Farah Al Qasimi

Al Qasimi’s photographs can be disorienting at first glance. Faces and gestures are often obscured, in scenes alive with vivid colours and gentle moments of intimacy. Taken in New York City and Abu Dhabi, her images of cross-cultural life navigate the connections between colonial history, contemporary identity, and consumer culture. Playfully overlapping narratives from past and present, Al Qasimi explains, ’the photographs have a confusing sense of geography that indicates that you are in a lot of complex places… whether they’re immigrant communities in the U.S. or signifiers of colonial influence in West Asia.’

The artworks shown here offer glimpses into private moments in the homes and workplaces of Al Qasimi’s family and friends, detailing local communities and small businesses in New York and Abu Dhabi. The images explore the enactment of gender roles in society, as well as the enduring legacy of British and Portuguese colonial influence in the United Arab Emirates. Al Qasimi also captures the dizzying effects of digital consumer culture through saturated colours and shimmering textures. Multiple forms of image-making layer upon each other, extending here to the vinyl wallpapers which animate the photography and video work.

By blurring visual cultures, geographic references and societal norms, Al Qasimi questions our understanding of place and familiarity in an increasingly interconnected and hybrid global society.

Research supported by Hyundai Tate Research Centre: Transnational in partnership with Hyundai Motor.