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GALLERY WARD – DUBAI – AHMED KASSIM’S “THE HIVE”

GALLERY WARD – DUBAI – AHMED KASSIM’S “THE HIVE”

Syra Arts’ sister gallery: Gallery WARD in Dubai is currently showing the highly anticipated solo exhibition THE HIVE, featuring a series of commissioned artwork by the contemporary Egyptian artist Ahmed Kassim. From 29 January – 7 March, art aficionados are invited to discover the unique satirical style used in Kassim’s vibrant canvas paintings, reflecting the socio-political culture in Egypt today. 

By definition, a beehive is an enclosed structure in which bee colonies live, raise their young and create and store their food. Typically a hive is a metaphor for a very tightly packed group of cells. They tend to be densely populated and swarming with activity. Throughout history, beehives have been commonly used as a symbol for many things. 

In this exhibition, the curator brings forth the idea of the hive as a metaphor for everyday life, within a given physical space, over a period of time. The artist, Ahmed Kassim has therefore created this series of acrylic on canvas paintings with his personal culturally specific interpretation of this highly charged concept.