Banafsheh Hemmati to Open First UAE Solo Exhibition in DIFC on 9 October

(MENAFN- Sheila Tobias) Independent artist-designer Banafsheh Hemmati will open her first solo exhibition in the UAE on 9 October 2025. Held in collaboration with DIFC, the exhibition, titled Body Geometry, will present a collection of the Tehran-based artist’s wearable jewellery and sculptures, where the two disciplines enter into a living dialogue with one another. The exhibition explores the relationship between body, space, and geometry, and is positioned at the intersection of art, design, and philosophy. Body Geometry invites the viewer to experience the connection between the human body and geometric form in a new way, and also shows the design process that the artist follows. This exhibition follows Hemmati’s participation in Dubai Design Week and two editions of the DIFC Sculpture Park, and will be open to the public from 9-31 October 2025 in Satellite Gallery, DIFC.

All works in the collection are derived from the redefinition of three foundational forms of Islamic geometry. The aim is to unlock the formal and conceptual potentials of this geometry and reimagine it as a new language that can bring the East and West closer together. The exhibition reveals how a single geometric form can unfold into a diverse set of works. In contrast to Islamic philosophy, which traditionally moves from multiplicity toward unity, Body Geometry takes the reverse path from unity to multiplicity in order to create a contemporary and multilayered space. Looking simultaneously to the past and the future, Body Geometry redefines Islamic geometry as a contemporary visual language that enables deeper connections between cultures.

Artist Banafsheh Hemmati said: “My practice is shaped at the intersection of art, design, and philosophy, and all the works in this new collection are derived from three foundational forms of Islamic Geometry. Body Geometry is a research-based project, where not only the final pieces but the design process is presented as well. As a designer-artist I’m trained to redefine fundamental Islamic geometric patterns, taking this notion of scale from jewellery to large-scale sculptures.”

For over two decades, Hemmati has been professionally active as a designer-artist and is the founder of the Banafsheh Hemmati Design Studio. Her extensive body of work spans sculpture, artistic jewellery, interior design, lighting, and furniture. Hemmati’s unique approach to jewellery and sculpture is deeply rooted in the appropriation of Islamic geometry. Inspired by the motifs of Islamic architecture, she integrates geometric patterns into her creations while disrupting their rigid order to expand their visual and formal possibilities. Her work reinterprets Islamic geometry in contemporary contexts. While her jewellery and sculptures are conceptually interconnected, they primarily differ in scale. By elevating jewellery to engage with the “body” as a site of connection, her sculptures transcend traditional notions of adornment, creating a dialogue between body and space.

Hemmati holds a master’s degree in Industrial Design and a PhD in Philosophy of Art, where her research focused on the philosophical foundations of the relationship between art and geometry.

Hemmati’s works have been showcased in numerous exhibitions across Iran, the United States, Italy, Germany, Malaysia, Turkey, and the UAE. Among her notable achievements is her 2023 installation Seven Cypresses, exhibited at the 2nd edition of DIFC Sculpture Park. Acquired by the private collection of DIFC, this installation, blending Gothic and Islamic geometry, bridges Eastern and Western artistic traditions. She is the only independent artist associated with DIFC and was invited to the 3rd edition of DIFC Sculpture Park to present an interactive site-specific installation titled The Eternal Gateway.

MENAFN11092025004232015376ID1110048527