Dubai, February 14 (BNA): With the end of Expo 2020 Dubai drawing to a close, the Bahrain pavilion at the Expo “Opportunity to Weave Density” will display its third and final exhibition during February and March under the title “Telling History”.
The exhibition displays the richness of civilized culture on the land of Bahrain, starting with the Dilmun civilization 5,000 years ago and up to the present day.
All items from the artworks and others in the exhibition are inspired by artifacts discovered in different areas of the Bahrain islands.
These pieces tell the stories of ancient civilizations, represent historical records written in the ancient Sumerian language, drawings and abstract forms of myths and tales that have survived through time and reached us in the modern era, and constitute a vital aspect of Bahraini cultural identity.
This exhibition comes within the activities of the National Pavilion, which displays installations inspired by textile crafts, and provides the site with a general atmosphere depicting an important aspect of Bahrain’s rich history and heritage.
The first part of the exhibition is an installation artwork titled “The Transience” by Bahraini artist and designer Hala Kaiksu, which explores the context of time in canvas. The slow stitch is hand sewn in its full length of 24 meters and is hung on the roof of the National Pavilion. The artist took 344 hours of manual labor.
The composition is of two colors: indigo (dark blue), a natural plant pigment dating back to ancient Mesopotamia, and a warm gray color. These colors gained importance in the installation works because they reflect the relationship between land and sea that characterizes Bahrain.
The second part of the exhibition is the work of artist Natalie Jung entitled “Dilmun’s Cabinet of Curiosities: Intertwined Stories”.
It consists of a series of installations within a larger facility, made of various objects illustrating four separate accounts based on the ancient civilization of Dilmun, believed to be modern Bahrain.
The artist collaborated with many craftsmen and designers in Bahrain to create these works inspired by four stories, namely: The Story of Enki and Ninhursaj, The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Story of Elie Ibasra and His Daughter, and The Story of Tiamat.
Each story is presented in an embroidered image, with the wonderful things on display adding to its narrative.
The woven items showcase the various skills and craftsmanship of the textile and textile arts rooted in Bahrain, while the composition of other items range from humble to precious materials.