In his first major solo exhibition in the UK, Moroccan-born artist Soufiane Ababri is taking over the Barbican’s Curve gallery (13 March–30 June). His work seeks to challenge and reconstruct traditional notions of identity, sexuality and intimacy by centring the experiences of both Western and non-Western queer communities around the world. As well several new drawings, the show features the Arabic letter Zayin hand-painted on the gallery’s curving wall. When spoken, the sound of the letter recalls a slur used against gay men; its inclusion represents an act of reclamation by Ababri, a queer Arab man. Though the exhibition speaks of the continued impact of homophobia on the LGBTQ+ community, it also celebrates resistance through an exploration of music and dance as a means of finding joy and liberation. Find out more from the Barbican’s website.
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La réparation from the Bedwork series (2023), Soufiane Ababri. © the artist
Men in the sun from the Bedwork series (2023), Soufiane Ababri. Photo: Rebecca Fanuele; © the artist
Between two paragraphs of Oscar Wilde’s reading from the Bedwork series (2023), Soufiane Ababri. Photo: Rebecca Fanuele; © the artist