Aisha Alabbar Gallery at Art Dubai 2025
VIP Preview Days:
16-17 April | 2:00 PM - 9:00 PM
20 April | 10:00 AM-12:00 PM
Public Preview Days:
18-19 April | 2:00 PM - 9:00 PM
20 April | 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
The Rhythm of Existence
Dubai, UAE – January 24, 2025
Aisha Alabbar Gallery is proud to announce its participation in Art Dubai 2025 with The Rhythm of
Existence, an exhibition featuring works by prominent Emirati artists Faris Abdulla Alshafar, Sara Al
Haddad, and Sara Aref Ahli. The collection explores themes of time, memory, and transformation, inviting
viewers to reflect on the metaphysical connections between past and present, self and space.
Through diverse practices in painting, fiber art, sculpture, and glass, the exhibition showcases how
personal histories, cultural narratives, and emotional landscapes are translated into compelling visual
languages. This presentation positions Aisha Alabbar Gallery as a vital platform for Emirati talent on the
global stage.
Through its exhibitions, innovative programs, and bespoke publications, Aisha Alabbar Gallery enriches
the dynamic tapestry of the arts in the UAE, leaving a lasting mark on the cultural landscape.
Faris Abdulla Alshafar
Faris Abdulla Alshafar’s paintings embody the rhythm of music, using layered colorfields and mark-
making to explore interconnectedness and the passage of time. His works delve into the balance
between form and formlessness, creating visual symphonies of emotion and thought.
“Throughout the years, there’s been an anchoring pendulum of form and formlessness that dictates
specificity in my works. I put together pieces from different years, mediums, and formats to evoke the
volatile experience of music that informs the core of my practice. Narratives are fragile seams in my
work—I invite viewers to unthread them, project their own experiences, and build inner worlds through
my pieces,” said Alshafar.
Faris Abdulla Alshafar (b. 1995, Dubai) lives and works between Dubai and New York City. Deeply
influenced by the temporal nature of music, his work offers a meditative exploration of determinism,
interconnectedness, and the ephemeral nature of sensory experiences.
Sara Al Haddad
Sara Al Haddad’s fiber-based installations transform materials like yarn into vessels of emotional
expression. Using techniques such as crocheting and stitching, she creates tactile forms that resonate
with memory and vulnerability.
“My art allows me to process emotions with curiosity, examining situations and memories before
transforming them into tangible, commemorative objects. Each piece is an opportunity to connect with
the intricacies of human emotions, inviting viewers to step into these intimate spaces,” said Al Haddad.
Sara Al Haddad (b. 1988, Dubai) is a Fulbright Scholar with an MFA in Sculpture from the Maryland
Institute College of Art. Her works have been exhibited at renowned institutions, including the Los
Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and the UAE National Pavilion at the Venice Biennale.
Sara Aref Ahli
Sara Aref Ahli’s interdisciplinary practice spans sculpture, installation, and glass, exploring themes of
body, memory, and resilience. By shaping glass, she examines the fragility and strength of human
experience.
“Using glass as a metaphor, I reveal the tension between strength and vulnerability, absence and
presence. My work explores the body as a vessel of memory, bringing this inquiry to Art Dubai,” shared
Ahli.
Sara Aref Ahli (b. 1993, Alabama) works between Dubai and Providence, Rhode Island. Her practice
examines the body and memory through materiality, using glass to create dreamlike spaces that blend
the real, imagined, and forgotten.
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