Zayn Qahtani on Angels, Rituals, and Sumerian Death

Bahraini artist Zayn Qahtani explores the interplay between conscious and subconscious through ancient spiritual contexts. His solo exhibition 'Angels in Purgatory' at Vitrine Gallery in London used the Nephilim myth as a metaphor for the descent into the shadow self. Qahtani draws from polytheistic and Abrahamic religions, emphasizing matriarchal societies of the ancient Middle East, particularly Dilmun (old Bahrain). Works reference goddesses like Inanna and Ishtar. In the group show 'Dreamers Eye' at Arusha Gallery in Edinburgh, he told autobiographical stories inspired by dreams. For a show in Greece with Hekate Studios' KIRKI projects, he created works around tamata (votive offerings), linking to Sumerian funerary steles. Qahtani uses natural and recycled materials: handmade paper from date palm leaves by an elderly Bahraini woman, pigments from crystals like lapis lazuli (symbolizing purity) and amethyst (for the shadow self), and bioplastics mimicking metal. He made his own lapis pigment from his mother's broken stones. His upcoming solo show at Cromwell Place in London with Hunna Art and An Effort will focus on Sumerian death rituals, viewing death as a new beginning.