Earth, Form & Memory: A Dialogue Across Cultures
An exhibition by Jacob Sisneros and Mulham Alkharboutli.
ARTIST RECEPTION FRIDAY, October 3, 2025 | 5-7 PM | EXHIBITION IS ON VIEW THROUGH SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2025 | HSFF’S EL ZAGUÁN, 545 CANYON ROAD, SANTA FE, NM
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
The Historic Santa Fe Foundation (HSFF) is proud to announce a new exhibition, Earth, Form, and Memory, which traces the journey of earthen architecture across continents and centuries. On view at The Gallery at El Zaguán, the show creates a unique dialogue between historical formwork and contemporary interpretations.
At the heart of the exhibition is a large-scale installation of wooden formwork designed by the Egyptian architect Hassan Fathy from his groundbreaking work at the Dar al Islam in Abiquiú, New Mexico, one of the largest adobe structures in North America. Surrounding Fathy's formwork are handcrafted pieces by HSFF's Preservation Manager and Artist, Jacob Sisneros, in collaboration with the Syrian Architect and Preservationist, Mulham Alkharboutli. They explore early adobe brick forms from Egypt, and Nubian adobe forms currently used along the upper Nile River, and regional adobe forms that would be found here in New Mexico.
This exhibition reminds us that architecture is not only about the finished structure but also about the humble tools that make it possible. The artistic interpretations invite viewers to see these utilitarian objects as cultural artifacts and creative vessels. The forms also conjure or explore sculptural and metaphorical possibilities through subtle manipulation of these humble tools.
By presenting these pieces side by side, Earth, Form, and Memory opens a conversation across geographies—from the Levant and Egypt, through Spain and the Mediterranean, and into the American Southwest. This journey highlights how earthen building traditions have traveled, adapted, and flourished over time, shaped by migration, colonization, and resilience.
The exhibition invites visitors to reflect on the shared human impulse to build with the ground beneath our feet and to recognize that architecture can be both rooted in tradition and open to reinvention.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Jacob Sisneros is a 15th-generation native New Mexican and currently serves as the Historic Santa Fe Foundation’s Preservation Specialist and Programs Manager. He holds a bachelor's degree in Industrial Design from the Rhode Island School of Design and has also studied Architecture at the University of New Mexico. Jacob was a member of the inaugural faculty of Art & Design instructors at the New Mexico School for the Arts, where he taught for over a decade. His work encompasses the fields of Art, Architecture, and Education, and he is currently focused on painting and restoring his 100-year-old adobe home.
Mulham Alkharboutli is an architect and preservationist from Syria. He holds a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from the University of Notre Dame and a Master’s in Theory and History of Architecture from Damascus University.
In Syria, he founded Metmar Studio, a practice dedicated to earthen architecture, education, and craft. Today, the studio serves as a bridge between cultures, connecting Levantine and Southwestern traditions while reimagining their relevance for contemporary communities.
Read more about the exhibition:
https://www.historicsantafe.org/earth-form-and-memory
Contact: Anne Kelly at
YW5uZSB8IGhpc3Rvcmljc2FudGFmZSAhIG9yZw== or call 505.983.2567 for more information.
On Sunday, October 19th, HSFF will host a tour of Dar al Islam. The tour will begin at HSFF with a visit to the exhibition by Sisneros and Alkharboutli. After that, participants will travel to Abiquiu to explore Dar al Islam, a large and significant historic adobe architectural complex designed by architect Hassan Fathy.
Read more about the tour at:
https://www.historicsantafe.org/dar-al-islam
Also check out other Exhibitions in Santa Fe, Arts events in Santa Fe, Fine Arts events in Santa Fe.
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