Are you looking to include more artistic and creative endeavors to pursue this year? Why not book an art/pottery class, try to paint using a different medium, read a new book or visit more art exhibitions to explore both local and international talents? If this sounds enticing, keep scrolling to learn more regarding all the unmissable art events and exhibitions that will be headed to the UAE soon.
DIFC Art Nights
The 15th edition of DIFC Art Nights is taking place on the 16th and 17th of March at the Gate Village showcasing exhibitions and panel discussions centred around the theme ‘Art for Change: Building a sustainable future.’ With over 50 artists participating, the exhibition has over 180 creative art pieces on display. Witness live art from artist Shahul Hameed who will complete his ‘Eco-Urban Oasis’ piece using charcoal and natural pigments. Other artists include trailblazing Emirati photographers and artists Jassim Al Awadhi and Abda Fayyaz and more. As the UAE is hosting COP28 in Dubai this year, DIFC Art Nights is an opportunity for industry leaders, the public and art enthusiasts to take part in the discussion about sustainability in the art world.
(Un)common Threads by DESIGNEAST
In partnership with Alserkal Avenue, the textile art show showcases the work of contemporary textile artists from Morocco, Qatar, Palestine, Nigeria, Lebanon, UAE, China, Thailand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. DESIGNEAST’s debut show unites 16 artists from across the Global South to tell their stories through textiles. Each art tells the story of the artist’s vision and the infinite variations of how life, a community and its values can be woven into a single moment. The show will open on February 26th with an invite-only evening reception at A1 Warehouse in Alserkal Avenue. It will be open daily from 11am to 7pm until 5th March.
To learn, click here.
DIGITAL ART FESTIVAL
The Art in Space-organized Digital Art Festival is set to be the first of its kind in Dubai and the largest of its kind, bringing together more than 100 digital artists from around the world, including Dubai’s Jalal Luqman, the country’s and the region’s first-ever Emirati digital artist, who began his work in 1996. Head down to Downtown Boulevard between February 23rd to March 4th for an spellbinding affair.
The Useless Palace Exhibition
Glimpse into the fascinating exploration of an abandoned space in a desert filled with the spirit of adventure through the useless palace exhibition short film. The latest addition to Dubai’s buzzing art scene, pop-up art gallery Inloco host the exhibition bringing an experience that opens up various layers of philosophical reflections in mind-blowing landscapes with artistic humour for the viewers to analyze and dissect with their imagination. Canvases and sculptures made during the artistic intervention in the desert, found objects, and digital works created through the use of artificial intelligence will be on display as part of the exhibition. Art enthusiasts can also immerse themselves in urban art until 30th of March at Inloco located at Al Khayat Avenue, Al Quoz.
To learn more, click here
Sotheby’s Dubai
Sotheby’s Dubai’s auction items, including sneakers, jewellery, Middle Eastern masterworks and Islamic objects, will be on display from 27th February to 3rd March in Sotheby’s Dubai, DIFC. From Air Jordans of Michael Jordan’s Championship-clinching NBA games to rare historic objects, jewels and Qurans from the Islamic world led by a 16th-century manuscript of a battle scene valued at £4-6 Million, most items offered for auction are a first for any auction houses. Modern and contemporary masterworks of the prestigious Al Zayani collection including works by Fahrelnissa Zeid, Mohammed Melehi, Hassan Hajjaj, Gazbia Sirry & more as well as jewellery and watches by Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Harry Winston, Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe will also be on view. Dubbed as this year’s major auction by Sotheby’s Dubai, this one is a must-visit for all art enthusiasts.
Exhibition of Michael Benisty at Art In Space
Artist Michael Benisty’s iconic polished stainless steel sculptors are widely popular from his exhibitions at Burning Man, Tulum and beyond. Accompanied by an original score from a Middle Eastern symphony, Benisty’s exhibition will unveil his art pieces inspired by the Falcon, UAE’s national bird, as an ode to the nation at Art in Space’s Digital Art Festival. It is the world’s first five senses immersive artwork. The exhibition will undeniably be a multi-sensory experience for the spectators speaking passionately about the region’s beauty and the high regard that Emiratis have for the bird.
RSVP here.
WORLD ART DUBAI 2023
World Art Dubai is returning for its ninth edition from 9th to 12th March bringing together 300+ galleries and artists from 50+ nations all over the world, each with their own distinct take on art at Dubai World trade centre. WAD brings contemporary art from all around the world under one roof, offering collectors and enthusiasts looking for different accessible and unique work. The diverse fair is an eclectic melting pot of artistic styles, ranging from new artists, pop-art icons, and fashion art disruptors to experimental expressionists, fine art, and photography practitioners that you must not miss.
