Structural Syntax: Abdullah Al Othman

For nearly a decade, Abdullah Al Othman (b. 1985, KSA) has cultivated a unique visual language rooted in the Arabian urban landscapes, architecture, and linguistic history. His monumental installations and sculptures archive and reinterpret the evolving symbolism and narratives that shape his environment. He often roams his native Riyadh, collecting imagery and ephemera that chronicle its unceasing transformation.

Every corner has its own handmade and craft details, every street has its own story that was told without words, but with visual and architectural symbols.

In his work, Al Othman reflects on these stories, tracing the layers of history embedded in the urban fabric. Structural Syntax, which marks Al Othman’s first solo show in the UAE, transforms the gallery into an immersive space akin to his environment, offering a window into the fleeting nostalgia and vanishing collective history that fascinate him and define his artistic expression.

Similarly, the striking metal panneau, crafted from neon tubes, Anticipation, evokes the dynamic speed and rhythmic pulse of the city, capturing the essence of relentless energy and the constant evolution of re-imagined cities of the Arabian Peninsula, such as Riyadh.

Language, it is said, encodes and transmits human experience across generations, allowing individuals, communities, and cultures to share narratives, traditions, and histories.

Al Othman successfully synthesizes the complex language of a bustling metropolis, distilling it into its simplest and purest form, reflecting both the past and future in a dynamic light.

These compositions explore the "syntax" of the works, showing how each element, whether organic or rigid, plays a role in creating a harmonious or discordant whole.

Language works in architecture. As metaphors, metaphors move between horizons.

The works weave together language, space, and identity, exploring how the urban landscape itself conveys meaning through its structure and symbols.

Al Othman’s work reflects his broader interest in the relationship between language and form, exploring how visual elements can act as a mean of communication, transcending the limits of spoken or written words. As part of this exhibition, he encourages the audience to decode the language of structure, inviting to engage with each piece as both an intellectual and emotional experience.