For the next four weeks, there will only be one word that can be seen on the white walls of Tashkeel, an art centre in Nad Al Sheba: “Sah,” which is Arabic for “correct.” You will find this word displayed in the room, framed in various colours, carved on wood, twisted in metal, and more.
In her most recent exhibition, “So to Speak,” which debuted to the public on Tuesday, September 13, at 6 p.m., Emirati artist Shamma Al Amri is examining sah.
Al Amri, a prominent figure in the UAE’s cultural landscape, blends her passion for art with an emphasis on the Arabic language in this exhibition of that work.
The exhibition is the outcome of the artist’s most recent participation in the Critical Practice Program of Tashkeel, an art organisation founded in 2008 by HH. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and Member of the Dubai Council.
For one year, the programme offers contemporary artists living and working in the UAE consistent studio support, critique, and creation. The first public product of a participant in the Critical Practice Programme 2022 is Al Amri’s solo exhibition.
The multidisciplinary artist gave the following explanation of her work while on the programme: “While I was on this programme, I continued my ongoing research into the Arabic language… that’s mostly what I’ve been invested in for the previous several years. The Arabic language is revered as being extremely important to our history and identity. It has an impact on us and how we behave in public. Words control how we act. Some words are present in one language but not another. and that conveys a great deal about how language affects one’s identity.”
Visitors to the exhibition will also have the opportunity to interact with Al Amri through guided tours, a poetry reading, a workshop using the digital screen printing method known as risograph, and a presentation. Except for the risograph workshop, which will cost Dh300 per person, none of these events are free to attend.