© Abbas Akhavan
Abbas Akhavan
STABLE
From April 24 to June 14, 2025
Opening on April 24
PRIM-Dazibao production-dissemination residency
As part of his PRIM-Dazibao production-dissemination residency, and a continuation of the works presented in the context of Dazibao satellite, Abbas Akhavan will be producing a new video work.
For this work, Akhavan traveled to the United Arab Emirates to document the breeding and care of a prestigious breed of show horses renowned for their great beauty. Layered onto these images is a series of recorded conversations with people who have deliberately chosen to abandon their careers in the art world. By drawing parallels between these two worlds, Akhavan brings to light certain connections between art, spectacle and the demands of high performance, questioning the extent to which an artist is “chosen” by their art, and the art world’s power dynamics.
Dazibao thanks the artist for his generous collaboration as well as its advisory committee for their support.
Dazibao receives financial support from the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Conseil des arts de Montréal, the ministère de la Culture et des Communications and the Ville de Montréal.
Dazibao acknowledges that it is located on the unceded territory of the Kanien'kehá: ka Nation and that Tiohtiá:ke / Montreal is historically known as a gathering place for many First Nations, and today, is home to a diverse population of Indigenous as well as other peoples. Guided by ethics of respect, listening, and awareness, Dazibao commits to a continued reflection regarding the deep-rooted and systemic challenges tied to accessibility and inclusivity in the arts and beyond, and endeavors to apply such reflections to all aspects of its activities and governance.