Exhibition Quintessence — Rashid Al Khalifa: Opening

Exhibition Quintessence — Rashid Al Khalifa: Opening

For the first time in Berlin, the impressive installations of Bahraini artist Rashid Al Khalifa are on view. His exhibition, Quintessence, offers a fresh perspective that moves beyond familiar clichés, encouraging visitors to rediscover Bahrain’s vibrant and evolving art scene.

What comes to mind when you think of Bahrain? Oil, skyscrapers — perhaps the desert?

But there is so much more. Quintessence invites you to move beyond these stereotypes and discover a deeper, more poetic connection to Bahrain’s culture, history, and aesthetics.

Rashid Al Khalifa began his artistic journey as a landscape painter and over the decades developed a unique visual language, evolving from naturalistic representations to abstract, structural, and often kinetic installations. Despite these stylistic shifts, one theme remains constant throughout his work: a reflection of Bahrain’s changing landscape.

His works mirror the profound transformations Bahrain has experienced in recent decades. The country’s distinctive light — particularly at sunrise and sunset — along with its traditional architecture and cultural practices, form the foundation of Rashid’s artistic exploration. He delves into the interplay between space, culture, and environment, capturing it through a contemporary visual language.

Rather than nostalgically clinging to the past, Al Khalifa engages in a forward-looking dialogue with it. He integrates traditional architectural patterns into his aluminum installations, as seen in Waves V (2023), and distills them to their essence in works such as Pale Blue Folds (2025) and Coral (2025). Pieces like Grey Circle (2015) and Cusp (2020) play with light, shadow, and spiritual symbolism — such as the waxing moon, a timeless emblem of change and transformation.

His hanging mobiles, inspired by the mashrabiya — the intricate latticework of traditional Gulf architecture — blend aesthetics with functionality, bridging tradition and innovation. Through his work, Rashid Al Khalifa reimagines Bahrain’s cultural heritage in a striking contemporary form.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to experience Rashid Al Khalifa’s visionary installations — now for the first time in Berlin!

Exhibition: Quintessence Artist: Rashid Al Khalifa

Opening Reception: June 27, 2025, 7:00 PM

Exhibition Dates: June 27 – August 22, 2025

Location: Q Gallery Berlin, Großgörschenstraße 7, 10827 Berlin

Exhibition Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 11:00 AM–6:00 PM and by appointment

Born in 1952 in the Kingdom of Bahrain, Rashid Al Khalifa is regarded as one of the leading contemporary artists in the Gulf region. His artistic career began in the 1970s with impressionist-inspired landscapes. In 1972, Al Khalifa moved to the United Kingdom to study at the Hastings College of Arts and Technology in Sussex—an experience that played a pivotal role in shaping his artistic vision. Over the decades, he has evolved his practice from figurative painting to geometric abstraction and minimalist installations that blend architectural and sculptural elements.

Al Khalifa’s invention of the “convex canvas” reimagines space, light, and perception and has had a significant influence on contemporary art in the region. His works reflect the profound transformations of Bahrain’s landscape and culture, combining traditional architectural motifs with modern materials such as aluminum and lacquer to create poetic spaces of transition and metamorphosis.

His works have been exhibited internationally, including at the Saatchi Gallery in London, the Venice Biennale, and the Liechtenstein National Museum. Rashid Al Khalifa is celebrated for building bridges between past and future, tradition and innovation.

In 2020, he founded the RAK Art Foundation in Riffa, Bahrain—a space dedicated to supporting artists, encouraging cross-cultural collaboration, and fostering international partnerships. A passionate art collector and advocate, he currently serves as Chairman of the National Council for Arts in Bahrain.

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