Ayyam Gallery is pleased to host and curate this year’s University of Sharjah annual CFAD faculty and alums exhibition. The exhibition entitled Nostalgia and features works by Ahed Al Kathiri, Brian Gonzales, Hala El Abora, Kawthar Alshurafa, Lina Elmalik, Muatasim Alkubaisy, Mohamed Yousef Alhammadi, Nada Abdallah, Nourbanu Hijazi, Thaier Helal, Tor Seidel, and Unaiza Ismail.
“Remembrance of things past is not necessarily the remembrance of things as they were." — Marcel Proust.
Nostalgia stems from the Greek words Nostos and Algos, meaning ‘return’ and ‘suffering’ respectively. It carries a personal yearning for the past with varying shades of pain, sadness, and wistfulness.
Artworks selected for this exhibition reflect their authors’ personal preoccupation with remembrance that is both actual and perceived. Artists’ and designers’ interpretations of Nostalgia reveal the complexity of their reflections on their pasts, whether in images, events, or fleeting feelings. A few captured childhood stories or lamented memories of their homeland, while others reaffirm their identities and investigate rapidly fading practices.
The exhibition features works by Ahed Al Kathiri, Brian Gonzales, Hala El Abora, Kawthar Alshurafa, Lina Elmalik, Muatasim Alkubaisy, Mohamed Yousef Alhammadi, Nada Abdallah, Nourbanu Hijazi, Thaier Helal, Tor Seidel, and Unaiza Ismail.
Nadia M. Alhasani, PhD
Professor and Dean, College of Fine Arts and Design , University of Sharjah
Professor and Dean, College of Fine Arts and Design , University of Sharjah