‘Mirrors from the Sidewalk’ by Alymamah Rashed at Tabari Art Space

Courtesy of Tabari Art Space.
Courtesy of Tabari Art Space.

Tabari Art Space opens a new solo show by Alymamah Rashed titled ‘Mirrors from the Sidewalk.’ A central theme in Alymamah Rashed’s work is the idea that a physical connection to specific environments and elements can lead to spiritual awakening. This belief is at the heart of her latest body of work, showcased in her solo exhibition. In this new series of large-scale watercolour and acrylic canvases, Rashed draws from both her everyday life and extraordinary journeys, reflecting on the body’s immersion in water, soil, and sky. She incorporates floral elements and everyday objects that she collects from the sidewalks she walks along in Kuwait, creating a deeply personal narrative.

Courtesy of Tabari Art Space.
Courtesy of Tabari Art Space.

Rashed connects these personal experiences to Deleuze’s theory of difference in repetition, exploring how the cyclical nature of the earth provides new, transformative encounters. In her four-panel series I have fixed your roots in the soils of my earth to reach your 7 skies (for I am near your heart), she presents a spiritual concept inspired by the seven heavens in Islam. The symbolic power of dates, often shared between neighbors and gifted from grandmothers’ palm trees, becomes central to her work. Rashed links the act of sharing dates to a metaphysical journey, imagining a spiritual ascent into the skies.

In her vision, human bodies are intertwined, multiplied, and transformed into angelic forms, embodying the fragility of earthly existence while reaching toward the divine. This transformation reflects Rashed’s exploration of the connection between the physical and spiritual realms, portraying how elements of the earth can lead to moments of transcendence. Through her paintings, Rashed invites viewers to consider their own relationships with the natural world, and how these connections might reveal deeper spiritual truths.

Courtesy of Tabari Art Space.
Courtesy of Tabari Art Space.

About Alymamah Rashed

Alymamah Rashed, a visual artist, explores the discourse of her body as a Muslima Cyborg of the post-internet generation, navigating between Eastern and Western influences. Her concept of the Muslima Cyborg combines the physical body and the traditional thobe, creating a unique “third space” on her canvases. Rashed approaches the cyborg not as a mechanical entity, but as a form of spiritual intelligence and a motor for expression. Influenced by Algerian modernist Baya Mahieddine, Rashed’s work reflects female subjectivity, regional folklore, and everyday objects, while addressing the rapid industrialization of the Gulf region. She holds an MFA from Parsons and a BFA from the School of Visual Arts.

Location: Tabari Art Space, DIFC, Dubai

Dates: 12th October – 10th November 2024

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