Juma Al Haj: Revelation

421 Arts Campus in Abu Dhabi opens Juma Al Haj: Revelation on 4 October 2026, the first institutional solo exhibition by the Emirati artist, on view until 10 January 2027. It opens alongside the group exhibition Archipelago of Whispers, with a public reception from 5pm to 7pm on the opening day.

Revelation is an immersive installation that "unfolds through distinct spatial conditions, forming a gradual journey toward Hijr, a secluded environment for pause and reflection." Shaped through light, material and inscription, it moves the viewer's attention from outward observation towards a more inward, sustained awareness, extending Al Haj's interest in solitude and its potential.

The journey begins in a bright, open space where engraved glass panels, Traces (2026), and a large two-part work, Balaa (2026), carry the gestural vocabulary Al Haj has built over years of journaling and repeated mark-making, inscriptions that move between the legible and the abstract. On the glass, the marks shift between visibility and disappearance, casting partial shadows and reflections.

The final room, Hijr (2026), is dimly lit and carpeted, anchored by a monolithic water feature and surrounded by suspended elements that throw further inscriptions through light and shadow, with fabric, water, lighting and sound. It holds the exhibition's central idea of tafakkur, understood as a sustained moment of attention and inward reflection. The show marks the first time Al Haj has extended his practice into installation.

The work was developed through the 2025 cycle of 421's Artistic Development Program, facilitated by Jolaine Frizzell, an annual initiative that helps early-career UAE artists build a cohesive body of work towards their first institutional solo show. Born in 1990, Al Haj has previously shown with Iris Projects in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and Revelation brings a new scale to a practice rooted in language, memory and interior experience.