‘Closer to home’
Al Riwaq’s “Application 004” art sees the resident artists exploring the concept of home.While some have engaged in exploring the suppositions surrounding the definition of its interpretations: geographical location, personal experiences, nationality or even a particular feeling, all have explored the unique relationship with identity. Several of the artists have reached out to the general public through interviews, focus groups or questionnaires, initiating a research based practice that will precipitate further chapters in both the subject and their approach.
By employing metaphorical tradition and signifiers, some works create a layered experience that invites viewers on their own interpretations of home and identity. This blend of humour and poetry could serve as a powerful catalyst for dialogue about cultured personal experiences.
The exhibition opened 15 January 2025.
'He is over there, I’m over here'. Photography and video installation by Ahmed Alabbadi
The work represents social issues that resonate with many societies. The artist narrates the installation with a poem that conveys a clear view of the facts that are happening in his homeland, Aden, Yemen.
'Hafitha', Mixed Media on paper, and installation by Ammar Bin Yasser
Hafitha is a poignant exploration of cultural memory and erasure. Through the projection of fading names of grandmothers, paired with the tender sound of Bahraini lullabies, the artwork captures the fragility of oral history in Bahrain and the GCC.
'Khalfa' , Acrylic on canvas by Dina Hashim
Khalfa explores the symbolism of the window in the embodiment of personal experiences, as it represents the inanimate object that holds reflections ofour psychological and emotional states.
The series deals with the artist's experience of moving to her family's village after growing up abroad, where the window was her comfort zone amidst the psychological and societal changes.
'Min Wein', Installation by Khurram Salman
“Min Wein?” challenges conventional views on identity and belonging, creating a space for reflection and dialogue. Through the intersections of cultures, Khurram aims to highlight the voices of those who straddle multiple worlds, yet find themselves in a state of liminality.
'Storage', Oil on canvas and polystyrene by Nayla Ali Khalifa
Storage is a collection of artworks that draw on the idea of holding on, and holding
back. It is a play on what happens to objects that are unusable but too close to
heart to be discarded. It is a storage of swallowed words and repressed emotions,
which brings to light the tension and anxieties that come with the different motives
of self-suppression
'The Fabric of Us' by Shereen Fekri
This project serves as a cornerstone for an extended inquiry into the tapestry of human connection within Bahraini society. It explores how cultural forces both nurture and challenge the authentic expression of human interaction.
Combining written narratives with large-scale portraiture, the aim is to create a space for reflection and conversation, inviting viewers to have a seat and consider their own experiences of connection within the Bahraini context.
Yemeni Resident Artists Ahmed Alabbadi and Dina Hashem, supported by UNESCO and BACA.