Firetti Contemporary is delighted to highlight the participation of Emirati artist Salmah Almansoori in Art for Change, an exhibition curated by Elena Belolipetskaia, art historian, researcher and collection advisor, as part of the Forbes Middle East Sustainability Leaders Summit in Abu Dhabi.
Bringing together artistic practices that reflect on the relationship between art, society and the environment, the exhibition explores the role of creativity in shaping conversations around sustainability and our collective future.
Rooted in her personal experiences and connection to the landscapes of the UAE, Almansoori's practice examines themes of memory, identity, belonging and the passage of time. Through an exploration of natural materials, found objects and fragments of everyday life, she considers how places preserve traces of human presence and how these traces can be transformed into visual narratives.
Her works, spanning handmade paper and sculptural forms, reflect a sensitivity to materiality and the histories embedded within it. By reinterpreting familiar elements, Almansoori draws attention to the relationship between cultural heritage and the natural environment, encouraging viewers to reconsider the significance of what is often overlooked or left behind.
Presented under the summit's theme, Resilience for a Sustainable Future, her participation highlights the potential of contemporary art to foster dialogue around preservation, cultural continuity and environmental awareness. Through her practice, Almansoori offers a thoughtful perspective on sustainability, one that extends beyond environmental concerns to encompass the preservation of memory, identity and our connection to place.
