Convergence of contemporary art

Exhibition of four artists opens in Dubai today


An exhibition of paintings by four well-known contemporary artists will open today at the One & Only Royal Mirage, Dubai. Iranians Abbas Dargi, Nima Petgar and Djalal Shabahangi and Sudanese artist Abdoul Wahab M. Nour have different styles, but what unites them is their exceptional skill in their chosen media and their creativity.

"Together these artists represent a broad spectrum of art ranging from abstract to classical figurative drawings," says Marjan Soleimani (Masoumi), who has organised the exhibition in collaboration with the Teheran Museum of Contemporary Art. The paintings will be on display in the Al Montazah Room from 8 to 11pm today and from 4 to 10pm tomorrow and Wednesday.

Born in Sudan, Abdoul Wahab M. Nour studied Fine Arts in Khartoum. He has held exhibitions around the world and his paintings are part of many private collections. A long time resident of the UAE, he has not lost touch with his roots. His paintings depict the women of his country. The artist's women do not have feet; they seem to be rooted in Mother Earth. Victims of war, they struggle to make ends meet in refugee camps; but the bright colours of their garments, the lovingly depicted details of their rustic jewellery, their shapely silhouettes and their proud stance lend the paintings a joyful and uplifting quality. Abdoul Wahab has used watercolours, sand, crushed stones and leaves to express his dreams and hopes for a better future for his country.

Nima Petgar comes from an artistic family. After initial training with his father, well-known Iranian artist A. Petgar, he studied sculpture and ink drawing from the Rome Academy of Fine Arts.

During his last exhibition in Dubai, his classic Roman style watercolour and gouache paintings were much appreciated by art aficionados in the UAE. This time Petgar is exhibiting a series of ink and charcoal sketches of human figures that are startling in their intensity and emotional depth.

In sharp contrast to these black and white figures are Djalal Shabahangi's colourful landscapes. A graduate from the California State University, Shabahangi teaches art at the University of Teheran. His oil paintings depict mountains, sand dunes and forests in bright hues of reds, blues and greens. Through his eyes nature acquires an exaggerated beauty that is at once pleasing and thought provoking.

The other end of the art spectrum is represented by the abstract paintings of Abbas Dargi. Born in the desert area of Zabol in eastern Iran, the artist is fascinated by the ever changing sand dunes and the solitude of the desert. His watercolour paintings, done in soft pastels capture effectively the movement of sand storms, the radiance of the desert sun as well as the tranquillity of the desert.

Exhibition

• Artists: Iranians Abbas Dargi, Nima Petgar and Djalal Shabahangi and Sudanese artist Abdoul Wahab M. Nour.

• Venue: Al Montazah, The One & Only Royal Mirage, Dubai.

• Dates: 8 to 11pm today and from 4 to 10pm tomorrow and Wednesday.