In Shallah, 2005
Nikolaj Bendix Skyum Larsen
In Shallah, 2005
Neon
Installation view
Commissioned and Produced by Sharjah Art Foundation
Photo by Alfredo Rubio
Overview
Written in Arabic script this work playfully references the notion of ‘in shallah’ in Arabic culture. Alongside its religious and cultural meaning “with God’s will”, ‘in shallah’ is also a common answer usually meaning ‘hopefully’ given in response to almost any question regarding the exact timing of delivery of goods, completion of a task or event in the future. In this sense ‘in shallah’ can prove annoying or vexing to Westerners. Larsen gently teases with this work – but whom? Is it the unperturbed but sometimes unpredictable Arabic way of working, or is it the stiff Western cultural norms?
Produced during Larsen’s stay for the 2005 Sharjah Biennial Artists Residency.
This project was part of Sharjah Biennial 9
