Summary
At first it was awarded to three artist-curator teams, but was later rejigged for five artists and a single curator.
Complementing Barrada's two works, and ensuring that "Before History" resembles a proper exhibition, are older pieces by the three artists shortlisted for this year's Abraaj prize – Mounira Al Solh, Sarnath Banerjee and Setareh Shahbazi.
The photo series "Spectral Days," 2013, by Berlin-based Iranian (once Beiruti) artist Setareh Shahbazi is based upon a series of family photos.
Assessing "Before History" as an exhibition, Shahbazi's work is probably shown to better advantage than those of the other shortlisted artists.
Barrada's work is the centrepiece of "Before History," of course. Several individuals – whose tastes in art are evidently more aesthetic – emerged from the show's opening to confide that they found "Faux Depart" more like boring documentary than art.
"Before History" is up at Art Dubai through March 21 .
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