Summer exhibition explores chaos and conversation

An exhibition exploring chaos and conversation opened this week at H1 Art Gallery in Muscat.
Titled “Whirlwind”, the exhibition brings together the works of prominent Omani artists Tariq al Hajri and Mohammed al Attar, also known as Mimoon Art.
Bashair al Balushi, an artist and Artistic and Cultural Advisor at H1 Art Gallery, said the exhibition aims to combine different artistic mediums.
“The exhibition combines photography and sculpture, two different worlds, but the challenge is to merge them and make them harmonious,” she said.
According to al Balushi, the exhibition’s title refers to the “overwhelming chaos” artists channel through their work, reflecting their inner turmoil, which is then presented to audiences within the gallery’s tranquil and orderly environment.

Indeed, “Whirlwind” lives up to its name. Its distinct artworks may, on the surface, appear to lack a common theme. Yet they are united by their ability to evoke conversations.
Speaking to the Observer, conceptual visual artist Tariq al Hajri said he is exhibiting seven works across three mediums.
“I’m exhibiting work across three mediums: film photography, film photography combined with digital illustration, and standalone digital illustration. It’s my first time experimenting with this kind of mixed media,” he said.
Although his works explore concepts that are not directly connected, the 31-year-old artist said one piece, “Awadem ”, directly reflects the theme of “Whirlwind”.
Printed on canvas, the digital illustration brings together multiple versions of Al Hajri in a dreamlike composition.

“‘Awadem’ is based on a phrase I’ve heard throughout my life from family, friends and society: ‘What will people say?’ That question stayed with me because I cared so much about other people’s opinions,” he said.
“It became something that constantly echoed in my mind. Eventually, I started asking myself: What about what I think?”
While creating the illustration, Al Hajri realised that the people whose opinions he feared were different reflections of himself.
“They were different versions of myself reflecting all those imagined opinions. I photographed myself in different poses as references, then used them to build the final illustration,” he explained.
“You can’t identify exactly who is judging you because those voices become blurred together. That’s what ‘Awadem’ represents to me.”
When asked what he hoped visitors would take away from his work, Al Hajri answered simply: “Conversation.”

“I intentionally chose not to include detailed explanations beside the artworks. I wanted visitors to engage with them, ask questions and have conversations,” he said.
“For me, art is an icebreaker. It’s a way of sharing my perspective while also learning how other people interpret the same ideas. Those conversations help me evolve both as an artist and as a person.”
Similarly, “Where I Belong” by 34-year-old artist Mohammed al Attar invites visitors to think about home and belonging.
“There is always this urge to find the feeling of home, while we ourselves carry a home within us,” Al Attar said.
The installation features five identical sculptures presented in different colours, reflecting the varied experiences that shape each person.
“The concept is how we build homes within ourselves and how we feel at home in places, people and things,” he explained. “The sculptures are identical, but appear in five different colours because each one of us comes from a different history, background and psychological build.”
For Al Attar, the installation’s ability to inspire different interpretations is part of its power.
“A conversation can begin when we all look at the same thing differently, yet each interpretation remains valid in its own way,” he said. “When an artwork opens up a conversation or raises a question that everyone interprets differently, I see that as a major form of success.”
The exhibition will run for three weeks, with visiting hours from 9 am to 8 pm, at H1 Art Gallery in the Jawharat Al Shatti Complex in Muscat.
Readers can follow the artists on Instagram at @tariqalhajri and @mimoon_art .