An exhibition of Mohammed Chabaa titled Mohammed Chabaa: Visual Consciousness, has opened at Abu Dhabi’s Cultural Foundation. Mohammed Chabaa is the pioneering artist who helped forge a new art movement in post-independence Morocco in 1960s and 1970s.
The exhibiton is among the three new shows that opened at Abu Dhabi’s Cultural Foundation. The exhibition comprises of his paintings, graphic art, sculpture, interior design models and archival material. Chabaa’s paintings are often gestural and geometric, marked by angular lines and vibrant shapes. In his later works, he also experimented with minimalist works that borrowed from various calligraphic styles. During his life, the artist also worked as a muralist, graphic designer, critic and writer.
This exhibition at the cultural Foundation coincides with the group exhibition, Murals of History, which includes works by 15 artists from the UAE. The third exhibition, From Cinderella to Sindbad: German and Arab Timeless Tales, focuses on the flow of knowledge and cultural exchange between Germany and the Arab world.
In a statement, Reem Fadda, the director of Cultural Foundation said that the trio of exhibitions “aims to present exhibitions and programmes that build and expand upon our visitors’ existing notions of art history especially from the region and contemporary cultural practices”. She added that visitors will be able to see an “artistic vision that came to define the post-independent cultural awakening in Morocco” in Chabaa’s retrospective, as well as see the contemporary styles of UAE artists in Murals of History and “discover the ways in which disparate cultures can exchange ideas and knowledge through the medium of stories” through From Cinderella to Sindbad.
All the exhibitions, which run until September 20, are also available as virtual galleries online.