MASCARÓ MAKES HIS DEBUT IN THE UAE WITH FLEET OF 27 IRON AND BRONZE BOAT INSTALLATIONS

EXHIBITION RUNS FROM 4 MAY – 4 SEPTEMBER, 2016; ARTIST TALK TO TAKE PLACE ON 4 MAY

Famed Spanish sculptor Xavier Mascaró makes his UAE debut at Warehouse421 with the exhibition Departure that presents an installation of 27 iron and bronze boats. The exhibition will be open to the public on 4 May, with Mascaró presenting a public talk on his artistic ideals and inspirations, as well as his interest in Abu Dhabi and its pertinent history.

Hailed as one of the world’s leading Spanish contemporary sculptors, Mascaró will present an exhibition of boats made from rusted iron and oxidised bronze, with an 18 meter life-size ship out at the front entrance and 26 boats in different sizes taking up the indoor gallery space. The works touch on ideals of Abu Dhabi’s traditional relationship as a historical port-city through the visual and textual components that refer to the sea, trade and histories - words which are significant and synonymous to the capital emirate.

In addition to the works on display, Warehouse421 aim to take visitors on a behind-the-scenes journey into Mascaró’s studio. The exhibition will include a selection of his drawings, models, and interviews that demonstrate the artist’s process of creation. As a tribute to the UAE’s ancestry of sailing, sea trade and maritime antiquity, Departure will also present traditional Emirati poetry and imagery about the sea, where excerpts will provide insight into the sailors’ emotions of traveling, the longing, reuniting, and the mystery of the unknown out at sea, to his community back home.

“The identifiable themes in the exhibition are of passage, mobility and the sea which are acutely relevant to the port-city of Abu Dhabi and the Mina Zayed,” says Mascaró. “Over the years, the UAE has ensured and created a strong industry in trade, fishing and pearling that have supported the community for years. The boats, and this exhibition, is a true testament to the history of the sea and this city.”

As an organic addition to ‘Wednesdays at the Warehouse’, this exhibition will be supported by a specially curated edition of the programme throughout the summer and for the duration of the show, with workshops and poetry readings.

“Mascaró’s dedication to the art making process and enthusiasm to discuss his craft with the public, highlights Departure as a key event presented by Warehouse421 to further engage the audience and heighten all aspects of the exhibition experience,” says Khulood Al Atiyat, Arts, Culture and Heritage Manager, Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation. “We hope, as we do with all our activities at Warehouse421, that cultural enthusiasts of all ages, will engage with this exhibition and attend the complimentary programming to further their appreciation and awareness of art.”

The current exhibition Lest We Forget: Emirati Family Photographs 1950-1999, is ongoing until 18 June, 2016.