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Page Not Found presents a unique screening of Farah Al Qasimi’s film Um Al Naar (Mother of Fire), alongside a selection of printed matter by the artist.
In this 40-minute horror-comedy by Farah Al Qasimi, a fictional Reality TV network shadows Um Al Naar, a jinn, or spirit, from Julfar (modern day UAE). Um Al Naar narrates the region’s transformation from its occupation by Portuguese and British naval forces to its current adoption of a national identity based around constructions of global tolerance and cultural production, and she pays close attention to everyday changes like the gendered pastimes of the country’s youth, waning trust in traditional forms of spirituality and medicine, and the loss of history in an urgent bid for novelty.
Working primarily with photography, video and performance, Farah Al Qasimi (b. 1991, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) examines postcolonial structures of power, gender and taste in the Gulf Arab states.
Al Qasimi’s recent works challenge the viewer to consider their own understanding of reality, aspiration, individuality and the reflected image. In series such as ‘Funhouse’, Al Qasimi demonstrates her skill with mise-en-scene in photographs that are richly detailed, evoking a tromp-l’oeil effect, which are at turns delightful, delirious and disturbing. Elsewhere, the artist creates works that confront commonplace notions of figurative photography and portraiture.
Kino Nights is a new program series at Page Not Found, tailored to present the works by the artists, whose practice encompasses film or video productions as well as publishing. Film, video and other moving images are screened alongside a carefully curated selection of publications and other printed matter by the artist. The diversity of practices of the contributors often escapes disciplinary categorization, therefore makes this series particularly layered and immersive.

Image credit: still from “Um Al Naar” (2019) by Farah Al Qasimi