Soufiane Ababri
Gallery Policies
Photography without flash is welcomed for your personal use.
@barbicancentre #SoufianeAbabri
Food and drink are not permitted in the space.
Under-14s must be accompanied by an adult or older sibling/friend who is at least 16 years of age and young children should be supervised by an adult at all times.
Please be kind to our staff who have a responsibility to keep everyone safe.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Moroccan artist Soufiane Ababri’s new commission, Their mouths were full of bumblebees but it was me who was pollinated, explores questions of desire, queerness, and diaspora.
In his first exhibition at a major UK institution, Ababri transforms The Curve in a new site-specific work. Uniting drawing, performance and installation, his work challenges the dominance of Western narratives in queer history.
The exhibition highlights how The Curve’s shape reflects the Arabic letter Zayin (ز), the first letter of the word ‘zamel’, a derogatory term for gay men, whose buzzing sound is used to insinuate the slur without voicing it in Morocco. Zamel’s evolution from originally meaning close friend shows how homophobia threatens not only same-sex sexuality, but restricts the possibility of radical forms of friendship.
With drawings exploring diasporic queer experience and queer nightlife as a space for collective and personal emancipation, the show is an act of reclamation that subverts architecture, language, and histories.
With special thanks to the dancers involved in the performances:
Sarah Baugstø
Jordan Jadi
Dak Mashava
Marie-Astrid Mence
Jayla O'Connell
Louis Partridge
Akshay Sharma
Content note
Please be advised that some works in this exhibition contain illustrated nudity, and that low-level haze is used in the exhibition.
Opening hours
Ticket prices
Gallery Policies
Photography without flash is welcomed for your personal use.
@barbicancentre #SoufianeAbabri
Food and drink are not permitted in the space.
Under-14s must be accompanied by an adult or older sibling/friend who is at least 16 years of age and young children should be supervised by an adult at all times.
Please be kind to our staff who have a responsibility to keep everyone safe.
Thank you for your cooperation.
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The Curve
Location
The Curve is located on Level G and can be found at the bottom of the Silk Street entrance ramp, opposite the Barbican Shop.
Address
Barbican Centre
Silk Street, London
EC2Y 8DS
Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.
We’ve plenty of places for you to relax and replenish, from coffee and cake to wood-fired pizzas and full pre-theatre menus
Assistance dogs are welcome. If you prefer, you may leave your dog with a member of the gallery staff during your visit.
For more access information, please visit our Accessibility section.
Enhanced security measures are currently in place at the Barbican.
As part of these measures only one reasonably-sized bag (no larger than 32cm L x 18cm W x 22cm H) per person may be taken inside our venues and all bags may be searched by a member of our team.
We ask that, where possible, visitors avoid bringing large bags to the Centre. If you do need to check bags into our free cloakrooms, we suggest arriving early. All bags deposited will be subject to search and random bag searches are also in operation.
Please also remember that belongings should not be left unattended at any time.
Thank you for your understanding – we look forward to welcoming you to the Barbican.