Alia Zaal's 'In Plain Sight' at Gallery Isabelle Explores Perception and Memory

Emirati artist Alia Zaal's first solo exhibition at Gallery Isabelle, 'In Plain Sight,' follows her 2024 group show participation. Based between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Zaal focuses on fleeting natural encounters, using leaves, branches, and light to reflect on seeing and remembering. The exhibition spans paintings, works on paper, fabric, and ceramic tiles. 'Sunday Afternoon' (2026) features frond veins against a blush-pink background. 'Beyond Time' (2023) comprises seven framed ceramic tiles. 'Biarritz Evening' and 'Biarritz by Night' (both 2026) show blurred foliage. 'Through his Eyes' (2026) translates her father's color-differentiation-limited perception. 'Ghaf Memory in Biarritz' (2026) depicts ghaf leaves, the UAE's national tree. 'Mushrif Mist' (2026) is an illuminated lightbox evoking Mushrif Parks. 'Afternoon in Al Jubail' and 'Sunset in Al Jubail' (both 2026) reference Abu Dhabi's Jubail Island. Zaal engages with Ibn al-Haytham's 11th-century 'Kitab al-Manazir' and uses smartphone images as digital references. The exhibition runs until 15 September.