Disappearing Tense

In a series of collages consisting of fabric, crystals, colored ink on paper and glitter, Al Banna fathoms time as a third material with which he processes the work. Using textiles of traditional female clothing in the UAE, he harks back to the halcyon days of his childhood in tow with his grandfather who took him on boat rides to an old souk where he experienced the rush of the country’s robust international trade for the first time. Today, as the country experiences rapid growth and modernization, he questions the place of tradition in contemporary contexts by reviving elements of the past that are on the brink of extinction. In this nonlinear memory lane manifested in his orbicular Disappearing Tense, there is no premediated structure and improvisation is his modus operandi. The artist conjures up the memories then uses his hands or scissors to shred the fabric and attach his formations onto the wooden base. He relinquishes agency and let’s matter express itself.