Can the past, present, and future coexist simultaneously? Yemen-Bosnian-American multimedia artist Alia Ali poses this question with her fifth solo exhibition “Timespace” at Galerie—Peter—Sillem. The show brings together three interconnected bodies of work that explore themes of history, perception, and the future, inviting us to look beyond the subjective.
Textile, Identity, and Colonial Legacy
At the core of Alia Ali’s practice is textile art that uses pattern as its primary motif. She expands this into immersive installations that employ light and pattern to enable an experimental understanding of culture and identity beyond language.
The three main groups of work in the exhibition:
BATIK: Examines the cultural and colonial histories of batik textiles. This series traces the ancient trade routes of the Indian Ocean, relating them to today’s global exchanges. REFRACTED FUTURES: A continuation of Ali’s exploration of Yemen Futurism. These photographic sculptures visualize a speculative future in which individuals are depicted as resilient, futuristic beings traveling through time and space. SHREDS: Combines text and textile to question the cyclical nature of history, memory, and the fragmented perception of knowledge in the digital age. Alia Ali’s art confronts contradictory concepts surrounding gender, politics, media, and citizenship while offering counter-narratives to exploitation, violence, and erasure through Yemen Futurism discourses. She has been featured in publications such as Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar and is known for the Andrew Mellon Foundation-funded al-Falak monument. The artist is currently working as the Jameel Arts Fellow at the Victoria & Albert Museum.
Artist: Alia Ali
- Work Title: Timespace
- Venue: Galerie—Peter—Sillem, Frankfurt
- Dates: 7 November – 17 December 2025
