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From Manama’s fading family homes to the changing coastlines of the kingdom, memory does not sit quietly in the past, and six Bahrain-based artists are exploring the power it can hold on people and places at an upcoming exhibition.
Opening next Tuesday, September 16, at Al Riwaq Art Space, Mnemosyne: Personal Memories, Shared Histories, and the Memory of Things will mark the culmination of the gallery’s fifth residency cycle, Application 005.
The programme brought together artists whose practices are grounded in Bahrain but speak to wider questions of history, belonging and the passage of time.
“Memory is not a single archive but a living topology,” the organisers said.
“In Mnemosyne, six artists map how memory travels across scales – from the intimate rooms of a home to the expansive, changing landscapes of coastlines and environments.
“The show traces the fragility of family spaces and the ways memory inscribes itself in objects, places, and bodies.”
Named after the Greek goddess of memory, Mnemosyne will feature the works of Shaikha Dwa Al Khalifa, Daniah Radhi, Ebrahim Jameel, Sara Fathalla, Judy Abi Roustom, and Hawra Al Marzooq.
Shaikha Dwa is exploring everyday rituals that quietly guide behaviour across generations by reimagining these practices as public warnings issued by a fictional Protected Beliefs Authority.
“Protected beliefs such as not trimming nails after sunset, carrying salt for protection, or not singing in the shower often guide our behaviour in subtle ways, followed almost unconsciously,” she explained, highlighting how superstition continues to shape daily life.
For Ebrahim, memory is tied to resistance and the legacies of liberation. His work, Striving Thesis, is inspired by Bahraini musician and activist Majeed Marhoon.
“His music, in a time of imperialism, embodies the essence of a star lighting a long-dark road, teaching us how to claim victory over our own contemporary challenges,” Ebrahim said.
Through elemental materials, he explores the endurance of struggle against external influence.
Daniah turned to Manama’s changing urban landscape, where houses hold the echoes of generations.
“It is not the story of one house alone, but a reflection of many that generations have passed through, gradually transforming into repositories of stories more than dwellings,” she said.
For her, these buildings are more than remnants; they are ‘story capsules that preserve what archives cannot capture.’
Hawra is focusing on the persistence of trauma within families and bodies.
“When the joyful giggles of children are replaced by a loud, aching silence behind closed doors… invisible scars remain that no time can erase,” she said.
Her work, What are you storing?, reflects on how emotional burdens are passed down ‘like heirlooms.’
Judy is calling attention to the often-overlooked rooftops of urban life.
“These elevated, often overlooked spaces carry subtle yet powerful traces of presence: a chair, a carpet, a piece of clothing left behind,” she said.
Her series, Above the City, captures rooftops as thresholds between public and private.
Sara’s Pretending to Forget takes memory to the shorelines, exploring how reclamation reshaped Bahraini communities bound to the sea.
“Decades of reclamation have reshaped the coastline, disrupting communities whose lives, livelihoods, and spirituality were deeply bound to the water,” she said.
Her conversations with fishermen highlight two opposing ways of remembering: ‘one that tries to forget, and one that insists on remembering.’
These artists’ practices demonstrate how memory acts as a generative force rather than a fixed record.
“The art residency programme reflects Al Riwaq’s continued commitment to fostering diverse artistic experiences, providing space for creative research and experimentation, peer exchange, and critical dialogue that encourages artistic development and growth,” Al Riwaq founder Bayan Al Barrak Kanoo explained.
“Each residency open call attracts a remarkable number of talented applicants, which is why we are proud to present the six artists of the Application 005 programme, each of whom showcases a personal and unique experience, point of view, and method of expression.
“This programme is also an important exercise in preparing Bahraini artists to step onto international platforms, where they can be seen, recognised, and celebrated, as an integral part of our vision.”
Curated by William Wells, Mnemosyne runs until October 30 and includes an artist talk on September 18, where audiences can hear directly from the participating creatives.
For more details, follow @alriwaq on Instagram.
