THE ILLUSION OF AN OASIS: Since the UAE federation was created in 1971, mostly in the last decade, Abu Dhabi's has undergone rapid economic and urban development.
The city is a significant example of large-scale new urban projects and iconic-star architecture, which create competition for the rapidly developing and competitive emirates.
The new architectural icons reshape the oil rich, Islamic city in which massive waves of foreign migrants come. However, are city's territorial and urban structures prepared?
This work questions the city need for the city to transform to absorb mega-development projects, such as museums, hotel, retail and residential areas to name but a few.
BANU COLAK is a Turkish artist who holds a PhD in Fine Arts. She currently works and lives in UAE. Her primary focus is on contemporary meaning of places by looking at fragmented identities which representthe blurring of cultural borders.Personal and collective narratives are depicted from different times and spaces. She also looks at symbols of place; specifically exploring how they are ascribed meaning by their social, historical and individual contexts.Recent features and exhibitions include 2014 "The Flat Planet" The Invisible Line, Curated by Tara Aghdashloo, London, UK.2014 ISEA2014-SIKKA, Art Dubai , Dubai, UAE.2014 "Cartographies: Mapping Intersections and Counterpoints", Curated by Catherine Bebout and Karen Oremus, ZU, CACE, Abu Dhabi, UAE.2013 "Desert Pop", ZU, CACE, Abu Dhabi, UAE2013 "Dogs of War", Mori + Stein Gallery, London,UK. 2012 "Cabinet Exhibition", Islington Art Factory, London,UK. 2012 "Dialogue", Alexander Plaze, Nurnberg, DE. 2012 "What is time got to do with itb" Core @ Nolias Gallery, London, UK.2012 bOctavia Viewb, Octavia Hill's House, Cambridge, UK. 2012 bRejectedb, Aside-Bside Gallery, London, UK.