Layers of Meaning

Mohamed Abou El Naga explores layers and dimensions in "Woven Relations," opening today in Qatar.

 It was while standing before a 19th century Iranian carpet exhibited behind glass that Mohamed Abou El Naga began to contemplate the connections between the reflected layers of his image, superimposed on the glass that separated the carpet from him.

http://www.Abouelnaga.com

He realized that the woven object could be understood as a symbol of the Islamic-Persian civilization. The carpet was indexical of its time and place, carrying with it the presence of its creators whose skilled craftsmanship employed long hours of extensive manual labor. The moment of literal reflection on the glass’s surface inspired in Abou El Naga an uninhibited unison with the object. He began investigating these interconnections between the carpet and its reflections by photographing a number of subjects in front of it; his aim being to represent what, to him, was an ideal culture, one where the woven fragments exist or are created.

Today, Abou El Naga's work goes on display in Doha, Qatar. Entitled "Woven Relations," the artworks featured explore a wider cultural, human and civilizational dimension, delving into regions of aesthetic and productive human cooperation.

Woven Relations • Katara Cultural Village, Building 5 • Doha, Qatar • 7pm to 8:30pm