NARRATIVES OF COLORS

Cultural Memory and Modern Identity Intersect at Stal Gallery’s Summer Exhibition

Stal Gallery & Studio has officially opened its annual summer exhibition, Summer 2025: The Contemporary Perspective, inviting the public into a vibrant conversation about Oman’s evolving artistic identity. The exhibition, which runs until August 31 at the gallery’s space in Madinat Al Sultan Qaboos, Muscat, showcases works by seven Omani artists—each exploring the complex intersections of memory, place, and personal expression.

The exhibition draws from a wide palette of mediums and artistic approaches. From abstract painting and mixed-media installations to textile-based pieces and narrative collages, the works reflect a deeply personal yet collectively resonant engagement with the past and present.

Exhibition explores a cultural moment where Oman’s past and present are in constant dialogue. Each artist brings a distinct emotional frequency, shaped by their materials and their relationship to identity, memory, and landscape. Together, their voices build a mosaic that speaks not only to the soul of the region but to the universal impulse to preserve and reinterpret who we are.

Among the featured artists is H.H Sayyida Afra Talal Al Said, whose work is being exhibited at Stal Gallery for the first time. Her debut marks a significant moment, not only in her personal artistic journey but within the larger context of contemporary art in Oman. In Shades of Oman, H.H Sayyida Afra Talal Al Said introduces a series of mixed-media paintings that blend traditional Omani fabrics with the natural motif of palm frond shadows—a familiar sight across the Omani landscape. The layered textures, subtle color palettes, and fabric integrations offer a meditative experience for the viewer. Drawing from her deep connection to nature and the textures of local life, her works move between the physical and the emotional, between what is seen and what is remembered.

H.H Sayyida Afra Talal Al Said use of materials is intentional and symbolic. The textiles speak to cultural heritage, while the soft interplay of shadow and color creates a contemplative atmosphere. Her technique offers a quiet, almost spiritual rhythm. Sayyida Afra paints not only what she observes, but what she holds within—memories, landscapes, and emotions filtered through texture and tone.

Also featured is Anwar Sonya, a pioneering figure in Oman’s contemporary art scene. Known for his bold, expressionist style, Sonya revisits the traditional bullfighting rituals of Mussanah, translating the raw energy and cultural symbolism of these events into powerful, color-saturated canvases. His work serves as a visual archive, capturing a tradition that is both visceral and deeply rooted in Omani heritage.

Idris Al Hooti contributes a quietly nostalgic series titled Mutrah Memories, portraying the subtle textures of Muscat’s historic district—palm trees silhouetted against fading buildings, quiet streets imbued with memory. His brushstrokes carry a sense of longing, inviting viewers to reflect on spaces that are disappearing or transforming with time.

In contrast, Omani artist Hassan Meer — a pivotal figure in the country’s contemporary art scene, with exhibitions both locally and internationally — presents a series of deeply personal impasto paintings that explore themes of identity and metaphysics. Works such as Father and Son and Omani Women Gathering use thick, expressive strokes to convey themes of family, collective memory, and spiritual continuity. Meer’s art often delves into the unseen—the emotions and cultural threads that bind generations together.

Suha Salim, an emerging voice in the Omani art scene, introduces a new cubist-inspired series titled Distraction. Her fragmented compositions explore the mental and emotional fragmentation of modern life. Through sharp angles, layered geometries, and disjointed forms, her work examines interiority—what lies beneath the surface of daily experience.

Hussain Obaid, long regarded for his contributions to Oman’s contemporary plastic art movement, returns with compositions rooted in ancient Omani visual symbols. His work layers history with abstraction, inviting viewers to decode motifs drawn from tribal patterns, maritime heritage, and desert iconography. His pieces act as bridges—linking the ancestral past with the visual language of today.

Completing the exhibition is the late Moosa Omar, whose final series Hearts of Departed reflects his lifelong engagement with the environment and spirituality. Using jute—a humble material common in Omani crafts—he forms textured, circular compositions that evoke both the physical terrain and the metaphysical. His work is a quiet tribute to memory and loss, grounded in earth-tones and tactile presence.

Together, the seven artists offer not only a survey of Omani contemporary practice but a shared meditation on the themes of identity, place, and transformation. Through their distinct voices, the exhibition captures a moment in time—one that holds space for tradition while embracing innovation.

Bashair Al Balushi

Idris al Hooti

Hassan Meer

H.H Sayyidah Afra Al Said

Anwar Sonya

Anwar Sonya interview to the Radio agency

The Contemporary Perspective is more than an art show—it’s a living archive of how Oman’s artists are responding to the world around them. It’s about how they remember, how they reinterpret, and how they imagine what’s next.

The exhibition is open to the public and free of charge until August 31, 2025, at Stal Gallery & Studio, Madinat Al Sultan Qaboos, Muscat. Visitors are encouraged to experience the full breadth of the works on display—and to engage with the stories embedded in every piece.