Pascale Marthine Tayou's First UAE Exhibition Opens at Cultural Foundation
Pascale Marthine Tayou presents 'LOBI LOBI', his first exhibition in the United Arab Emirates, at the Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi. The show addresses colonialism, migration, consumerism, and waste through playful, colorful assemblages. A massive upside-down cone made of plastic bags, 'Plastic Bags', dominates the main hall, referencing the climate crisis and the UAE's upcoming COP28 and 2024 plastic bag ban. 'Arbre de Vie' features crystal masks on a dead tree, symbolizing spirituality and community. The exhibition includes works from the past decade, newly adapted for the space. A parallel children's exhibition, 'BOBO LAND', runs until 1 November. 'LOBI LOBI' continues until 26 November.
Key facts
- Pascale Marthine Tayou's first UAE exhibition is at the Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi.
- The exhibition is titled 'LOBI LOBI', meaning 'yesterday, today and tomorrow'.
- A major work, 'Plastic Bags', is an upside-down cone of colorful plastic bags, enlarged for this show.
- The UAE will host COP28 in 2023 and plans a single-use plastic bag ban in 2024.
- 'Arbre de Vie' is a sculpture of a real dead tree with crystal African masks.
- Tayou describes the tree as a 'hotel for the spirits of the ancestors'.
- The exhibition includes pieces from the past decade, some newly iterated.
- A children's exhibition 'BOBO LAND' runs until 1 November.
Entities
Artists
- Pascale Marthine Tayou
Institutions
- Cultural Foundation
Locations
- Abu Dhabi
- United Arab Emirates
- Dubai