Almaha Jaralla's 'Seham' Explores Abu Dhabi's Transformation Through Family Archives

Tabari Artspace presents 'Seham,' the debut solo exhibition of Emirati artist Almaha Jaralla, featuring mixed-media works on canvas that reimagine portraiture through architecture and personal archives. The series draws from Jaralla's family photographs taken in Abu Dhabi during the 1980s, a period of rapid urban and social change in the Gulf. One painting depicts the Al Maqtaa Bridge, built in 1968 as the first link between Abu Dhabi Island and the mainland, symbolizing connection between past and present. Jaralla uses unconventional canvases made from traditional Yemeni men's garments called Maawaz, originating from Aden, to foreground Yemeni heritage. The exhibition title 'Seham' translates to 'arrows' in Arabic and also honors the artist's aunt, whose Fuji camera documentation created the family archive. The red filter of that camera informs Jaralla's palette, alongside hues from desert landscapes, regional fashions, and 1980s UAE architecture. The gallery will be transformed into an immersive space for contemplation. Jaralla highlights pre-digital communal bonds and intergenerational ties, contrasting with contemporary individualism. The show runs at Tabari Artspace in Dubai.