Exhibitions

Maitha Abdalla is an interdisciplinary artist who skilfully weaves cultural narratives rooted in notions of nostalgia, memory, and folklore to scrutinise the complex dynamics of power often conveyed through allegorical tales.

In this latest series, Abdalla has elevated the forest to a central character within her compositions. The archetype of the dark forest, widely recognised as a symbol of the subconscious, looms prominently in children's fables, symbolising the potential for peril, disorientation, or a passage to otherworldly realms. Abdalla appropriates this symbol to depict a journey through the forest—an odyssey in which she ventures beyond her comfort zone but never quite reaches her ultimate destination.

Abdalla deftly navigates the interplay of parallel and conflicting emotions such as ecstasy and isolation, purpose and emptiness. Drawing inspiration from traditional storytelling spanning diverse cultures, Abdalla delves into themes of social and political identity through the theatrical narratives she constructs in her work. By intertwining metaphors from European and Emirati mythology, the artist intentionally blurs the boundaries between Eastern and Western perspectives, creating surreal tableaus that challenge the notion of well-defined creative disciplines.

While in her previous works, Abdalla constructed actors with more animalistic forms, this new series portrays the central figures with a more human appearance. This shift suggests that the artist has established a deeper, more personal connection with her work. The title of this series, "Echo of the Broken Mind," alludes to the personal torment and inner conflict embodied in the twisted torsos of her figures. It also captures the weight of the artist's palette, applied with both her bare hands and her paintbrush, reflecting the intensity of her creative process.