Najm (2024)

Stefano Cagol’s Najm (2024), or star in Arabic, is an installation with a canopy-like structure that resembles muqarnas, tiered niches in Islamic architecture. Inspired by stars and their age-old role in navigation, the newly commissioned artwork honors the natural light source by transforming itself into a starry expanse.

Constructed from lightweight aluminum, Najm is shaped and bolted by Cagol on the plains of Wadi Hanifah. The crumpled dome is deliberately bent into an irregular form, appearing like a fractured multi-pointed star from below. At night, its jagged underside catches ambient lighting and brings the night sky closer to visitors, while during the day, its mirrored surface reflects sunlight in infinite directions.

The viewer is invited to stroll under this celestial vault and contemplate the ‘stars’ within arm’s reach, inspiring dreamers to adopt a perspective that transcends the universe.