Get your tickets here.
The NYUAD Art Gallery’ the only constant
As climate change is a major worldwide concern, and with 2023 being the UAE’s Year of Sustainability, NYUAD’s Art Gallery is promoting sustainability issues by organizing an exhibition that investigates human-landscape interactions as they appear in contemporary art practice across the world. ‘The Only Constant’, curated by Maya Alison, delves into the artists’ confrontation with our current world, focusing on the point at which humans alter the landscape and the landscape affects humans, ranging from pictures of paradise to concepts of development and technological desire. The exhibition will begin on Wednesday, February 22nd to 4th June. It will run Tuesday through Sunday from 12 pm to 8 p.m.
To learn more, click here
XVA Art Gallery Presents ‘Enheduanna’s Letter’, a solo installation by Halim Al Karim
Discover Halim Al Karim’s newest body of photographic work, Enheduanna’s Letter, a solo exhibition comprising lambda prints on display at XVA Gallery. Letters from Priestess Enheduanna to all exiled spirits in the new world are shown in Enheduanna’s Letter, which is a collection of letters that have been lost to the passage of time. The show will open on February 24 and run through March 31 at the gallery in Dubai’s historical neighbourhood, now known as Al Fahidi.
To learn more, click here
BEDIA GALLERY
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Traverse into the wondrous vibrant world of Turkish born German raised Artist Kemal Yazici, at the recently opened Bedia Gallery. Yazici’s artwork is an homage to all the colourful cultures and countries he has encountered and a must-visit for abstract art lovers. The exhibition is open to the public and and situated at the city’s art-hub Al Quoz.
To learn more click here.
Art Dubai 2023
Dubai’s top art exhibition will be returning again after several successful renditions over the years, showcasing both local and international talent from around the globe. Among the world’s most international art fairs, Art Dubai continues to foster a culture of discovery, offering new perspectives on art beyond Western-led geographical scopes. The exhibition encompasses a variety of contemporary and modern art along with various sculptures and other mediums. The event will take place on the Madinat Jumeirah from the 3rd of March to the 5th of March.
Get your tickets here.
Tashkeel Al Fahidi
Explore ‘Rainbows Under Their Feet,’ a solo-exhibition by Natalya Konforti, Tashkeel studio’s first resident artist. The exhibition is open until the 9th of January and open to the public so hurry up to get inspired by lustrous artwork among remarkable architecture.
To learn more click here.
Fann À Porter
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Fann À Porter will be showcasing the first solo exhibition of Egyptian fine artist, Sara Tantawy. The artist will be showcasing ‘survivors,’ a collection that encompasses a myriad of figurative paintings that are inspired by her rich culture and heritage. The exhibition will commence on the 12th of January at 7pm at The Workshop Dubai.
For more information click here.
ART DUBAI
skaya art presents ‘faceless’ at BOCCARA Gallery
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Dubai based art consultancy Skaya Art will be presenting artist Anna Chekh’s ‘Faceless’ exhibition for the second time at the BOCCARA Gallery, located right at the heart of the city at DIFC. The collection showcases “Anna’s mysterious Shadow Man and blends contemporary surrealism with expressionism to showcase current social topics including how today’s generation experiences the world anonymously.” The exhibition will be running until the 10th of January and is open to public for free, so don’t miss out on a chance to experience Chekh’s vibrant colourful world up close.
For more information click here.
LOUVRE ABU DHABI
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For those fascinated by Impressionism or fond of iconic impressionists such as Monet, Renoir, Manet. Cézanne among many others, the Louvre has the perfect exhibition for you. The Louvre Abu Dhabi in partnership with Musée d’Orsay has curated a gorgeous collection of 150 paintings that include artworks to showcase the history of the challenging time period along with other costumes and photography. This might be just what you need to get back into creating yourself, the exhibition will remain until the 25th of February so there’s plenty of time to enjoy the New Year’s festivities and then enjoy some art.
To purchase your tickets click here.
Takashi Murakami at Perrotin Dubai
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Witness the legendary Japanese icon Takashi Murakami’s first ever exhibition in Dubai named ‘Murakami.Flowers’ at the Perrotin Gallery in collaboration with ICD Brookfield Place. The exhibition like the name suggests will showcase his signature emblematic flowers, from a series of 108 flowers that was painted utilising varying colours and backgrounds along with several sculptures. The exhibition will take place until the 27th of January, at the ICD Brookfield in DIFC.
To learn more click here.
