Frieze 91 members are invited to a studio visit with Artist Farah Al Qasimi.
Working primarily with photography, video and performance, Farah Al Qasimi (b. 1991 Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) examines postcolonial structures of power, gender and taste in the Gulf Arab states.
Al Qasimi studied photography and music at Yale University in 2012 and received her MFA from the Yale School of Art in 2017. Dividing her time between Dubai and New York, Al Qasimi has integrated her practice as a social critique and observation of the layered aspects of each place indirectly. Through her bold and vibrant photographs, she explores the unspoken social norms and values embedded in a place, a moment or an object. Her thought-provoking images act as an invitation for the viewer to sense the unspoken boundaries that govern the scenes which they catch a glimpse of.
Al Qasimi’s recent works challenge the viewer to consider their own understanding of reality, aspiration, individuality and the reflected image. In series such as 'Funhouse', Al Qasimi demonstrates her skill with mise-en-scene in photographs that are richly detailed, evoking a tromp-l’oeil effect, which are at turns delightful, delirious and disturbing. Elsewhere, the artist creates works that confront commonplace notions of figurative photography and portraiture. Her recent commission with Public Art Fund, 'Back and Forth Disco', was on view at 100 bus shelters in New York City in 2019–20 and comprised of works offering a distinct representation of a subject without allowing the viewer full access to the person, highlighting the unique qualities that determine individuality and capturing the diverse essence of New York City.
Most recently, Farah had her first UK solo exhibition at Delfina Foundation, which was on view during Frieze Week in London. Her work is currently on view in the Permanent Collections Galleries at Tate Modern, London, through November 2024, and in the group exhibition “Going Dark: The Contemporary Figure at the Edge of Visibility” at the Guggenheim Museum, New York, through April 7, 2024.