Marwa Adel expresses her desire to just be herself - rather than what society expects or forces her to be – through her photography exhibition entitled Hiding in Art Sawa Gallery, Dubai.

Adel's photographs speak about the struggles she's faced in life to break free from the restrictions imposed on women by society. As such, Adel's work is extremely personal, yet tells a universal story.

"Marwa’s artworks combine carefully posed photographs of models with symbols of fragility, such as leaves, flowers and torn paper. Her wedding dress and veil also appear in the pictures as a reminder of bittersweet memories. She also adds digital textures, light effects and pieces of her calligraphic paintings to create beautiful and eloquent compositions," we read in the exhibition's press release.

"In Hiding (her latest series of photographic works) the artist explores the infinite conflict and the state of contradiction and antagonism that is part of our existence. Once again, she uses the bare human body as a metaphor for the thoughts and feelings hidden inside it."

Born in 1984, Adel holds a Masters degree in advertising. She is also a lecturer at the Faculty of Applied Art at Helwan University, Cairo.

Her work has been recognised inside Egypt, where she has held a number of group and solo exhibitions. She's held many across the UAE, as well as in Lebanon, Kuwait and most recently she participated in the 9th Bamako Encounters: Biennale of African Photography in Mali.

Programme:
28 February – 12 March
Art Sawa, Dubai DIFC
from Zabeel Rd. Art Sawa Gate Village Bldg no. 08.