Art Radar interviews Hamra Abbas about her life, how she goes about creating her art, and her recent work which incorporates her solo exhibition Bodies at Lawrie Shabibi that will run until 10 November 2016.
Abbas talks about what influences her pieces and how color, religion, and her multicultural background among other conditions and aspects play a role in determining what the artwork will be. When questioned about the role of religion and spirituality in her work Abbas explains she 'does not see religion only as a body of doctrine.' In her view, 'religious material culture, symbolism, and gestures are all open to multiple interpretations.'
Abbas's oeuvre is reflected upon and examined in the article, her use of different mediums to achieve her final product is also considered. Her Barakah Gifts (2016) when compared to that of Kaaba Pictures (2014) both of which reference souvenirs bought by pilgrims during the Hajj pilgrimage, echo the impact of religion, color and moreover the use of different mediums to convey the same sentiment. She feels ' liberated in working across different mediums to express the shifting registers of meaning on the time and space continuum.'
