I Am From You and You are From Me

Manal AlDowayan, 2017

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I Am From You and You are From Me installed at Al-Ain Oasis in Abu Dhabi in November 2017

Manal AlDowayan's installation I Am From You and You are From Me brings to the surface the unseen, the invisible, and the hidden. Commissioned by Abu Dhabi Art, the installation by the Saudi artist engages with the most vital and profound elements of the Al Ain Oasis, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Al Ain Oasis occupies 1,200 hectares and contains more than 147,000 date palms of more than 100 varieties.

Located near the center of Abu Dhabi, Al Ain Oasis contains more than 147,000 date palms.

Manal was interested in revealing the roots of date palms to reveal a silent and complex language of smells, taste and electrical impulses. Factum Arte collaborated with the artist by recording of roots of date palms in Al Ain and producing a graphic representation of the information.

Manal AlDowayan's sketch of I Am From You and You are From Me

Final design of I Am From You and You are From Me

The roots were scanned using StructureScan™ Mini XT, a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) system. GPR systems can be used to record a variety of subsurface structures, including rocks, soil, ice, pavements and water. It obtains information about objects and detects changes in material properties, voids and cracks.

The roots were recorded using a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) system

GPR systems send high-frequency radio waves into the ground. As the waves detect a buried object or change in materials, it reflects or refracts information back to the surface. A receiving antenna records the variations in the return signal.

Los sistemas GPR envían ondas de radio de alta frecuencia hacia el interior de la tierra.

The information was processed as an image of the magnetic waves, representing the variations in densities of the radio signal. The depth of the signal was matched to a specific tone.

Layers of information obtained from recording at Al Ain

Manal AlDowayan's analysis of the recorded information

Images of the recorded information after processing

The information was processed to reflect the effect desired by the artist and transferred onto fabric using a dye-sublimation printer, a special printer that transfers dye onto materials such as a plastic, card, paper, or fabric. The work was printed in two sections, each measuring 1x 25 x 2,5 meters (62,5 m2).

Testing color and texture

The fabric selected for this piece synthetic Transfertex® PES washed flag (100 % Polyester).

Hanging proposal for I Am From You and You are From Me

The top and bottom of the fabric were perforated every 2.5 to hold a 20 mm aluminium tube along the top and a lead thread at the bottom, securing the piece from the wind and other environmental forces.

I Am From You and You are From Me at Al Ain Oasis

I Am From You and You are From Me was installed in November 2017 inside the Al Ain Oasis.

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