Collaboration with Hashel El Lamki in Abu Dhabi

The past week I travelled to Abu Dhabi for a collaboration project with local artist Hashel El Lamki. Hashel and I met in 2012 in Amsterdam, where we became instant friends and temporary roommates. After not seeing each other for 8 years we decided to work together on his new project. We intended to shoot the project in Los Angeles in oktober 2019 together with fellow artist & friend Brandon Simmoneau. Unfortunately we weren’t able to get a green light for American visa’s and decided to do the project in the United Arab Emirates. Home of El Lamki. Hashel and I worked together in his studio on the video installation screensaver that is part of his first solo exhibition The Cup and the sorcerer. The exhibition will open the first weekend of march at the Warehouse421 Gallery and is curated by Munira Al Sayegh. It will run until the end of summer and during Art Dubai 2020. 

This was my first visit to the Gulf area and I will travel back for the exhibition opening in the beginning of march. The UAE has a lot of dualities and structures I find very interesting and I would like to learn more those in future (longer) visits.  The best thing about traveling and collaborating abroad is meeting new people. Talented and kind people who planted seeds of inspiration and friendship in my heart and mind. I can’t wait to go back. 

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