Ramzi Mallat's 'Atlas of An Entangled Gaze' at Leighton House

Leighton House in London will present 'Atlas of An Entangled Gaze', a site-specific installation by Lebanese multidisciplinary artist Ramzi Mallat, from 21 March to 13 May 2026. This is Mallat's first institutional commission in the UK and inaugurates the museum's 'The Arab Hall: Past and Present' programme, part of Leighton House's 100-year anniversary. The installation features a suspended canopy of thousands of luminous blue ceramic 'eyes' above the Arab Hall's fountain, drawing on the Syriac evil eye charm and Islamic craft traditions. The work uses chainmail-like techniques inspired by Medieval Ottoman Islamic helmets and forms an elevated cylindrical mashrabiya aligning with the hall's central dome. It engages with the Arab Hall's architecture, materials, and layered histories, creating a dialogue with the Damascus tiles and mosaics. Mallat describes the work as a threshold between histories and geographies, addressing contemporary anxieties of visibility and protection. The Arab Hall was created by Victorian artist Frederic Leighton in 1881 after his travels across North Africa and the Middle East. The programme includes three commissioned installations, a short film, an exhibition, and a publication.