Ibraaz

How does one explore the notion of homeliness in a place like to Dubai that is in constant flux, to say the least? In a context of hyper urban-transformations and people continuously moving in and out of the city, one may argue that the sense of rootedness and continuity are under threat and that this situation shapes how residents, long-timers, locals and guests alike function on a daily basis within the urban space. Aware of such questions, Lantian Xie's curatorial premise for 1497, a cleverly titled group exhibition at the Green Art Gallery, draws from Xie's artistic inquiry into belonging, ghostliness and imagined places. Featuring a series of works, from an installation to a print publication, the show provides a post-colonial sensitivity into the multiplicity of homely imaginaries. Tracing shared sentiments, across geographies, around the highly charged space of 'home', it follows ghostly bodies in fragile, historical and contemporary contexts.