Hamza Shah presents: "Abimal. Painting as a Language of Gratitude"

At its core, Abimal is a concept that defines the intersection of minimalism, abstraction, and expressionism. This is not a rigid definition, but rather a concept that posits that a work of art is only truly complete in the eye and heart of the viewer. In this monumental space, Shah posits that our perception is shaped by our unique life experiences. Thus, the artwork becomes a subjective, plural truth: an invitation to every visitor to trust their own intuition.

Program:
Friday, May 29, 6 p.m.: Opening Ceremony Guitar
and trumpet trio: Blue & Nishad and Alex Folonari
Dance performance with Samuel Francis Pereira
Concert by Bulgarian Voices Berlin (small ensemble)

Saturday, May 30,
12 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Exhibition
7 p.m.: Concert by Bulgarian Voices Berlin

Sunday, May 31,
12 p.m. to 7 p.m.: "Abimal" exhibition

Performers:
Hamza Shah
Blue, guitar;
Nishad, guitar;
Samuel Francis Pereira, performance;
Alex Folonari, trumpet;
Bulgarian Voices Berlin

Tickets:
Opening, Friday: €8 plus advance booking fees online via Eventim. €10, reduced €5 at the box office. Unreserved seating.
Concert Saturday: €18 plus advance booking fees online via Eventim. €21, reduced €14 at the box office. Unreserved seating.
Reduced-price tickets are only available at the box office.
Exhibition: free admission

For more information on ticket prices, please visit: Service/Tickets

Abimalunfolds as a continuous meditation, structured into various artistic chapters:

The Installation: Mothership
Large-format paintings float down from the ceiling and hang in the space as monuments to memory. This series, titled Mothership, is a profound homage to maternal resilience. Shah uses coffee and tea as primary pigments, transforming his mother’s daily rituals of work and rest into a visual language of gratitude. Coffee embodies the morning energy of work, while tea symbolizes evening relaxation. These materials, combined with tree extracts such as quebracho and cutch, distill the essence of a life dedicated to the next generation. The resulting palette of beige and brown tones—inspired by Shah’s Afghan roots—offers a profound antidote to the city’s harshness.

Breath & Body: The Dialogue
The acoustic space is brought to life by a rare musical dialogue between Hamza Shah and his lifelong soulmate and partner Blue. Shah plays the duduk, a 3,000-year-old ancient woodwind instrument, accompanied by Blue on guitar. Their melodies resonate within the church space, reflecting both the organic textures of the canvases and the depth of their shared journey. At the same time, a contemporary dance solo by Samuel Francis Pereira fills the void between the suspended works. His movements physically translate the Sufi quest for fana—the dissolution of the ego—and transform the artist’s inner struggle into a tangible, fleeting grace.

The Voice: Bulgarian Voices Berlin

In a powerful climax, the 16-member women’s choir Bulgarian Voices Berlin rises to perform archaic Bulgarian harmonies. Their polyphonic singing fills the historic hall and builds a sonic bridge between the celestial and the material. The strength of these collective voices reflects the theme of maternal power and grounds the spiritual journey in a communal, human experience.

The Process: A Ritual of Fana

Shah’s creative process is a spiritual necessity. To create these works, he enters a state of trance and fasting—a purification ritual intended to narrow the gap between the physical and the divine. By detaching himself from consumption, he becomes a vessel for the work of his ancestors. While each painting carries the same core intention, they serve as distinct chapters of a single, lifelong meditation.

ABIMAL is a journey that invites the viewer to cross the threshold of the intellectual mind and enter the realm of the invisible. In this space of transition, the ultimate masterpiece is not the painting itself, but the reality found within it.

Organizer:
Hamza Shah in cooperation with Kultur Büro Elisabeth

Photo © Hamza Shah