Moroccan artist Soufiane Ababri’s new commission, Their mouths were full of bumblebees but it was me who was pollinated, explores questions of desire, queerness, and diaspora.
For his first solo exhibition at a major UK institution, Moroccan artist Soufiane Ababri transforms The Curve into a new site-specific work. Encompassing drawing, performance, and set design, his work challenges the dominance of Western narratives in queer history.
This immersive installation will see the length of The Curve hand-painted to highlight how the gallery’s shape reflects the Arabic letter Zayin (ز) – the first letter of the word ‘zamel’, a derogatory term for gay men – whose buzzing sound is used to harass members of the queer community. Including a new suite of drawings that explore diasporic queer experience, Ababri’s commission is an exuberant and poignant act of reclamation that works to subvert architecture, language, and histories.
| Duration | 13 March 2024 - 30 June 2024 |
| Times | Daily 11am—7pm |
| Cost | Free |
| Venue | Curve Gallery at Barbican Centre |
| Address | Barbican Centre Silk Street , London, EC2Y 8DS |
| Contact | 2076388891 / art@barbican.org.uk / http://www.barbican.org.uk/ |