‘Rainbows Under Their Feet’ is back for SIKKA, the annual art fair held in the historical Al Fahidi District.
Exhibition Timings:
February 24th - March 4th 2023
4-10pm on weekends; 6-10pm on weekdays
Exhibition Programming:
“The subterranean, contrary to what most people think, is bustling with activity. As you tunnel deep down, you might be surprised to see the soil take on unexpected shades. Rusty red, soft peach, warm mustard, lime green, rich turquoise. […] Humans teach their children to paint the earth in one colour alone. They imagine the sky in blue, the grass in green, the sun in yellow and the earth entirely brown. If they only knew they have rainbows under their feet.”
Extract from Elif Shafak’s ‘The Island of Missing Trees’ (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2021)
During her residency, Natalya Konforti investigated the relationship between generational and geological memories. Her practice explores the ways in which our surroundings have shaped our identities and how society’s impact on the environment will, in turn, mark future generations.
The collection of memory vessels includes a series of patchwork quilts crafted from discarded plastic, our civilisation’s most obvious remnant. These artificial heirlooms are juxtaposed with paintings and photos depicting geological formations and stratigraphy as timekeepers on a macro-level. Time is treated as medium throughout the project. The quilts, handstitched over many months, required an overwhelming amount of patience and physical dedication to sew. In stark contrast, the oxo-degradable plastic bags from which they are made (stamped with expiration dates – often years outdated) are destined to crumble into micro-plastics.
On the other end of the spectrum, a series of paintings and photography were conceived as rapid snapshots, both conceptually and in practice. Working quickly and intuitively, only a limited number of palette knife strokes can conserve the subtle marbling before colours become muddled.
Each piece evokes a sense of depth, channelling empathy, questioning vantage points, flipping perceptions of durability and begging the question: “What lies beneath the surface?”
Established in Dubai in 2008 by Lateefa bint Maktoum, Tashkeel seeks to provide a nurturing
environment for the growth of contemporary art and design practice rooted in the UAE.
Through multi-disciplinary studios, workspaces and galleries located in both Nad Al Sheba and
Al Fahidi, it enables creative practice, experimentation and dialogue among practitioners and
the wider community. Operating on an open membership model, Tashkeel’s annual programme
of training, residencies, workshops, talks, exhibitions, international collaborations and
publications aims to further practitioner development, public engagement, lifelong learning and
the creative and cultural industries.