Farah Al Qasimi: TAILSPIN
Opens Jan 30, 2027
Farah Al Qasimi: TAILSPIN
Farah Al Qasimi, still from TAILSPIN, 2026. HD video, color, sound. Collection of the artist. Courtesy of the Artist, François Ghebaly, Los Angeles, New York and The Third Line, Dubai.
Farah Al Qasimi: TAILSPIN takes its title from the featured video work, TAILSPIN. Filmed in between Michigan, West Texas, and the East Coast, the work traces the long-standing relationship between American industry, oil, car culture, and Arab immigration.
Told from the perspective of a jinn, or spirit, the work combines fictionalized storytelling, documentary-style footage, and real testimony to explore the complexities of identity-building in post-9/11 America. The film unfolds through auto shops, living rooms, restaurants, and the swamplands of the Rouge River, revealing layered histories of migration, industry, community, and belonging.
Farah Al Qasimi: TAILSPIN is organized by Drew Sawyer, Sondra Gilman Curator of Photography, and Kelly Long, Assistant Curator.
Major support for Farah Al Qasimi: TAILSPIN is provided by the John R. Eckel, Jr. Foundation.