Efie Gallery hosts ‘Solace in Soil’ exhibition

Efie Gallery presents ‘Solace in Soil‘, a duo exhibition between renowned Emirati artist Dr. Mohamed Yousif and Kenyan sculptor Maggie Otieno. It is set to take place until October 6, and will be guest curated by Emirati Shamma Al Mheiri.

‘Solace in Soil’ celebrates the grounded connections between the practices of the two artists and the cross-cultural exchange between the regions they hail from. Dr. Yousif’s work is a distillation of his engagement with and contemplation of the natural environment, where he understands in detail the notions of motion and stillness through the art of sculpture. His work has been well-received by the Sharjah Art Foundation and featured in numerous exhibitions, highlights of which include two inclusions in The National Pavilion of the UAE at the Venice Biennial (2015, 2017); Language of the Desert at the Kunstmuseum (Bonn, Germany, 2005), the Bangladesh Biennial (First Golden Prize, 2004) and The 5th New Delhi Biennial, India (1982).

‘Solace in Soil’ represents my profound connection with nature and the elemental origins of art. I believe that everything arising from the soil carries voices and secrets waiting to be uncovered. My exploration centres on natural movements—from palm leaves and trees to waves and marine life—reflecting the cyclical relationship between the earth and humanity. Exhibiting alongside Maggie Otieno has been significantly enriching, as we both explore our relationships with soil through distinct artistic practices. This collaboration transcends cultural boundaries and celebrates shared environmental themes, showcasing the diversity of artistic expression.

– Dr. Mohamed Yousif

Otienro’s work, meanwhile, revolves around abstract long figures comprised of distressed railway sleepers, engaged in silent conversations amongst themselves and their encompassing environment. The railway sleeper wood she uses are over 150 years old and journeyed from the forests of India to Kenya to lay the ‘iron snake’ railway line in 1896, carrying within their grain the stories of travellers, labourers and communities. She fills her sculptures with a sense of temporal continuity through her manipulation of form and texture. This allows the viewer to resonate with their own personal experiences.

Solace in Soil is an exploration of materiality and a sculptor’s connection with the earth. Presented together for the first time, Maggie Otieno and Dr. Mohamed Yousif share leitmotifs of expressing generational sentiments and experiences through tangible expressions. Perhaps distinct in visual identities, Otieno and Dr. Yousif manifest connections deeper than the aesthetic portrayals in a state of continual solace.

– Shamma Al Mheiri, curator of the exhibition at Efie Gallery

‘Solace in Soil’ encourages a symbiotic exchange between the artists and their artistic practices, intimately linked to their earthy foundations, enabling their work to converse and showcase the interconnectedness between the regions.

For more information, visit here.