Juma Al Haj tackles these questions in a creative process that is reflective, meditative, and expressive. The outcome is an abstraction of language through painting, and a spiritual transcendence towards the metaphysics of language and nostalgia. The deconstruction of language stands as a showcase of the expansiveness of withheld meanings, since the dawn of time, until the present day.

The collaboration between Iris Art Advisory and The Foundry presents Juma Al Haj’s first solo exhibition; A retrospective showcasing 10 artworks spanning years of a wider artistic practice. Visitors are welcome to delve into Al Haj’s artistic practice, which draws inspiration from his personal experiences of language, whether it be a scripture of spiritual significance, personal diaries, well-thought-out letters, or even quickly-taken notes and meeting conversations.

Juma Al Haj: JAH

An Emirati native of Sharjah, raised between the UAE and USA, Juma Al Haj began his artistic exploration at an early age. Al Haj developed an artistic practice which derives from the inherent need for belonging, and illustrates painterly expressions, manifesting the innate quest to and a sense of peace. Al Haj’s artwork presents a juxtaposition of the familiarity of written expression opposed by the obscureness of deconstructed language, ultimately redefining the role of language outside of its functional daily use. Language is mystically recontextualized to an abstract realm of boundless meaning, pushed forward by the universality of abstraction.

Juma Al Haj’s practice took on following an art mentorship program he received under the esteemed Ted Ramsey, resident artist at the New School of Northern Virginia. Al Haj holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Visual Communication from the American University of Sharjah and a Master’s of Science International Relations with a focus on Visual Rhetoric. Al Haj is currently represented by Iris Art Advisory.