Exhibition at The Third Line, Dubai (Sep 24 – Nov 3, 2018) 1, 2, 3, the First Solo Exhibition of Nima Nabavi at The Third Line

1, 2, 3 takes its name from the number of series present in Nima’s exhibited works: Series 1, completed over the course of five months, is comprised of 16 works where black and white grids move from the edges towards the center of each work, gradually gaining in density. Series 2 marks a progression from the previous body with the introduction of colour—eight different hues appear in each work in various sequences, resulting in polychromatic ripple effects.

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The third and final series is a synthesis of the elements found in the previous two: colour, thickness, movement and size come together to replicate methods and patterns found in living systems. Much like in the natural world, Nima’s process resides in the use of one fundamental, irreducible element repeated into a larger motif. Each work thus becomes a self-imposed equation—a mental challenge that requires a meditative, repetitive execution. Inspired by his grandfather, a self-taught artist who used to draw endless grids, Nima’s practice also stems from interests in meditation, visions reported with altered states of consciousness, vibrational phenomena studies and quantum mechanics.

On the repetitive and meditative process of creating his works Nima said, “There was a feeling of scratching at the surface of the underpinnings of natural phenomena, getting a fraction of a glimpse of the mechanics that run the universe. It felt less like creating art, and more like unearthing secrets.”

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Nima Nabavi was born in Iran in 1978, he is a self-taught artist who was brought up in the UAE. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Entrepreneurship from the University of Southern California and a MBA from New York University. After living in the United States for twenty years, Nima is now based in Dubai, where he dedicates himself to a practice driven by a mathematical approach and contemplative execution of intricate geometries. 1, 2, 3 is his first solo exhibition.

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The Third Line is a Dubai-based art gallery that represents contemporary Middle Eastern artists locally, regionally and internationally. The Third Line also hosts non-profit, alternative programs to increase interest and dialogue in the region. Represented artists include: Abbas Akhavan, Ala Ebtekar, Amir H. Fallah, Arwa Abouon, Babak Golkar, Farah Al Qasimi, Farhad Moshiri, Fouad Elkoury, Golnaz Fathi, Hassan Hajjaj, Hayv Kahraman, Huda Lutfi, Joana Hadjithomas & Khalil Joreige, Laleh Khorramian, Lamya Gargash, Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian, Pouran Jinchi, Rana Begum, Sahand Hesamiyan, Sara Naim, Sherin Guirguis, Shirin Aliabadi, Slavs and Tatars, Sophia Al-Maria, Tarek Al-Ghoussein, Youssef Nabil and Zineb Sedira.