Netherlandish artist Suzan Drumman makes dazzling, playful installations that climb up walls and over people. Crystal, chrome-plated metal, precious stones, mirrors and optical glass of various sizes and colors respond and reflect their surroundings. The designs are derived from a variety of sources, including traditional Islamic geometries and Eastern mandalas, to form patterns that dance between negative and positive space. The end result is kaleidoscopic, yet balanced. However, because the individual pieces are placed on the raw surface, they are innately ephemeral. This lends the works a mystical quality.
Painter Hilda Hiary uses bright colors and fleeting patterns to create images that unite instead of divide. Born in Ammam and self-identified as an Arab-Jordanian artist, Hiary forgoes ethnic markers in her characters in favor of soft swirls and fading lines. Just as her lines are never straight, Hiary's characters are never still. Whether talking or smoking, they are always invigorated with a sense of movement. The dynamic energy is only bolstered by the oscillating patterns.