Abdulmohsen Albinali‘s journey into the world of storytelling was sparked by a deep fascination with oral histories and folklore of the Arabian Peninsula and stop motion animation. This early enchantment with world-building allowed him to adapt oral narratives into a tangible realm, creating immersive installations where stories experienced.
With oral history retreating from modern society as a tool for learning and understanding, Albinali reclaims the format and represents it in a new light, pushing against colonial institutionalised educating systems and reawakening ancient yet powerful methods of meaning-making. Through his work, Albinali transforms ephemeral histories into tactile visual symphonies, harmonising the temporal dichotomy between antiquity and modernity, fantasy and reality. The exhibition is conceived as a deconstructed cinematic installation, where the props, backgrounds, and other works employed in the stop motion process are meticulously displayed alongside the finalised film with each element within the exhibition beckoning the audience to explore, engage, and ultimately, to participate in the storytelling continuum.
Press release from Ab-Anbar Gallery
Image: Abdulmohsen Albinali. Istinzal: “Ecstatic Drumming Collapse”. 2024. Sculpture installation, mixed media armatures on diorama. 70 x 70 x 70 cm. Image courtesy of Ab-Anbar Gallery. Copyright the artist
