Fragility and Resilience marks Ayesha Sultana’s first comprehensive solo exhibition in the GCC. The show is an exploration of the delicate balance between the vulnerability and strength of our planet today. Challenging the conventional binaries that separate concepts of the fragile and the resilient, Sultana proposes that fragility can be a form of strength while encompassing profound vulnerability. This thematic exploration is particularly pertinent in the contemporary world as social, ecological and personal upheavals continually test the limits of sustainability.
Featuring a diverse array of artworks that includes the first-ever unveiling of Sultana’s hand-blown glass sculptures, the exhibition presents newly made oil paintings, watercolour on Japanese silk tissue, works on clay-coated paper, and her past photographic explorations. It also offers a rare glimpse into Sultana’s creative process through the inclusion of her sketchbooks, diaries, in-progress artworks and an unfinished video.
Fragility and Resilience is designed to guide viewers through a journey of discovery and reflection. The exhibition is divided into three sections, each gently transitioning into the other. Visitors can fully engage with the unique qualities and thematic nuances of each body of work while experiencing the show as a cohesive whole.
To enhance the visitor experience and deepen the engagement with this exhibition’s themes, Ishara Art Foundation will host a series of public programmes that include artist talks, guided tours and interactive workshops.
Artworks in this exhibition have been loaned from the collection of the Samdani Art Foundation, the collection of Prateek and Priyanka Raja, the collection of Akshay Chudasama, and the Ishara Art Foundation and the Prabhakar Collection.
The exhibition has been generously supported by Barclays Private Bank and Carl F. Bucherer.
Logistics supported by Experimenter.
Image: Ayesha Sultana, Detail of Inhabiting Our Bodies (2024). Image courtesy of the artist
