Making Breaking by Jan Albers

An entirely different experience of space that isnâ€™t pictorial, nor is it truly sculptural

Jan Albers / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the Cultural Affairs Department at the Sharjah Department of Culture has organised the 22nd edition of the Sharjah Islamic Arts Festival, which runs until January 21, 2020.

The Sharjah Art Museum hosts 31 exhibitions by Emirati, Arab and international artists. This edition includes 241 artworks by 108 artists from 31 countries, from the United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and neighbouring Arab countries, as well as Columbia, Italy, the United Kingdom, Belarus, Australia, and Argentina.

HH Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated the exhibition 'Making Breaking' by the German artist Jan Albers, currently on view at the Sharjah Art Museum.

Jan Albers explains his work to HH Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah / Photo courtesy of Sharjah Department of Culture

'Making Breaking' by Jan Albers / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

Jan Albers talks to a visitor / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

Jan Albers works seamlessly across various media. He studied painting at the Kunstakademie Dusseldorf and felt it was limiting his expression. So he was looking for a way to go beyond painting on canvas and started working with concrete.

In his works, the artist compels the viewer to look at each installation from a respectful distance. His 3D artworks have complex topography, nooks, crannies, and structural depth. All that suggests an entirely different experience of space that isnâ€™t pictorial, nor is it truly sculptural. His work is quite architectural and intriguing.

The exhibition 'Making Breaking', is currently on view at the Sharjah Art Museum, and will run until January 21, 2020.