Maitha Abdalla

The Beguiled Space

Maitha Abdallah’s diverse body of work delves into the complexities and uncertainties of adolescence, a transitional period marked by shifts in appearance, social inhibitions, and identity. This series of staged photographs draws from regional folktales and mythologies, using animals to symbolize the duality of the journey from innocence to adulthood. Inspired by theatre, fantasy, and ritual, Abdallah’s scenes are influenced by artists like Francis Bacon and Paula Rego. They explore intimate indoor settings like bathrooms, where personal dreams and transformations are laid bare. Against a bright pink tile backdrop, The Beguiled Space depicts a figure shrouded in green with a papier-mache pig’s head sitting on a wooden bench, next to a bag of spilled oranges and a papier-mache rooster. Delving into the complex transition from adolescence to adulthood, in this work the bird and pig are representations of purity and sin. Abdallah’s incorporation of pastel pink also carries associations with kitsch, nostalgia, and gender-specific connotations. The photograph synthesizes a performative element embodied by the subjects, an intense color palette, and intimate indoor settings to explore personal experiences and self-reflection during the transformative phase of adolescence.