Hudood: Rethinking boundaries

Hudood, a collaborative exhibition led by SOAS students at the SOAS Gallery, is set to take place from 1 July - 21 September 2024. 

The exhibition introduces contemporary art from the Barjeel Foundation, with a focus on the overarching theme of "Boundaries" as both a subject and a tool for meaningfully accessing a diverse array of art from the SWANA region. Delving into the profound implications of walls and borders on artistic expression, the exhibition prompts the question of whether it is the artist's perspective that ultimately transcends these boundaries.

In this context, "Boundaries" are examined as tangible, concrete realities impacting the region, as well as abstract yet potent constructs of the mind, shaping both the artists' works and their biographies. 

The exhibition encompasses a wide spectrum of topics, ranging from sculptures crafted using asphalt sourced from physical borders to reflections on the limitations and opportunities in accessing the past through the archive.

Hudood positions itself as an invitation to engage in various discourses, seeking to be accessible to the general public, the student body of SOAS, and experts in the field alike. Beyond showcasing artworks, the exhibition critically reflects on the very approach and boundaries inherent in the curatorial practice of the student-led collective. 

In doing so, it aims to offer fresh perspectives and innovative ways of representing contemporary art from the SWANA region within the gallery space.

Among the featured artists in this exhibition are Mahrous Abdau, Helen Zughaib, Kamal Boullata, Mona Hatoum, Zaha Hadid, Ahmed Mater, Ammar Al Attar, Lateefa bint Maktoum, Farah Al Qasimi, Reem Al Ghaith, Hayv Kahraman, Manal Al Dowayan, Susan Hefuna, Rachid Koraichi, Nedim Kufi, Maha Mahmoun, Latif Al Ani, Mohammad Abla, Abdel Abidin, Fouad Elkhoury, Bashar Hroub, Taysir Batniji, Charbel-joseph H. Boutros, Abdulnasser Gharem, Laila Shawa, Ganzeer, Lamia Gargash, Mohsin Harraki, Batoul S’himi, Anuar Khalifi, Amina Saoudi, Kader Attia, Nadia Ayari, Aicha Haddad, Khaled Jarrar, Walid al Wawi, Serge Najjar, and Larissa Sansour.