Sophia AL MARIA, "Tender Point Ruin"

Sophia AL MARIA, "Tender Point Ruin".

Sophia AL MARIA, "Tender Point Ruin".

Sophia AL MARIA, Tender Point Ruin, 2021

📍Exhibition Prelude - La Mécanique Générale, Luma Foundation, Arles

▪️ iDzia Installation: Video Projection with Multichannel Sound

Sophia AL MARIA, "Tender Point Ruin"

Tender Point Ruin by Sophia Al Maria focuses on ancient Arabic poetry, collective history, and an assemblage of exquisite cadaveric moments. The artwork immerses the viewer in a universe where ancient Arabic poetry, collective history, and strange beauty converge. The artist delves into universal themes such as memory, destruction, and resilience, weaving connections between the past and present through evocative images and haunting sounds.

This video installation, supported by a multichannel sound system, highlights the tensions and ruptures within Arab culture while exploring visual and auditory metaphors. The work reveals images that feel both ancient and contemporary, depicting scenes of destruction, transformation, and resilience. The combination of video projection and sound creates a unique sensory experience that immerses the viewer in a space where time seems suspended, and history is constantly being reinterpreted.

Ancient Arabic poetry lies at the heart of this installation, with Al Maria using it to resonate with modern themes, such as the search for meaning in an ever-changing world. The artist invokes symbols of ruin, loss, and reconstruction, while paying homage to the richness of Arab culture and its timeless echoes. The video projections blend scenes of destruction with elements of fragile beauty, creating a poignant and unsettling contrast. The sound design amplifies the emotional impact of the work, with sounds that traverse the space and envelop the audience.

Tender Point Ruin can be seen as a reflection on the fragility of civilizations and cultures in the face of the forces of time and history. The piece encourages reflection on notions of preservation and erasure, while inviting contemplation on cultural heritage and how we integrate it into our present.

From June 26, 2021, to January 9, 2022@luma_arles // @idzia_audiovisuel // @yamaha_proaudio_official // @epsonfrance // @brightsign

Through this installation, Sophia Al Maria invites viewers into an immersive and contemplative experience that transcends temporal and cultural boundaries to address universal and deeply human themes.