Between These Walls
Zakariya Abdul-Qadir
February 11th - March 12th, 2023

This exhibition is the culmination of haul’s first ever Raised-in-Brooklyn Studio Residency. In 2022, haul announced an open call for artists raised in Brooklyn, aiming to provide their gallery space as a studio for 5 weeks, with an exhibition at the end. On display are paintings made in the gallery during the course of Zakariya Abdul-Qadir’s residency.

In his own words: 

“I began the idea for this series of paintings during lockdown, longing for the connections lost with the people I love. At the time I painted from photographs, but found that these paintings lacked the depth I longed for in the experiences we shared. With the dissatisfaction of these paintings, the project died. Upon receipt of this residency I resuscitated this project, creating work about my friends and the spaces they occupy. They let me into their homes to paint them from life, engaging intimately with my process. We talked of chasing connections across continents, rugs and Moroccan poufs, and butt washers. In “Between These Walls'' I bring these tender moments to light. They began as loose color sketches, made while engaging in conversation. Slowly, these sketches were conceptualized into intimate portraits. They are painted as tenderly and as loosely as the dialogue we shared.”

Zakariya Abdul-Qadir is a New York based artist, whose paintings and drawings exhibit identity; exploring the experiences we all share. From the life he breathes into his work, he draws you into his world. Using colors, pieced together like a memory, Zakariya steers the viewer into this experience. He received his BA in Fine Art and Psychology at the City University of New York, Brooklyn College in 2011.