Delighted to share images of ‘Abaabil’, 2020 @saad_qureshi_studio shown for the first time in the exhibition ‘Of Paradise and Other Places’ at #5howickplace @hs_projects This painted bronze sculpture speaks of the universal human desire to fly and the fascination with feathered beings. Birds took root in Qureshi’s imagination through the myths of his childhood. According to an ancient tale, the abaabil birds are a divinely inspired flock, who defeated a large army by dropping burning pebbles upon them. The abaabil can be said to combine matter and aura, existing in two different dimensions - one physical and one cultural. Abaabil also alludes to metaphorical flight: that of the mind through imagination and learning, activities which we engage in both privately and collectively and which hold a special fascination for Qureshi as an artist. With many thanks to Isabel de Vasconcellos @i_de_v and Joanna Gemes @letrangere_london Really looking forward to Qureshi’s forthcoming solo exhibition, ‘A Handful of Paradise’ @i_de_v_letrangere at 55 Riding House Street, Fitzrovia. Photography @thierry_bal #saadqureshi #paradise #sculpture #abaabil #soloshow #storytelling #5howickplaceexhibitionprogramme #victoria #hsprojects #idevletrangere #thierrybal