HEAT WAVE 2016

Curator: Standing before us is "HEAT WAVE," a metal sculpture crafted by Rashid Al Khalifa in 2016. It presents two curved planes of a warm, earthy tone, separated by a stark black line. Editor: The color itself is hypnotic! It feels almost elemental – recalling desert landscapes and the baked clay of ancient pottery. The geometric simplicity, though, keeps it anchored in a sort of modern calm. Curator: I find it interesting how the seemingly simple geometry almost defies immediate comprehension. The subtle curves suggest a yielding to an unseen force, perhaps indeed the force of heat as the title indicates, warping what might have been straight and rigid. Editor: Absolutely! It makes me think of sundials or even stylized, abstracted doorways into shimmering, heat-hazed mirages. It taps into something very primal - this visual language of barriers and the tantalizing unknown. Do you think it evokes any specific cultural touchstones? Curator: Its abstract nature allows it to exist somewhat free from immediate cultural constraints. However, the earthy tones inevitably make one think of arid environments and their cultural legacies. Rashid Al Khalifa, coming from Bahrain, would naturally draw inspiration from that regional aesthetic. The symbolism of desert survival is embedded in its visual form, even if subconsciously. Editor: True, there's an inherent vulnerability hinted at by those gentle curves, like surfaces exposed and altered by time or a harsh climate. A feeling of enduring fragility within such seeming mass. The vertical line too could suggest a horizon, ever receding. Curator: And its flatness encourages interplay between positive and negative space – shadow becoming almost as vital as the solid forms themselves, engaging in constant transformation according to the light. Editor: Such evocative qualities arise from its apparent simplicity; It really does give you that impression of heat undulating off of a hard surface. Curator: The name feels perfect – both suggesting an intense sensory experience and the subtle warping forces of nature. Editor: Agreed. There's a potent quietude about it – the silence of noon, heavy with latent energy. I find I’m left pondering about things beyond the purely visual.