The first institutional solo exhibition by Italian-Lebanese artist Cristiana de Marchi, who has been based in Dubai since 2006, was completed at the Maraya Art Centre, a non-profit creative project run by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq).
The exhibition provided a summary of her previously unexhibited works. She is well known in the area for her curatorial, editorial, and poetic work. It brought to light her artistic work, which contrasts conceptions of individuality with communal sensations of belonging to nations and nationalities and is based on labor-intensive compositions addressing subjects of global relevance.
The exhibition’s title, Finer: A thread… in the Swell of Wandering Words, was inspired by a line from the 1955 publication of the poem Speak, you too by German-Romanian poet Paul Celan. One of the most influential poets writing in German after World War II was Celan.
The artist elevated needlework, repositioning it as a highly adaptable and cutting-edge artistic medium in its own right. Needlework is frequently connected to the feminine domestic and crafts-based realms. The minimalist and frequently monochromatic aesthetic of the paintings gave them a contemporary feel.
The art of Cristiana de Marchi also springs from a deep-seated cry for justice and equality. They talk about fundamental human rights, international law, and the situations in which they are granted or denied, all while upholding moral principles.
The exhibition, which was organised by Cima Azzam of the Maraya Art Centre, included a public programme, video documentation, and illustrated catalogue.
The bilingual publication was written in Arabic and English and included an introduction by Dr. Nina Heydemann, director of the Maraya Art Centre, an essay by Jill Magi, associate arts professor at New York University Abu Dhabi, a Q&A with the artist in conversation with independent art editor and writer Nadine Khalil, a curatorial statement by Azzam, and a description of de Marchi’s stitching technique by the artist herself.