What We Left in the Sandbox: Two Emirati women reimagine childhood through art in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi: Somewhere in your childhood there is a white plastic chair. It sat on a balcony, in a garden, at the edge of a beach. It was meant for sitting, but you probably never sat on it properly. You stacked it, tipped it over, and turned it into a den, a boat or a throne. If you were unlucky, it snapped under you. Reem Al Mubarak's exhibition 'What We Left in the Sandbox', those chairs come…
In Abu Dhabi, a unique exhibition titled "What We Left in the Sandbox" showcases the childhood memories of Emirati artist Reem Al Mubarak through imaginative art. The show, presented at Rizq Art Initiative, features aluminum chairs cast from her childhood experiences and invites viewers to reflect on their own memories. Reem spent a year studying the science of sand, collecting samples from across the UAE and observing its properties under a microscope.
This research is reflected in the exhibition's color palette, with tones ranging from pale to golden hues. At the heart of the exhibition is a towering sandcastle, which towers above the visitors and invites them to explore its inaccessible windows, evoking a sense of wonder and nostalgia. Visitors are encouraged to interact with the artwork, touching the bubble wrap and playing with the metal puzzle, which depict a cherished childhood memory with Reem's grandfather.
The exhibition challenges traditional notions of art by allowing visitors to touch, alter and engage with the pieces, blurring the line between the creator's vision and the viewer's personal memories.
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