In the work of Lara Assouad principles of abstraction play a central role. Arabic letters are paired down to basic volumes and shapes. The use of letters in the context of contemporary and modernist applied and fine art dates back to the early Bauhaus school. Explored in varied visual traditions, text has been central in the evolution of several artists oeuvre.
With this body of work titled ‘alphabets’, Assouad expresses her interest in exploring the physicality and symbolism of the Arabic alphabet, its modularity and rhythm beyond its function as language and cultural signifier.