Aisha Alabbar Gallery at Art Dubai 2025
Faris Abdulla Alshafar, Sara Al Haddad, Sara Aref Ahli
The Rhythm of Existence
Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai
18 - 20 April, 2025
Bone Marrow – Flesh, 2024 - Installation
Courtesy of Aisha Alabbar Gallery
Aisha Alabbar Gallery announces its participation in Art Dubai 2025 with The Rhythm of Existence, an exhibition featuring works by prominent Emirati artists Faris Abdulla Alshafar, Sara Al Haddad, and Sara Aref Ahli. The collection explores themes of time, memory, and transformation, inviting viewers to reflect on the metaphysical connections between past and present, self and space.
Through diverse practices in painting, fiber art, sculpture, and glass, the exhibition showcases how personal histories, cultural narratives, and emotional landscapes are translated into compelling visual languages. This presentation positions Aisha Alabbar Gallery as a vital platform for Emirati talent on the global stage.
Through its exhibitions, innovative programs, and bespoke publications, Aisha Alabbar Gallery enriches the dynamic tapestry of the arts in the UAE, leaving a lasting mark on the cultural landscape.
FARIS ABDULLA ALSHAFAR
Faris Abdulla Alshafar’s paintings embody the rhythm of music, using layered colorfields and mark-making to explore interconnectedness and the passage of time. His works delve into the balance between form and formlessness, creating visual symphonies of emotion and thought.
“Throughout the years, there’s been an anchoring pendulum of form and formlessness that dictates specificity in my works. I put together pieces from different years, mediums, and formats to evoke the volatile experience of music that informs the core of my practice. Narratives are fragile seams in my work—I invite viewers to unthread them, project their own experiences, and build inner worlds through my pieces,” said Abdulla Alshafar.
Faris Abdulla Alshafar (b. 1995, Dubai) lives and works between Dubai and New York City. Deeply influenced by the temporal nature of music, his work offers a meditative exploration of determinism, interconnectedness, and the ephemeral nature of sensory experiences.
SARA AL HADDAD
Sara Al Haddad’s fiber-based installations transform materials like yarn into vessels of emotional expression. Using techniques such as crocheting and stitching, she creates tactile forms that resonate with memory and vulnerability.
“My art allows me to process emotions with curiosity, examining situations and memories before transforming them into tangible, commemorative objects. Each piece is an opportunity to connect with the intricacies of human emotions, inviting viewers to step into these intimate spaces,” said Sara Al Haddad.
Sara Al Haddad (b. 1988, Dubai) is a Fulbright Scholar with an MFA in Sculpture from the Maryland Institute College of Art. Her works have been exhibited at renowned institutions, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and the UAE National Pavilion at the Venice Biennale.
SARA AREF AHLI
Sara Aref Ahli’s interdisciplinary practice spans sculpture, installation, and glass, exploring themes of body, memory, and resilience. By shaping glass, she examines the fragility and strength of human experience.
“Using glass as a metaphor, I reveal the tension between strength and vulnerability, absence and presence. My work explores the body as a vessel of memory, bringing this inquiry to Art Dubai,” shared Ahli.
Sara Aref Ahli (b. 1993, Alabama) works between Dubai and Providence, Rhode Island. Her practice examines the body and memory through materiality, using glass to create dreamlike spaces that blend the real, imagined, and forgotten.
AISHA ALABBAR GALLERY
Established in 2018, Aisha Alabbar Gallery stands as a pillar of contemporary and modern art in Dubai, UAE. Guided by a commitment to showcasing both emerging and established talents, the gallery elevates the voices and visions of artists from the UAE, the region, and beyond.
As a pioneering women-led Emirati gallery, Aisha Alabbar Gallery takes pride in being among the first in the region to celebrate the brilliance of local and regional artists. Through meticulous curation and collaborations with esteemed curators and organizations, the gallery invests significant resources to spotlight these artists on the global stage.
AISHA ALABBAR GALLERY
Warehouse C-19, Alserkal Avenue 17th Street,
Al Quoz Industrial Area 1 - Dubai, UAE
