Ali Shawwa

In this series of abstracted immersions, Shawwa engages with an intermix of nature, memory and the subconscious, all pulled by gravity. With an instinctive understanding of colour and texture, he paints in layers that are both obscuring and revealing. Through this processes, Shawwa creates an idea of uncharted dreamlike atmospheres.

In his Superimposed series, Shawwa weaves the dualities between portraits and the natural world, infusing them together in search of balance and a relationship between the tangible and the imagined.

He creates an alternative moment where the still figurative portraits are superimposed with living creatures and wild flora and fauna, that have become a prominent expressive motif throughout his work.

Shawwa’s interplay of contrasting colors and subtle reflective metallic elements give a sense of movement and stir emotions.

Unintentionally inspired while watching a classic Arabic film, the ‘iconic’ collection focuses on pop culture. Shawwa developed a particular style based on superimposing layers of precision and an impulsive handling of materials that led to a widely successful series of paintings.

Gossip is part of the fabric of oral culture, rooted in tradition and exists through communication, relation and repetition. It is the art of weaving fact and fiction into little stories.

Shawwa’s latest series of paintings and sculptures are part of a contemporary statement collection entitled ‘Gossipers’, where he attempts at exploring the integral role this interaction has played as an evolutionary and cultural human connection.

Visually rooted in the Arab world, the Gossipers collection centers around a string of huddled figures in abayas and coffee cups in their laps, leaning towards and away from one another, conversing, story-telling, reciting poetry, sharing recipes and filling the air with murmur of secretive whispers.

Whilst each figure is unique, displayed together, they form a collective series that interact with each other. The flowing lines are inspired by the evocative and dynamic profiles of Arabic Diwani calligraphic script. The gossipers' fluidity of form imply a subtle sense of motion.

This collection sprang from a series of pencil sketches, large paintings, and natural clay sculptures - the latest form is a result of countless digital design optimizations, full scale 3D printed sculptures.

“Gossip is almost instinctive, and we all succumb to its temptation. However, it’s not necessary malicious, but is often seen to serve a positive social role within communities. It’s therefore self-intent that sets us apart.”

Staying true to his practice of using textures and multiple materials to tell a story, this is Shawwa's attempt at recognizing the integral role the act of gossiping has played as an evolutionary and cultural human connection.

First introduced at Dubai Design Week in 2017, Shawwa's series of hand-molded ceramic sculptures, glazed in natural materials and colors, explore the notions around the act of gossiping. Arranged from a pair of two to an endless string of gossipers, each figure owns its identity through shape, markings and a name, whilst playing a part in forming a connected collective.

Shawwa translates the concept visually by instilling strong Middle Eastern characteristics to his collection of gossiping figures - from the rippling sand dune inspired texture of the abayas, to handheld Arabic coffee cups in their laps. Whilst each piece is unique, the figures seem to huddle and interact with each other that seem to conjure up murmurs that fill the air.

Comfortably contoured, the silhouette of the sculptures is carefully composed to be evocative and intriguing from all angles.

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“Some of the most exciting innovations this year include Ali Shawwa's crumpled ‘Gossipers Sculptures’ at Abwab...which seem
to interact, the clear glaze enhancing the naturally grainy properties of the clay, symbolic of sand dunes." - CANVAS MAGAZINE

“An intermix of traditional and contemporary with contrasting colors, textures, and layers, Shawwa’s work, entitled ‘Gossipers Sculptures’ explores the role this type of oral communication has played in defining the evolution of the human race and its culture." - DUBAI DESIGN WEEK

“The centrepiece of Shawwa’s new show are sculptures that exemplify the kind of artist that will hold forth in the years to come — one who is on the intersection of fine arts and humanity.” - GULF NEWS

“One of the high points of Dubai Design Week was Ali Shawwa’s ‘Gossipers Sculptures’, which considered Middle Eastern characteristics from sand dunes, abayas and Arabic coffee cups.” - THE GULF TODAY

Following the success of Gossiping Sculptures presented at Abwab pavilion during the 2017 Dubai Design Week, Ali Shawwa further developed and cultivated a new form to explore this theme.

In his true style, Shawwa has brought together the contrasting traditional theme and contemporary materials and technology, yet the essence of the artwork and characteristic of each gossiper remain intact.

The new Gossipers 3D collection comprises of 3D printed sculptures, coupled with the complex curvature of each individual figure, the hi-gloss surface is exposed as a unique, richly textured, and subtly reflective. They can be huddled in groups or set interdependently, embedded in either private or public spaces - both indoor and outdoor. Even when separated, they are interlinked by an invisible strand of oral communication.

In order to maintain a low, stable center of gravity and to structurally support some of the figures' dramatic cantilever, the artist manipulated the thickness of the sculptures’ abayas, creating a considerably unique sectional profile. This provides the required strength, stability, and balance, while adding visual interest to the overall form.

Shawwa’s new collection is a series of limited edition pieces, produced in collaboration with Immensa Labs in the UAE - the country’s first and largest 3D printing facility.