirror to one’s inner most thoughts, the face is the depiction of one’s journey and what molds us into who we are. This selection of artists come together bringing cultural individuality and variety of techniques to depict their perception of the human form. With a unicity of mediums ranging from 18th century frames and scratched mirrors to photographic lambda prints, Human Features, aims to challenge the notion of a portrait.
About the Artists
Encompassing the Middle East and England, Human Features highlights works from the following artists:
Al Braithwaite
a contemporary artist from London, who works across a variety of disciplines including sculpture, assemblage, found material and installation. His work fits into a tradition of conceptual art, recalling Dada, Surrealism, Fluxus, and aspects of Orphism.
Halim Al Karim
With photography as his chosen medium, the artist chooses to depict his experiences using conceptually expressive imagery, continuing with his experimental practice. Innovations in digitization allowed Halim to further develop his illusionary technique and extend the use of the medium. The impact of wars and the related pursuit of truth and humanity remained the central focus of the artist’s work.
Jonathan Gent
Having studied at The Cheshire School of Art and The Edinburgh School of Art respectively, Gent’s paintings have been exhibited widely throughout the world including Edinburgh’s Scottish national Gallery, The Saatchi Gallery, The Freud Museum, and has recently held solo shows in Dubai, Los Angeles, New York and London. Gent has gained a strong reputation with collectors including Tilda Swinton, Robin Vousden, Rami Farook, Samantha Morton, Aimee Mullins, Simon Hillary, John Papsidera, David and Tia Hoberman.
Rahgd Coussa
Seeks to explore what he takes to be the permanent relevance of figuration. Central to his work is an unrelenting desire to represent the human figure and the human head. He reflects on a representation absent of meaning and narrative. In doing so, he hopes the visual language becomes louder, and more direct, through its ambiguity.
Sabhan Adam
His colored characters are formed in a violent way that indicates to a deep rebel psychology that exceeded the entire impressionist and pictorial school techniques, which sometimes fail to express themselves. Sabhan Adam emphasizes that his human creations are attached to the pain, fear and phobia which our society constantly suffers from.
Yazid Oulab
He tackles and questions topics such as the meaning of life together with values of family, trying to close the distance between the tangible and the ethereal. He is considered a multimedia artist, delving in sculpture, drawings and video installations. One key feature is the importance he gives to the perfectioning of the repetitive act through his creation process.
About XVA Gallery
XVA Gallery is one of the leading galleries in the Middle East that specializes in contemporary art from the Arab world, Iran, and the Subcontinent. Exhibitions focus on works by the region’s foremost artists as well as those emerging onto the scene. The gallery’s artists express their different cultural identities and perspectives while challenging the viewer to drop prejudices and borders.
XVA Gallery exhibits both locally and internationally; collaborating with galleries and participating in international art fairs, such as Art Basel Hong Kong, SH Contemporary, Singapore Art Fair and Abu Dhabi Art, in order to further expose Middle Eastern contemporary art.
XVA Gallery and XVA Art Hotel are located in Dubai’s heritage district, now called Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood. XVA founded and organized the Bastakiya Art Fair from 2007- 2010 as part of its commitment to raising the profile of contemporary art practice in Dubai.
