Ab-Anbar presents Figure–Ground, a group exhibition showcasing a collection of photography, video, painting, installation, and sculptural works by both emerging and established artists: Sherko Abbas, Pio Abad, Jananne Al-Ani, Y.Z. Kami, Babak Kazemi, Saba Khan, Omar Mismar, Dima Srouji, and Akram Zaatari.

This exhibition explores the dynamic interplay of figure-ground relationships across architecture, psychology, media, and literature, investigating how their interaction either clarifies or distorts meaning within historical narratives. The selection of works interrogates the practice of historiography by unpacking critical perspectives on race, gender, forced displacement, reclamation, with many of the works addressing the ineliminable influence of the natural environment. By examining these themes, the exhibition challenges the dominant narratives across them and invites reflection on how history is constructed, interpreted, and contested.

In architecture, figure-ground is epitomised by Nolli’s 18th-century plan of Rome, where built forms (figures) contrast with voided public spaces (grounds). Yet Gestalt psychology presents a fluid dynamic where perception is shaped by the observer’s ability to distinguish figures from backgrounds, hence is dependent on the viewer’s focus and interpretation. Literature and language operate similarly: figures command attention, while grounds recede. Media production also relies on this hierarchy—what "jumps out" versus what fades into context. This selective focus shapes how we interpret our surroundings.

Figure–Ground highlights the critical interpretation of the hyphen between figure and ground. What defines a figure, and what constitutes a ground? Can they coexist as one, or must they remain separate? Is one the cause or consequence of the other? Does one inherently erase or obscure the other? Ultimately, how can unconventional, non-binary interpretations of figure-ground enable us to rethink and rewrite historiography in a more multifaceted way?