Address:
WH 5, 4 19 Street, Al Khayat Avenue, Al Quoz
Working hours:
Monday – Friday 12 PM – 8 PM
Saturday & Sunday by appointment only
Schedule a private viewing:
+971501886034
info@inlocogallery.com
WH 5, 4 19 Street, Al Khayat Avenue, Al Quoz
Working hours:
Monday – Friday 12 PM – 8 PM
Saturday & Sunday by appointment only
Schedule a private viewing:
+971501886034
info@inlocogallery.com
Karim Jabbari
VERTICAL HORIZON / 361 DEGREES
by Karim Jabbari
LOCATION
Alkhayat Avenue, Al Quoz industrial – 1,
19th Street, Dubai, UAE
19th Street, Dubai, UAE
Dates
January 29 — May 30, 2025
Hours
Monday – Friday 12 pm – 8 pm
Saturday & Sunday by appointment only
Saturday & Sunday by appointment only
Inloco Gallery's third season reflects vanishing urban landscapes and their nostalgic echoes. The opening project, VERTICAL HORIZON / 361 DEGREES, explores the theme Lost Tradition through an art intervention, live performance, and Karim Jabbari’s solo exhibition.
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Art Intervention in Al Satwa by Khalil Abdulwahid and Karim Jabbari
The first element of the project is the Al Satwa art intervention, led by contemporary artists, Khalil Abdulwahid and Karim Jabbari, explored the intersection of tradition and modernity within Dubai's urban fabric. The artists reflected on the inside/outside gaze upon the fading historic neighborhood, engaging in a dérive — an unplanned exploration of the urban landscape. During the course of days, they immersed themselves in street life and local conversations, intentionally seeking out traces of lost ways of living, while documenting their practice.
The project is guided by Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFarès, a Lebanese typographer, writer, researcher, graphic designer, lecturer, and design consultant from Beirut.
Inloco is committed to exploring and celebrating authentic urban environments. The art intervention in Al Satwa draws inspiration from a 2024 project by Emirati urbanist and scholar Dr. Khaled Alawadi, which highlights the cultural significance of traditional alleyways, sikkak, as hubs of social interaction and community life.
Learn more →
The project is guided by Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFarès, a Lebanese typographer, writer, researcher, graphic designer, lecturer, and design consultant from Beirut.
Inloco is committed to exploring and celebrating authentic urban environments. The art intervention in Al Satwa draws inspiration from a 2024 project by Emirati urbanist and scholar Dr. Khaled Alawadi, which highlights the cultural significance of traditional alleyways, sikkak, as hubs of social interaction and community life.
Learn more →
Photographer: Grigoriy Yaroshenko
KHALIL ABDULWAHID
Emirati visual artist based in Dubai, specializing in painting and video. He began his artistic journey under the mentorship of the late Hassan Sharif and has since exhibited both regionally and internationally. His works have been showcased at prestigious exhibitions, including FotoFest International “View From Inside” (USA/Abu Dhabi, 2014–2015) and “Portrait of a Nation” at the Abu Dhabi Festival (2016).
KHALIL ABDULWAHID
Emirati visual artist based in Dubai, specializing in painting and video. He began his artistic journey under the mentorship of the late Hassan Sharif and has since exhibited both regionally and internationally. His works have been showcased at prestigious exhibitions, including FotoFest International “View From Inside” (USA/Abu Dhabi, 2014–2015) and “Portrait of a Nation” at the Abu Dhabi Festival (2016).
DR. KHALED ALAWADI
Associate Professor of Sustainable Urbanism, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi.
DR. KHALED ALAWADI
Associate Professor of Sustainable Urbanism, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi.
HUDA SMITSHUIJZEN ABIFARES
Founding Director of the Khatt Foundation and Khatt Books publishers in Amsterdam. As a designer, scholar and curator, she specializes in Arabic/multilingual typographic design and Arab design history.
HUDA SMITSHUIJZEN ABIFARES
Founding Director of the Khatt Foundation and Khatt Books publishers in Amsterdam. As a designer, scholar and curator, she specializes in Arabic/multilingual typographic design and Arab design history.
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Curatorial Text
Solo show by Karim Jabbari
The second element of the project is an exhibition at Inloco Gallery featuring works created by Karim Jabbari during his residency in Dubai, continuing the main theme of the project — Lost Tradition. Additionally, a special series of artworks unveiling the Al Satwa intervention will be featured.
The exhibition invites viewers to engage with Arab poetry from Jabbari’s father’s library through hand-written calligraphy, objects, and photo-documentation of his light calligraphy performances, reclaiming calligraphy as a communication and cultural preservation tool.
The exhibition invites viewers to engage with Arab poetry from Jabbari’s father’s library through hand-written calligraphy, objects, and photo-documentation of his light calligraphy performances, reclaiming calligraphy as a communication and cultural preservation tool.
