Solo exhibition at the Ayyam Gallery Dubai (Jan 20 - March 10, 2018) Rashid Al Khalifa: Hybrids

Over the past four decades, Rashid Al Khalifa has continuously explored the nature of experientiality of art whilst asserting the importance of its context over art for art’s sake. Rashid has experimented with a multitude of painting styles, including Realism, Impressionism, and Individualism. Over the past decade, he has turned to Abstraction and Colour Field.

In his recent works, Rashid maintains a focus on the aesthetics of what post-modernists identify as re-contextualisation of an art genre. Investigating varying articulations of seriality within his oeuvre, as well as geometry, surface, and colour, the artist creates simple yet deeply resonant works. Rashid’s installations are ‘hybrids’ of painting and sculpture, where he increasingly experiments with three-dimensionality using aluminium, stainless steel, and other mediums.

With the circle serving as a starting point in many of his works, it evolves to become a circular hole in the convex aluminium surface, adding another spatial dimension to his work. In his 120 x 120 cm untitled work from his 'Into a Different Dimension series', Rashid creates a perfectly circular hole in the middle of the convex square-shaped aluminium, painting the background with blues. The reflective surface draws the viewer in, creating the basis of an intimate relationship with the work.

Rashid Al Khalifa, Untitled, Into a Different Dimension series, 2014, matte enamel on aluminium, 190 x 190 cm / Courtesy of Ayyam Gallery Dubai

Rashid Al Khalifa, Untitled, Into a Different Dimensions series, 2015, matte enamel on aluminium, 120 x 120 cm / Courtesy of Ayyam Gallery Dubai

In the 2015 'Shape of Time series', Rashid continues to present variations on the circle and the square. In this series, the artist creates folds with detached sections of the circles, highlighting fragile connections between the shapes. Through these works, the artist presents the viewer with a challenge of entering into a relationship with each piece through a deep understanding of the quiet authority of these works. Through his research and his three-dimensional works – with seemingly limitless permutations of simple geometric forms – Rashid explores the phenomenological relationship between work, viewer, and architecture.

Rashid Al Khalifa, Untitled, Shape of Time series, 2015, matte enamel on aluminium, 120 x 120 cm / Courtesy of Ayyam Gallery Dubai

Rashid Al Khalifa, Untitled, Shape of Time series, 2015, matte enamel on aluminium, 120 x 120 cm / Courtesy of Ayyam Gallery Dubai

Beginning his career in the late 1960s, Rashid Al Khalifa has exhibited in Bahrain and internationally. He presented his seminal quasi-kinetic works in a solo exhibition at the Middle East Institute in Washington DC in 1982. In 2010, a large-scale retrospective exhibition entitled 'Convex: A New Perspective' was held at the Bahrain National Museum. Rashid Al Khalifa was the first president of the Bahrain Arts Society and currently holds the title of Honorary President. He has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions internationally. Solo exhibitions include Shuman Arts Organisation, Amman, Jordan (1997), De Caliet Gallery, Milan, Italy, and El Kato Kayyel Gallery, Milan (1996). His work as also been featured in group exhibitions such as La Biennale di Venezia, Venice, Italy (2017 and 2015), Third Mediterranean Biennale, Sakhnin Valley (2017), Bahrain Arts Society, Manama, Bahrain (2016), tRIO Bienal, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2015), Issoudin Museum, Issoudin, France (2015), Galerie Gmurzynska, Art Basel Miami Beach (2010) Bahrain National Musuem, Manama (2002), Taipei Art Exhibition, Tapei, Taiwan (1999), Sharjah Biennial, Sharjah, UAE (1999), and Art America Exhibition, Miami, USA (1997).

The exhibition will open at the Ayyam Gallery Dubai (11 Alserkal Avenue) on January 20 and will be on view until March 10, 2018.