IT'S DANGEROUS TO GO ALONE! TAKE THIS by Bassam Al-Sabah
IT'S DANGEROUS TO GO ALONE! TAKE THIS
2 December 2022 - 5 March 2023
Opening Night: Thursday 1 December, 6pm - 8pm.
The Douglas Hyde is delighted to present a commissioned solo exhibition by artist Bassam Al-Sabah in Gallery 1.
In IT’S DANGEROUS TO GO ALONE! TAKE THIS, Bassam Al-Sabah transforms the gallery into a fantasy dreamscape embracing the shape shifting potential of computer animated worlds with a series of new sculptural works and a new CGI film at its centre. Al-Sabah builds a world in which selfhood and queer possibility intersect, where multiple intersectional “glitches” occur within the body, gender, within internal and external worlds and ever-present technology. These glitches, a form of discontent and unravelling, push and challenge preconceived narratives and habitual perceptions of masculinity, taking viewers through a spellbinding journey of metamorphosis and fluidity.
Al-Sabah’s hyper-synthetic glitched aesthetic is at times seductive but often disconcerting and eerie, creating unique worlds of subtle storytelling full of visual and conceptual juxtapositions. Across the film and sculptures, the viewer experiences scenes of destruction and decay against scenes of resilience and rebirth. The world created by Al-Sabah is a gateway to engage, reflect and imagine new ways of looking and thinking about how we live and experience the digital and real world.
Bassam Al-Sabah works across digital animation, painting, sculpture and textiles creating visions of resistance, transformation and queer possibility. His work is part of collections in IMMA and the Arts Council amongst others. In 2021 he received the Golden Fleece Award. He is a studio member at Temple Bar Gallery + Studios.
Campus Location
The Douglas Hyde Gallery
Accessibility
All levels
Category
Ongoing event
Type of Event
Exhibits
Audience
Researchers,Undergrad,Postgrad,Alumni,Faculty & Staff,Public
Contact Name
The Douglas Hyde Gallery of Contemporary Art
Contact Email
Accessibility
All levels
Cost
Free