Mohamed Abla: Earthly Treasures

“Through Earthly Treasures I bear witness to the healing and uplifting qualities of plants. Through my artistic interventions I invest cacti with human feelings and capabilities, moving them to a higher frequency and alternative realms, where their power might become palpable.”

-Mohamed Abla, 2021

This three-month exhibition marks Abla’s fifth solo show with Tabari Artspace. Channelling Abla’s unique optimism the aim of this presentation is to capture imaginations and unite generations through the artist’s mesmeric world. 

The body of work comprises a selection of mixed media collages, in varying scale, that orbit around the spirit and healing properties of plant life, particularly the cactus. Abla dislodges the cactus from its geographic fixtures and unleashes it into new otherworldly realms. For Abla the cactus is both a source of healing energy and a mythical entity, it spirals out from the desert, breaking away from traditional colour codes and structures into surreal and unexpected settings. In Earthly Treasures, the cactus, morphing into fluid forms, glows against the night sky and appears from the bottom of the ocean ushering into question:  “What planet are we on?”