Crude

Crude is the first collective exhibition at the Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai’s first contemporary arts space. The exhibition, curated by Murtaza Vali, revolves around oil and features the work of 26 artists from the Arab world and elsewhere. Designed with Hatem Imam and Ayla Kekhia while working at Studio Safar, we conceived the exhibition design and scenography as an intrinsic extension of the exhibition. Materiality was critical in coining the approach to the design. Looking at oil and its irridescent nature, we experimented with materials and focused on the most fascinatingly diverse byproduct of oil: plastic. Our contribution is political and environmental by shedding light on plastic, its byproduct and our compounded use of it.