Dana Awartani’s Solo Presentation at Abu Dhabi Art

ATHR Gallery featured Dana Awartani's solo booth at Abu Dhabi Art at Focus section, curated by Dr. Omar Kholeif

Made specifically for this presentation, Awartaniâ€™s latest works on the paper act as moments of pause and reflection within her practice. In contrast to her usual highly intricate paintings, this minimalist and monochromatic body of work reverts to the source of her inspiration, Sufi mysticism. Awartani describes these paintings as acts of mediation and moments of contemplation as part of her daily rigour of being an artist, a method she frequently adapts to quiet the mind.

Created on handmade paper that recycles leftover fibers from textile mills, these paintings draw upon multiple facets of her work, most importantly the role of sacred geometry as a visual language. In this case, Awartani explores the symbolism of the circle as a source and expression of Tawhid, as all of her drawings begin and finish within a circle expressing the multiplicity within the singularity. By choosing to revert to the purity of the circle, she reflects on the simple act of conscious re-enactment as a form of introspection.

Installation view. Courtesy of the artist and Athr Gallery, Jeddah. Photographer: Anna Shtraus

Works such as In Search of Silence, aim to expand beyond the formal limits of traditional miniature painting technique and explore new languages of expression, ones that are more fluid, spontaneous and unrestrained. In The Union of Fire and Water, which brings two different temporalities together, Awartani takes a playful approach by encouraging the viewers to actively participate in the layout of the paintings.