farah al qasimi's iridescent oyster sculptures chant hums of longing along abu dhabi corniche

homesickness presents cluster of humming oyster shells

A cluster of iridescent oyster shells echo hums of longing along Abu Dhabi’s corniche. With her installation Homesickness, Farah Al Qasimi creates a sonic ode to the sea, drawing on her multimedia background to explore themes of memory. Amid surfaces crafted from milled aluminum and coated in shimmering paint, the oysters cradle a soundscape that evokes the rooted relationship between the Gulf’s communities and their waters — ‘Homesickness honors the tradition of pearl diving that has influenced the economic and cultural landscape of the Emirates,’ the Emirati artist tells designboom.

The speakers embedded into each of the pearls emit a soothing five-channel composition that captures songs of yearning, reimagining a traditional chant sung by the wives of pearl divers as they wish for their safe return home. The sculpture is one of over 50 interventions scattered across the emirate that make up the inaugural Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial, which infuses new layers and perspectives across spaces of routine encounters.

Farah Al Qasimi, Homesickness, Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial 2024 – 2025 © Lance Gerber

farah al qasimi’s installation creates a sonic ode to the sea

Homesickness’ soundscape is inspired by Tob, Tob Ya Bahar, the traditional song of women who awaited the safe return of sailors and divers. It begins with a simple harmony of five individual voices that gradually and gently morph into a more synthetic, spatial chorus, evoking ‘fog, buoys bobbing on the tide, and call-and-response chants,’ as Farah Al Qasimi notes. The physical and auditory sculpture anthropomorphizes the pearls, which, missing their other halves of the shell, sing songs of yearning as they remain rooted in the sand, waiting in place.

Positioned by the shoreline, each of the oversized sculptures reflects the ocean’s cultural and economic significance that resonate across the Gulf, speaking to both personal and collective histories. For the multimedia artist, who was born in Abu Dhabi, Homesickness draws on the heritage of its selected site while speaking to its many daily encounters.‘I grew up spending plenty of time on the Corniche, so it has been great to have work there and watch people take it in. Some sit in the middle and meditate, while others draw their names in the sand,’ she shares with designboom.

Farah Al Qasimi, Homesickness, Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial 2024 – 2025 © Lance Gerber

reactivating the city at public art abu dhabi biennial

These spontaneous interactions echo the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial’s theme, Public Matter, which holds focus on inclusivity and accessibility. Co-curator Carmen Hassan notes that this initiative seeks to reimagine urban spaces by embedding artworks into the city’s rhythms, encouraging residents to engage with their surroundings in new ways. The curatorial team emphasizes the biennial’s role in reactivating the city through public art for all of the emirate’s ecosystems to enjoy. Backdropped by the shore as you walk along the Corniche, one can see cats have made themselves at home in the curves of the shells; children play in the sand; and friends climb over around the oysters as they listen to the gentle soundscape.

Farah Al Qasimi, Homesickness, Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial 2024 – 2025 © Lance Gerber

Farah Al Qasimi, Homesickness, Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial 2024 – 2025 © Lance Gerber

image © designboom

Farah Al Qasimi, Homesickness, Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial 2024 – 2025 © Lance Gerber

Farah Al Qasimi, Homesickness, Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial 2024 – 2025 © Lance Gerber

Farah Al Qasimi, Homesickness, Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial 2024 – 2025 © Lance Gerber

Farah Al Qasimi, Homesickness, Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial 2024 – 2025 © Lance Gerber

image © designboom

project info:

name: Homesickness 

artist: Farah Al Qasimi | @frequentlyaskedquestion

location: Abu Dhabi, UAE

photographer: Lance Gerber | @lance.gerber

event: Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial | @publicartabudhabi

dates: 15th November, 2024 — 30th April, 2025

organizer: Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi