Farah Al Qasimi’s first solo exhibition at Galerie Krinzinger, Toy World, delves into the intricate interplay of authenticity and artifice, themes that resonate deeply in our so-called “post-truth” era. Her work interrogates the nature of imagery in modern discourse, particularly as it relates to war, power, and identity, blurring the boundaries between reality and performance.
Central to the exhibition is the concept of the “actor,” a figure who masks true intentions behind a facade. In the realm of war, this metaphor takes on strategic significance, as authenticity is manipulated to shape ideological narratives. Through works like Tumbling Woman (2023) and Toy War (2023), Qasimi critiques how media representations of war transform human suffering into a spectacle, distorting the truth for political and commercial agendas.
Her exploration extends to structures of power, gender, and consumerism, particularly within Gulf cultures. In works such as Crane Accident (2017) and Yara (2023), she juxtaposes traditional aesthetics with the omnipresent gaze of surveillance, revealing hidden power dynamics that pervade modern life. This tension is further underscored in Young Marine (n.d.) and Security Camera (2017), which evoke a world where freedom is compromised under the guise of protection.
Qasimi’s recent foray into black-and-white photography adds historical depth, encouraging viewers to reflect on how the present will shape future narratives. In Pigeons on Pink Building (2024), she contrasts the carrier pigeon, once a symbol of genuine communication, with the city pigeon, highlighting the erosion of authenticity in an era of manipulated narratives.
Ultimately, Toy World invites audiences to reconsider how images shape understanding. Through evocative works like Machboos (2024) and Camel Bones (n.d.), Qasimi weaves together the mundane and the profound, urging us to find meaning amidst the fragmented, image-saturated landscape of contemporary life.
Interview with Farah Al Qasimi
What inspired the title “Toy World,” and how does it encapsulate the themes of the exhibition?
The title comes from a work in the series where I placed several motorised toys in an enclosed space to see how they would interact. They were all different characters (a cow, a Barbie playing guitar, a snake, and a Spiderman figure crawling with a machine gun) and I gradually added different kinds of cargo to them with strings to shift their movements. I was sure the Spiderman would win, but the cow ended up ensnaring the rest of the toys and disabling the Spiderman’s gun. I imagined it as a metaphor for the futility and senselessness of war, almost like a kid might play with army figurines, but with a more randomised selection of players.
How does your exploration of Gulf cultures and consumer aesthetics connect to broader themes of power, gender, and post-colonial narratives?
I’m actually working beyond the Gulf a lot these days, but a lot of what I do comes back to oil and extractionist geopolitics. I’ve been spending a lot of time in Dearborn, Michigan, for the last 5 years – it’s home to many Arab communities and the centre of the American automotive industry. I also spent time in West Texas earlier this year at the Chinati Foundation, travelling to the Permian Basin to look at the effects of drilling and fracking on local environments.
Everyday objects hold layered meanings in your work. How do you select these symbols, and what role do they play in grounding your narratives?
I’m interested in objects that seem to hold a kind of psychic wishfulness that reflects something in their owners; for example, a lot of my photographs take place in domestic spaces like bedrooms where people are ensconced in items of their own reflection like dolls, or poster art, or personal photographs. I think these things can tell us a lot, sometimes more than a clear and vulnerable portrait can.
Location: Galerie Krinzinger, Vienna.
Dates: November 7, 2024 – January 11, 2025