Flower Studies 27

lapis lazuli on marble

28 by 23 cm. 11 by 9 in.

Executed in 2024.

Lawrie Shabibi, Dubai

Drawing attention to the geographical origins of Lapis lazuli, particularly in Badakhshan, Afghanistan, Hamra Abbas investigates its historical significance and sheds light on its uti🐽lisation in the history of art, unravelling its cultural and artistic implications. Through her research, she uncovers the rich heritage associated with this precious gemstone, revealing its historical usage beyond its purely visual qualities.

Abbas’ Flower Studies series, inspired by photographs she has taken on her travels, harnesses her vision to create intricate studies in marble inlay. This traditional technique, deeply rooted in the South Asian region’s rich history and fine craftsmanship, becomes her medium 🥃for immortalising the essence of each wildflower in stone.

In form Abbas’ Flower Studies also recall the botanical drawings commissioned in the late 18th and early 19th centuries by East India Company, which at the time controlled much of the Indian subcontinent. Keen to exploit and export valuable n⭕atural commodities, the Company set out to record the flora of India, commissioning Indian artists to create detailed botanical illustrations of individual plants.