Sincere and vortical, Karim Jabbari’s art bridges the gap between lost ancient traditions and modern times. At the heart of this project lies Jabbari’s personal narrative. Born in Tunisia and shaped by the experience of global migration, he discovered his heritage through an old library of ancient Arab manuscripts preserved by his father. These manuscripts became the foundation for his calligraphy practice and an essential self-identification tool, connecting him to his roots and inspiring his artistic journey.
“Vertical Horizon / 361 Degrees” raises questions about how roots can remain relevant in a world of perpetual transformation while addressing shifting perceptions of historical artefacts — what we deem valuable or irrelevant — across time. The featured artworks invite viewers to engage with Arab poetry from Jabbari’s father’s treasured library. Presented through hand-written calligraphy pieces, objects, and photo-documentation of Jabbari’s light calligraphy performances, the exhibition reclaims the original purpose of calligraphy art: as a tool for communication, preservation, and the transmission of knowledge across generations.
Grounded in ancient writing methods, Jabbari's practice explores the intersection of calligraphy and modern artistic mediums. Through a dynamic interplay of old and new, “Vertical Horizon / 361 Degrees” illuminates the layered, fluid, and often contradictory nature of “tradition” and “heritage,” reminding us that the past continues to shape and resonate deeply within the present.
“Vertical Horizon / 361 Degrees” raises questions about how roots can remain relevant in a world of perpetual transformation while addressing shifting perceptions of historical artefacts — what we deem valuable or irrelevant — across time. The featured artworks invite viewers to engage with Arab poetry from Jabbari’s father’s treasured library. Presented through hand-written calligraphy pieces, objects, and photo-documentation of Jabbari’s light calligraphy performances, the exhibition reclaims the original purpose of calligraphy art: as a tool for communication, preservation, and the transmission of knowledge across generations.
Grounded in ancient writing methods, Jabbari's practice explores the intersection of calligraphy and modern artistic mediums. Through a dynamic interplay of old and new, “Vertical Horizon / 361 Degrees” illuminates the layered, fluid, and often contradictory nature of “tradition” and “heritage,” reminding us that the past continues to shape and resonate deeply within the present.
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DATE: January 29
TIME: 7 PM
Light Calligraphy Performance and Video Art Screening
The third element of the project is an immersive opening performance featuring a collaboration between Khalil Abdulwahid and Karim Jabbari, showcasing the results of their artistic intervention in the Al Satwa neighborhood Jabbari’s analog and light calligraphy comes to life in real-time, projected alongside Abdulwahid’s video art documenting their intervention in Al Satwa.
Accompanied by vocal and musical improvisation by Faisal Salah (FACESOUL), this immersive experience bridges tradition and modernity in a multi-sensory celebration.
Accompanied by vocal and musical improvisation by Faisal Salah (FACESOUL), this immersive experience bridges tradition and modernity in a multi-sensory celebration.
Artist CV
Website
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Author
KARIM JABBARI (b. 1978, Tunisia) is a renowned Tunisian calligraphy and light artist known for blending traditional Arabic script with contemporary light art.
Jabbari’s art has been showcased globally, with permanent pieces in prestigious institutions such as the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Centre in Kuwait, the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in Saudi Arabia, and the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies in Riyadh. He has participated in major international events, including the First Islamic Biennale in Jeddah and the Dubai Calligraphy Biennale. His large-scale projects, like the longest mural in North Africa in Kasserine and the illuminated minaret in Sousse, Tunisia, highlight his commitment to celebrating Arabic calligraphy in public spaces. Recognized among the Top 30 Public Artists by the International Award for Public Art (IAPA), Jabbari continues to push the boundaries of calligraphy through light, movement, and spatial engagement.
As the founder of the Streets Urban Festival in Tunis, Jabbari remains dedicated to preserving and reimagining cultural identity within contemporary urban contexts, inviting audiences to experience the poetic intersection of tradition and innovation.
Jabbari’s art has been showcased globally, with permanent pieces in prestigious institutions such as the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Centre in Kuwait, the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in Saudi Arabia, and the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies in Riyadh. He has participated in major international events, including the First Islamic Biennale in Jeddah and the Dubai Calligraphy Biennale. His large-scale projects, like the longest mural in North Africa in Kasserine and the illuminated minaret in Sousse, Tunisia, highlight his commitment to celebrating Arabic calligraphy in public spaces. Recognized among the Top 30 Public Artists by the International Award for Public Art (IAPA), Jabbari continues to push the boundaries of calligraphy through light, movement, and spatial engagement.
As the founder of the Streets Urban Festival in Tunis, Jabbari remains dedicated to preserving and reimagining cultural identity within contemporary urban contexts, inviting audiences to experience the poetic intersection of tradition and innovation.
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