MOORE CONTEMPORARY announces the inaugural and exclusive Australian showing of The Dogs, by Abdul-Rahman Abdullah. Following its presentation across New Zealand in the exhibition Dark Horizons, The Dogs will be installed in MOORE CONTEMPORARY for Summer. This remarkable installation brings together the decorative glamour and abundance of light in glass chandeliers offset with the visceral and dark energy of three carved dogs, each realised with Abdullah's exceptional technical facility.
Reuben Friend, author and curator of Dark Horizons, writes:
The Dogs presents an individual contemplation on issues relating to migration and multiculturalism in Western colonial nations such as Australia and New Zealand. Through a process of personal introspection, Abdullah sheds light on our own complicity in contributing to the economic, environmental and political conditions afflicting our international neighbours.
The Dogs features a room full of ornate chandeliers floating above the gallery floor. Through the soft haze of refracted light a pack of black dogs appear, seemingly frozen in mid-flight with teeth bared and ears at full attention. It is unclear whether the dogs in this scene are in pursuit of a target or are fleeing danger themselves, creating a surreal, dream-like feeling that is at once both wondrous and nightmarish.
Abdul-Rahman Abdullah has significant insight into the cultural, political and religious anxieties of both Anglo-Australian and migrant-Australian communities. While identifying strongly as a Malay-Australian, he is often ‘othered’ because of his name and Muslim identity. This dynamic sits at the heart of The Dogs installation, being a potent contemplation on the often inhumane treatment of Muslim migrants and asylum seekers as sub-human. The work prompts us to look deeper into these issues and into our own hearts, to consider more critically our cultural context and those of our international neighbours.
The Dogs will be on view from Saturday 1st December 2018 until February 2019
Abdul-Rahman Abdullah lives and works in a rural environment outside of Perth. Since graduating from Curtin University in 2012 he has fast established a presence in many local and national exhibitions with a catalogue of finely conceived works that explore the different ways that memory can inhabit and emerge from familial spaces. He often draws upon the narrative capacity of animal archetypes, crafted objects and the human presence.
Abdullah aims to articulate physical dialogues between the natural world and the agency of culture. While his own experiences as a Muslim Australian of mixed ethnicity provide a starting point, Abdullah seeks to define shared understandings of individual identity, new mythologies and marginalised outlooks.
His work is held in various collections including Artbank, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Art Gallery of South Australia, Wesfarmers and notable private collections. He is a current board member of Perth Institute of Contemporary Art.
