British artist Nat Bowen inaugural UAE exhibition transforms hue into immersive calm and psychological resonance
Nat Bowen: Chromology
7th October, 2025 – 26th October, 2025
Bassam Freiha Art Foundation
Cultural District, Saadiyat
Island, Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates
This October, the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation will present a new exhibition by British contemporary artist Nat Bowen. Chromology marks Bowen’s debut in Abu Dhabi, exploring the psychological impact of colour through vibrant resin-based works that both captivate and prompt introspection.
The exhibition is designed as an intimate space for chromatic reflection—an environment in which colour is not merely observed but felt, acting as a tool for calm, resonance, and nonverbal expression. From October 7 to 26, the Annex Gallery at BFAF will host Bowen’s signature abstract style through an array of layered compositions. Each piece is built from pigmented resin poured onto acrylic in a way that encourages emotional and physical response. The exhibition is accompanied by an educational programme to deepen engagement.
On opening day, visitors are invited to join an artist-led tour, offering first-hand insights into Bowen’s creative process. She will speak about the ideas, materials, and theories underpinning her work, emphasising that “each viewer’s own perception is the finishing touch” to every piece.
About Nat Bowen
Nat Bowen is a British contemporary artist whose practice centres on chromology, the emotional and psychological study of colour. Working with pigmented resin on acrylic, she creates luminous abstract compositions that respond to light and space, inviting viewers into immersive experiences where colour becomes a language. Her process is meditative, often employing rare materials such as lapis lazuli, volcanic earth, meteorite dust, and crushed diamonds. A graduate of London College of Fashion, Bowen relocated her studio to Dubai in 2021, expanding her practice through international collaborations.
About H.E. Bassam Said Freiha
Beirut-born and born in 1939, H.E. Bassam Said Freiha is a philanthropist and collector whose holdings focus on the Orientalist art movement, including works by Ernst, Comerre, Leroy, Huysmans, Stiepevich, Frère, Fabbi, O’Kelly, and others. In 1976, he co-founded London’s Mathaf Gallery, the city’s first gallery dedicated to Orientalist art. Freiha is the son of Said Freiha, founder of the pan-Arab publishing house Dar Assayad. At age 21, Freiha became managing director of the firm after graduating in political science from the American University of Beirut. Over the years, he has acted as a diplomatic envoy to Lebanese presidents and founded The Said and Hassiba Freiha & Sons Foundation for Humanitarian Services in 1970.
Courtesy of Bassam Freiha Art Foundation
About Michaela Watrelot
Michaela Watrelot is curator, educator, and published author overseeing curation, education and outreach, and strategic partnerships at Bassam Freiha Art Foundation. Holding a Ph.D. in Art History from Charles University in Prague and an M.A. from the University of Vienna, her expertise spans 19th- and 20th-century art, public commissions, and art market studies. She previously held roles at Christie’s in Vienna and Dubai, and as founder of Arthusiast, champions education and cultural experience for collectors. Her scholarship includes Wilhelm von Bode and the American Art Market: The Rudolphe Kann Collection, published in 2023. Watrelot is a member of TIAMSA and The Society for the History of Collecting.
Nat Bowen: Chromology is on until the 26th October, 2025 at Bassam Freiha Art Foundation Cultural District, Saadiyat
©2025 Bassam Freiha Art Foundation
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