Mountain Pearl (2023)

Roots and Residue

2025

Snaah (Saffron, Mahlep, Rosewater)

In this body of work, snaah—a traditional Emirati mixture of saffron, mahlep, and water—becomes both a material and an archive, embodying the sensory imprints of memory and cultural continuity. Historically used as a perfume for new brides, applied behind the ears and on the crown of the head, snaah lingers as an intimate presence, carrying with it generations of ritual and tradition. This collection explores the olfactory landscape of memory, where scent operates as a living archive, preserving narratives that might otherwise fade. By engaging with scent’s ability to trigger involuntary recollections, this collection positions snaah as an archival agent, challenging the dominance of the visual in historical preservation. Inhaling the lingering aroma of snaah becomes an act of remembering, a way of activating cultural memory beyond written or photographic documentation, situating the body as both a vessel and a site of history.

Terrain (2024)

Snaah, Oil, and charcoal on Canvas
240x150 cm

Using snaah as a painting medium, I depict the scenic landscapes of Siji, my mother’s village in Northern UAE.
This technique transforms a traditional bridal perfume into a pigment, embodying the village’s cultural and ecological character. By using snaah to paint the land, the work preserves collective memory through non-traditional archival methods, capturing not only the physical geography but also the dynamic and transient essence of Siji’s villagers and their way of life. The process intertwines material and subject, allowing the land itself to become both the medium and the message.

Collection of Dubai Culture

Bond (2024)

Snaah, Resin

Braid (2024)

Snaah, Clay

Braid II (2024)

Snaah