NIKA Project Space presents its fourth exhibition, “I Can No Longer Produce the Limits of My Own Body,” opening on November 15, 2023. Curated by the independent curator and art critic, Nadine Khalil, this group exhibition will showcase the works of seven artists who delve into the realm of the body as an extended canvas and medium. The participating artists, Liane Al Ghusain, Mirna Bamieh, Isaac Sullivan, Dalia Khalife, Sara Nirookbaksh, Lilia Ziamou, and Christiane Peschek, collectively challenge the conventional boundaries that define our bodies. Their exploration encompasses the anatomical, animalistic, material, and technological aspects of embodiment.
Palestinian-Kuwaiti textile artist and writer Liane Al Ghusain utilises various forms, including video, sculpture, and text, to delve into mysticism, feminism, post-colonialism, and science fiction. Liane Al Ghusain’s “Womb Amulets” is a series of stoneware pieces representing Palestinian women imprisoned in illegal occupier prisons.
Mirna Bamieh, renowned for her socially engaged work, explores the politics of disappearance and memory production, shedding light on the social concerns and limitations of Palestinian communities. Mirna Bamieh presents “Sour Things: The Kitchen,” a multimedia installation that explores fermentation as a means to enhance our propensity for listening, learning, and caring.
Lebanese artist and scenographer Dalia Khalife examines psychophysiological occurrences, spectacle, and play within power structures, social events, and rituals through her installations and performative gestures. Dalia Khalife presents a performance that explores the boundaries between the human form and technology, using life-sized digital avatars.
Sara Nirookbaksh, an Abu Dhabi-based Iranian-Canadian artist, references cultural objects through installations and performances, incorporating technology and science-based interventions. Sara Niroobakhsh shares “The Tabalvour (2020),” which delves into the transformative power of crystallisation
Greek-American artist Lilia Ziamou explores the transcendence of biological and ideological constraints through technology in her digital paintings, sculptures, and drawings. Lilia Ziamou presents a series related to bones as a metaphor for the body, crafted using a unique technique that combines classical and digital methods.
Christiane Peschek, an artist who blurs the line between online and offline lifestyles, produces multi-sensory installations and self-portraits that observe the possibilities of intertwining digital and physical existence. Christiane Peschek’s immersive installations and self-portraits prompt self-reflection and self-awareness, exploring various forms of digital consciousness in a contemporary present marked by intimacy.
The exhibition seeks to delve into bodily practices in the age of technology, examining how the body interacts with the external world and its boundaries. Featuring women artists from the Global South and beyond, it aligns with NIKA Project Space’s mission to amplify the voices of practitioners from the Global South and draw attention to their thought-provoking practices. The exhibition is a testament to the entanglement and fluidity of the post-human perspective, creating unique and site-specific architectural spaces that challenge conventional notions of boundaries. “I Can No Longer Produce the Limits of My Own Body” will run at NIKA Project Space in Al Khayat Avenue until January 7, 2024.
About NIKA Project Space
NIKA Project Space, situated in the United Arab Emirates, is a gallery dedicated to nurturing the artistic exploration of both emerging and established artists and curators on a global scale, with a particular emphasis on practitioners hailing from the Global South. Established in 2023 by Veronika Berezina, the gallery operates as a platform for artistic discourse and experimentation, with a strong commitment to promoting the work of female artists and curators.
In addition to its exhibitions that delve into conceptualisation, abstraction, and philosophical inquiry, NIKA Project Space offers a thought-provoking program that prioritises contemporary issues and encourages dialogue through discussions, performances, and educational initiatives. The gallery also hosts a research program that invites artists to develop impactful new works rooted in research-based and experimental creative processes. This endeavor serves as a means to explore and depict intricate societal experiences and historical narratives.
Location: NIKA Project Space
Dates: November 15 – January 7, 2023