Dr. Omar Kholeif brings together 20 years of research and experience in his curation titled My Life in the Metaverse
Photo provided
Leading art experts focus on virtual worlds as they tackle discussions around NFTs and blockchain technology as they curate the Gateway exhibition My Life in the Metaverse at Manarat Al Saadiyat.
Writer, curator, broadcaster and cultural historian Dr. Omar Horeif’s interdisciplinary exhibition spans a variety of media including sculpture, painting, photography, installation, video, NFT, and simulations guided by Dr. Horeif’s alter ego. includes a trip of Dr. O
Organized by Abu Dhabi Arts, the fair will run from 16 November 2022 to 22 January 2023.
Dr. Kholeif is Collections Director and Senior Curator at the Sharjah Art Foundation. He was previously a guest curator at his art galleries section in Abu Dhabi for his three years from 2017 to 2019. He returns to Abu Dhabi art with a large-scale exhibition exploring the history and aesthetics of digital culture.
Photo provided
“It is the culmination of nearly 20 years of my research and experience into My Life in the Metaverse, hoping to unlock the possibilities of the freewheeling techno world. It’s conceived as the first chapter in a series of projects exploring sexuality,” said Dr. Koleif.
My Life in the Metaverse features works by internationally renowned artists, many of whom will present new commissions and works never before seen in the UAE.
Artists include Sophia Al Maria, Cory Archangel, Cream Projects, Simon Denny, Celia Hempton, Paul Heyer, Haroon Mirza, Farhad Moshiri, Trevor Paglen, Nam June Paik, Heather Phillipson and Andy Warhol.
Among the array of artwork featured is Trevor Paglen’s magnificent sculpture, Standard Head (2020). This reconstructs the equations of his 1960s CIA agent Woody Bledsoe for a typical human head. Nam June Paik’s His TV Buddha (1974-2002), a Buddha statue looking at his own image on a television screen set to an infinite loop, reflects the birth of the aesthetics of selfie culture, and is inspired by Any Warhol’s It exists alongside a selection of Polaroid photos.
Hempton’s paintings explore the culture and forms of surveillance, while multidisciplinary arts collective Cream Project unveils a new commission. Too Many Humans (2022-ongoing) has been reimagined by corporations as a metaverse. Simon Denny also presents new his NFT paintings.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com
