Installation view of Form and Rhythm (2025), Sotheby's Dubai. Courtesy of Sotheby's Dubai and Lawrie Shabibi.
Form and Rhythm is an exhibition presented by Lawrie Shabibi at Sotheby’s Dubai, scheduled from March 12 to May 7, 2025. This exhibition is part of The Gallery Collective, a unique two-year partnership between Sotheby’s Dubai and the UAE’s homegrown galleries, which launched in November 2024 with a rotating calendar of exhibitions. Form and Rhythm explores the convergence of contemporary and Islamic art, featuring an intergenerational group of artists who incorporate geometric abstraction and traditional crafts into their practices.
The participating artists include Hamra Abbas, Mehdi Moutashar, Farhad Ahrarnia, Timo Nasseri, Mohamed Melehi, Nabil Nahas, Shaikha Al Mazrou, Shahpour Pouyan and Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim. Form and Rhythm highlights how these artists navigate and reinterpret the rich traditions of Islamic art within a contemporary context, fostering a dialogue between heritage and modernity.
The exhibition will showcase a diverse array of mediums, such as ceramics, cut stone and glass works, Mughal-inspired hard stone inlay, Persian micro-mosaic, paintings, and silkscreens. Each artist brings a unique perspective to the theme, contributing to a dynamic exploration of form, rhythm, and tradition in the modern world.
Sotheby’s Dubai gallery is open to the public Monday to Friday from 10am to 6pm. The Gallery Collective will also be accompanied by a free series of talks. For more details and to stay updated with the full schedule of exhibitions and events, visit www.sothebys.com/Dubai.
Participating Artists:
Hamra Abbas (Pakistani, b. Kuwait, 1976). Known for her versatile use of media, Abbas often reinterprets culturally significant imagery and traditional crafts, creating works that challenge perceptions and explore cultural narratives.
Mehdi Moutashar (French/ Iraqi, b. Hilla, Iraq, 1943). Moutashar has spent much of his artistic career in France. His work lies at the confluence of Western geometric abstraction and Islamic aesthetic traditions, creating radical, open, and fragmentary forms that are constantly shifting.
Farhad Ahrarnia (Iranian/British, b. Shiraz, 1971), Ahrarnia employs techniques like embroidery and inlay to explore the intersection of traditional Persian craftsmanship with contemporary themes, examining cultural identity and globalization.
Timo Nasseri (German/Iranian, b. Berlin, 1972). Nasseri’s practice is deeply rooted in geometry, mathematics, and Islamic architectural elements, creating sculptures and installations that reflect on form, rhythm, and the infinite.
Mohamed Melehi (b. Asilah, 1936, d. Paris, 2020). A pioneering Moroccan modernist, Melehi is celebrated for his vibrant paintings and silkscreens that blend Islamic art motifs with contemporary abstraction, notably his signature “wave” motif.
Nabil Nahas (Lebanese/American, b. Beirut, 1949). Nahas incorporates geometric patterns and natural forms, drawing inspiration from Islamic art and the natural world to create textured, abstract compositions.
Shahpour Pouyan (Iranian, b. Isfahan, 1979). Pouyan’s work often references historical architecture and weaponry, using ceramics and other media to comment on power structures, identity, and cultural heritage.
Shaikha Al Mazrou (Emirati, b. 1988): Considered among the most dynamic artists of her generation in the UAE, Al Mazrou’s sculptural experimentations express materiality, articulating tension and the interplay between form and content. She combines contemporary artistic movements focused on formal and material elements, from color theory to geometric abstraction.
Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim (Emirati, b. 1962): A member of the UAE’s first generation of contemporary artists, Ibrahim’s work is inspired by his lifelong relationship with the environment of Khorfakkan. His practice encompasses installations, drawings, and objects, often reflecting his deep connection to his local landscape.
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SOTHEBY’S DUBAI
Sotheby’s Dubai was officially launched by the global auction house in March 2017. The gallery is located in the heart of the Dubai International Financial Centre, at Gate Village Building 3. The company hosts a programme of year-round events, including selling and non-selling exhibitions, events and talks reflecting the spectrum of Sotheby's international sales and extensive client services.
