Donia Alshetairy’s latest solo exhibition, “Suspended Presence,” invites audiences to step into a contemplative environment where time, perception and human awareness are placed under the microscope.
Presented at Hafez Gallery’s new space inside the historic district of Al-Balad, the exhibition transforms the former Al Fallah School into a site of reflection and experimentation.
Running from February 24 to April 1, the show presents a series of mixed-media installations and abstract wall works that explore how meaning is constructed—and sometimes quietly disrupted—within modern systems of perception.
Art Between Logic and Intuition
Alshetairy’s practice navigates the space where rational structure meets intuitive experience. Her works challenge conventional ideas of time and knowledge, questioning how contemporary life—driven by speed, technology and constant mediation—reshapes human awareness.
In her own words:
“Time accelerates, attention fragments, and emotion is increasingly shaped by systems designed to optimize response rather than experience. Everything moves forward, yet something inside us hesitates.”
Through this lens, “Suspended Presence” reflects on how modern life creates a paradox: while everything seems to move faster, our ability to fully experience the present moment becomes increasingly fragile.
Materials That Make the Invisible Visible
The exhibition features installations built from hand-shaped rubber tubes, PVC pipes, wires, silicone and light, arranged across wooden panels and spatial structures.
These materials form dense linear compositions, spirals and circular systems that appear to suspend motion in time. Vibrations, rhythm, silence and distortion become artistic tools, allowing intangible emotions and thoughts to take visible form.
Among the most striking works are:
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“A Circle That Forgets at the Moment of Its Completion”
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“Repetition Intending to Flee”
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“One Mistake Is Not Enough”
These pieces explore themes of repetition, hesitation and error, suggesting that imperfections and interruptions are essential parts of human experience.
In “One Mistake Is Not Enough,” for example, subtle tremors and deliberate irregularities challenge a culture that constantly seeks perfection and efficiency.
A Meditation on the Present
Ultimately, “Suspended Presence” becomes more than an exhibition—it is a meditation on the difficulty of inhabiting the present moment in a world defined by acceleration and distraction.
By slowing the viewer’s perception and immersing them in environments of rhythm and silence, Alshetairy invites audiences to reconsider what it truly means to be present.
Location: Al-Balad, Jeddah
Date: Until April 1
