IN PARTNERSHIP: For all the art enthusiasts, HSBC is now showcasing a rare opportunity to enjoy exclusive artworks at its first international exhibition at Abu Dhabi Art Fair.
Selected from more than 4,000 works of art, the exclusive display has been carefully curated by Amnah Al Ghanim, co-founder of Menat Contemporary. Titled The Evolving Self, the exhibition is taking place until November 24, 2024 held in the HSBC Collection Space at Abu Dhabi Art Fair, Manarat Al Saadiyat.
Presenting five diverse, yet cohesive works, this one-of-a-kind exhibition encourages visitors to consider the human experience across borders, while highlighting the global nature of the collection itself. Bringing together the works of Omar Ba, Mandy El Sayegh, Makiko Kudo, Lucia Laguna, and Jadé Fadojutimi in an exploration of how self-identity is shaped, each artist offers a distinct perspective on the perpetual fluidity of the self in the wider context of culture, memory, environment, and history.
“All of these artists have broken new ground as they paved the way in their careers, and their art works have strong messages behind them,” says Al Ghanim.
While shedding light on diversity, each piece is united by a theme of connection and self-identity in a globalised world. Comprising five trailblazing artists with authentic voices, the exhibition represents HSBC’s global footprint and underscores its commitment to meaningful connection with the local art sector, and to opening up a world of opportunity for its multi-faceted communities.
By growing year after year, HSBC’s first art acquisition has amplified since 1923 to currently having a count of more that 4,000 works of art.
Daniel Lancaster, Global Art Manager for HSBC, said, “This marks an exciting moment in the 101-year history of the HSBC art collection, as it’s the first time that our works will be shown in the Middle East.”
The pieces on display shed light on the following.
Featuring White Grounds (The Sun), by Mandy El-Sayegh
The artist was was born in Malaysia, having later spent her early childhood in Sharjah, UAE, before settling in the UK at a young age. Having a Chinese mother, her background is referenced in her works, with integrates diverse media including her own drawings, found materials, newspaper and magazine scraps, her father’s calligraphy and occasionally Chinese characters
The Adorning Self, by Jadé Fadojutimi
This British Nigerian artist, refers to her paintings, often monumental in scale, as emotional landscapes. Her colourful paintings portrays emotion, identity and a continuous quest for self-understanding. Japanese culture, and particularly artist Maikio Kudo, has been a significant influence in her work. Jadé is the youngest artist ever to be acquired for the Tate permanent collection.
Champ de Riz a Kidal (Rice Field in Kidal), by Omar Ba
Senegalese artist Omar Ba emphasises the tension between history and contemporary identity in his mixed media paintings, with imagery open to interpretation. Humanity’s fraught relationship with the natural world is a recurring theme within his work, which often includes African symbolism and social and political motifs.
Paisagem, by Lucia Laguna
Brazilian artist Lucia Laguna’s works celebrate the lush ecosystems found in her home country. Her paintings and collages demonstrate her keen observations of her surroundings in Rio de Janeiro’s sprawling North Zone, where the favelas inform her depiction of the relationship between environment and identity. HSBC acquired this work during Laguna’s first UK show, at the age of 83, recognising the artwork’s international appeal and the artist’s gift for speaking to people across the world.
Becoming a Field, by Makiko Kudo
The artists pieces are identified through expressive brushwork, vivid colours, and nostalgic motifs in surreal landscapes. The social context of growing up in Japan and themes of childhood are central to Kudo’s oeuvre, blurring boundaries between memory and history. Exploring quiet tensions, Kudo’s paintings investigate the coexistence of melancholy and peace, youth and maturity, reality and imagination, and invites viewers to reflect on how identity is formed and transformed.
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Images: Supplied & Feature Image: Supplied
