Symphoniae

Elizabeth Dorazio, Aquarii, 2016

Opening to the public on June 7, Symphoniae is an exhibition of the latest body of works by Dubai-based, Brazilian artist Elizabeth Dorazio

Press Release

The NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery is pleased to announce the next show at its auxiliary venue, The Project Space. Opening to the public on June 7, Symphoniae is an exhibition of the latest body of works by Dubai-based, Brazilian artist Elizabeth Dorazio.

Symphoniae revolves around the creation of harmony from disparity, the simple juxtaposition of objects in each artwork performing the function of weaving together what is apart. The works of Symphoniae, hovering between sculpture and craft, evoke a kind of permanent movement, arising from the dynamic interactions between their disparate but complementary parts.

Dorazio employs the temperamental medium of egg tempera alongside more popular art techniques. Al-khous palm frond weavings, crafted by Emirati Bedouin women, spiral throughout the work, forming the basic backdrop across which dance other elements, some crafted, some appropriated. The eclectic components of Symphoniae both invite a multiplicity of interpretations, and raise the question of what it means to “cannibalize” other cultures. By appropriating materials that were constructed by the hands of others, Dorazio has incorporated these other voices into her works.

"I work with layers, much as a geologist works with layers. Or how an anatomist works with layers. My layers peel away, to reveal. They overlap, narrating new formations…I am interested in layers beyond mere artistic technique. To me, layers are accumulated memory, history, time. My practice is driven by the twin urges to deconstruct and to reconstruct. Recently, these layered works present a bi-cultural appropriation linking popular handicraft techniques of Bedouin women in the UAE, my current home, with vessels, iconic shapes and folk crafts, mainly from the Brazilian countryside of my youth."

Artist Elizabeth Dorazio

Symphoniae opens to public at 7:30 pm on Thursday, June 7 with a reception in The Project Space.

The Project Space is managed by the NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery team, and housed within the campus’ Arts Center. It is dedicated to exhibitions generated by the communities in and around NYU Abu Dhabi, including the annual Capstone Festival, faculty exhibitions, and projects by artists based in the UAE. Its mission is to provide a non-commercial platform for experimentation and exploration.

Symphoniae

Elizabeth Dorazio
June 7 – 23, 2018
The Project Space, NYU Abu Dhabi (inside the Arts Center)
Saturday – Thursday, 3 – 10 PM


About NYU Abu Dhabi

NYU Abu Dhabi is the first comprehensive liberal arts and research campus in the Middle East to be operated abroad by a major American research university. NYU Abu Dhabi has integrated a highly selective undergraduate curriculum across the disciplines with a world center for advanced research and scholarship. The university enables its students in the sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities, and arts to succeed in an increasingly interdependent world and advance cooperation and progress on humanity’s shared challenges. NYU Abu Dhabi’s high-achieving students have come from over 115 countries and speak over 115 languages. Together, NYU's campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai form the backbone of a unique global university, giving faculty and students opportunities to experience varied learning environments and immersion in other cultures at one or more of the numerous study-abroad sites NYU maintains on six continents.