Artists turn the villa into a repository of art and reflection

An eponymously titled art project, ‘The Villa’, has been launched at Villa p86 in Emirates Hills, Dubai (Dec. 10-13). Curated by Mojgan Endjavi Barbe and co-curated by Hiba Farhat, the project is managed by Nina Bashirian. Artists taking part are Salem AlShamsi, Clara Choi, Amir Farhad, Charlie Koolhaas, Nikolay Koshelev, Filippo Minelli, Yana Mann, Camelia Mohebi, Leila Rostami, and Hadeel Subahi.

Salem AlShamsi is a self-taught artist and lawyer based in Abu Dhabi. Besides full-time legal practice, he also teaches law at Sorbonne University. “His creative practice reflects a unique intersection of structure and imagination, bridging his legal expertise with artistic exploration,” says the curatorial team. Two of his artworks, Claim 5 and Claim 8, perhaps reflect his judicial background. South Korean artist Clara Choi is seized by the sheer joy of travel and the places she has lived in and seen. In turn playful and introspective, her paintings invite viewers to undertake their own journeys and meditate on the spaces they inhabit.

Art on display at The Villa.

Born in Tehran, Amir Farhad is a painter, sculptor, and designer. He investigates the links between childhood and creativity through colours often inspired by advertisements. Charlie Koolhaas’ immersive landscapes examine global urban culture and are places you can enter and explore; it is where flat images are folded into three-dimensional structures, offering infinite perspectives. Her ‘Dubai Desert’ and ‘Dubai Yin Yang’ (both in UV print on Aluminium Dbond) indicate her familiarity with the region.

Nikolay Koshelev’s practice draws on influences from Japanese Edo painting, Russian symbolism, and post-internet aesthetics, among others. Mythology, history and contemporary culture are seamlessly merged by him, resulting in compelling viewing. Filippo Minelli is a contemporary Italian artist whose work reinterprets space. Analysing it from political, communicative and geographical perspectives, through installations and performances documented via photography and video, he focuses on the interplay between geography and human experience.

Yana Mann merges with the art.

For Camelia Mohebi, art has to give a sense of self-worth and healing to the viewer. Integrating art therapy and healing modalities, she explores themes of self-discovery, transformation, and spiritual renewal. Her work spans painting, mixed media, and sound art and she highlights the emotional, transformative and therapeutic power of art. Leila Rostami presents the harmony between the natural world and the human spirit. “Her vivid palette evokes dreamlike atmospheres, inviting viewers into serene landscapes that offer a respite from the everyday,” say the curators.

Dubai-based Sudanese architect and paper artist Hadeel Subahi is the founder of FoldLab, where origami meets lighting meets architecture, and, in The Villa exhibition, music. Blending architectural principles with the art of origami, Subahi creates intricate, powerful works that radiate strength even in a miniature scale. She presents Egyptian musical legend Umm Kulthum, King of Sudanese Jazz Sharhabil Ahmed and Iranian nightingale Googoosh, who seem to burst out of their origami folds through the sheer power of their musical talent. Her sculptural works, seen in the ‘Hadu Lamps’, explore materiality and mechanics.

Making a special appearance was singer, songwriter and multidisciplinary artist, Yana Mann. A fearless explorer of musical genres ranging from the classical to opera and heavy metal, she brought her multifaceted artistry to The Villa. Besides composing a sound installation that played in the exhibition space, she sang a song that was melodious and haunting: it was an instant hit with the audience. Yana also wore clothes imprinted with Charlie Koolhaas’ photography, perfectly personifying the union of sound, visual art and fashion.

Artists and art supporters at The Villa.

“The Villa brings together artists to explore the villa as both myth and reality — a timeless space where art, history, and imagination converge,” say the curators. “The exhibition reflects on the villa’s dual role as a sanctuary for contemplation and a site of artistic creation, bridging the tension between personal retreat and cultural expression.” They further note that the villa is rooted in the ancient Roman ideal of otium. Otium is an abstract term which has a variety of meanings, including leisure time for self-realisation activities such as contemplation and academic endeavours. The concept originally expressed the idea of withdrawing from one’s daily business or affairs to engage in activities that were considered artistically valuable or enlightening (Wikipedia).

“The villa endures as a space that inspires reflection and innovation,” conclude the curators. “(Here), through painting, photography, sculpture, installation, and performance, the artists respond to the villa as both an architectural form and an ideological construct, offering fresh interpretations of its enduring significance.” For them, as indeed for the artists, “the sun had poured into the villa. It was as though the very air whispered: Rest. Heal. Dream.”