Multi-Sensory Group Exhibition ‘’The Sublime Nature of Being’’ Opens at ICD Brookfield Place

‘The Sublime Nature of Being’, an immersive, multi-sensory group exhibition of innovative works by contemporary artists was officially unveiled today at the Summer Garden of ICD Brookfield Place in the presence of H.E. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan Cabinet Member, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence. Set to revolutionise the art experience in the region, the exhibition explores the universal human experience of awe and reverence inspired by nature, and its ability to conjure an emotional understanding that transcends rational thought, words and language.

Curated and produced by Ambika Hinduja Macker, artist, founder and creative director of art and design firm Impeccable Imagination, in collaboration with ICD Brookfield Place, 'The Sublime Nature of Being' brings ten internationally renowned artists under one roof and invites the viewer to participate emotionally, imaginatively and sensorially while exploring our relationship to the surrounding environment. From the ethereal and divine to the ephemeral and personal, the exhibition is an Alchemic Sonic Environment that features a variety of sculptures, modular components and spatial sound to stir hope and deep reflection.

What is the sensation we experience while interacting with nature when words fail, or we find ourselves awed beyond reason? How does an artist convey the indescribable and translate the metaphysical to material? ‘The Sublime Nature of Being’ explores the humbling purity of the natural cosmos and our relationship to it by creating imagined, transportive worlds, conjured through the magic of creativity.

For centuries, scholars have debated the term ‘sublime’ in relation to works of art, and artists have sought to evoke or respond to it. But what is ‘the sublime’? The sublime is a philosophical approach and state of mind often defined as having the quality of such greatness—whether spiritual, physical, aesthetic or moral—that our ability to perceive or comprehend it is temporarily overwhelmed by a sense of the wonder and impermanence of the universe.

‘The Sublime Nature of Being’ explores aspects of this philosophy and the modern interpretation of the Japanese term ‘Ukiyo’ meaning ‘living in the moment, detached from the bothers of life,’ and examines the belief that contemplation of these themes leads to the subsequent feelings of admiration and responsibility. This allows for the intertwining of aesthetics and ethics, two key elements that are relevant to society today, especially in light of change and apprehension as we consider the future of humanity.

‘’It is the greatest honor to be able to share artworks from some of the most inspired and exciting artists I know, presenting art that conjures the grace of nature, in this dynamic and inventive city which I now call home’’ said Ambika Hinduja Macker. “My hope is that the ‘The Sublime Nature of Being’ will transport the audience to an oasis of tranquility and beauty which stirs a sense of optimism, harmony, and equanimity‘’ she added.

Creating an immersive and multisensory experience that includes three-dimensional installations, sound and scent, a play on time and space, contrasts of light and shadow, elemental materials and fluid forms, the experience invites the audience on a unique journey with a contemplative dimension – a search for a higher truth. By stepping into the space, one is transported into a utopian sanctuary of peace and hope, providing a temporary reprieve and poetic antidote to the external chaos of the present day.

‘’The Sublime Nature of Being’’ will be showcased for five weeks at ICD Brookfield Place, from January 23 to February 27, 2022.