Mohamed Melehi exhibition to open six months after postponement
A retrospective show of the work of Mohamed Melehi will go on display in Dubai next month. Melehi was one of the pioneering artists of his generation and a founder of the radical Casablanca school.
As restrictions are lifted, galleries start to reopen
You still need to make an appointment but thanks to the lifting of restrictions across Dubai, galleries are beginning to reopen their doors. Alserkal Avenue has a temporary entrance for temperature checks and don’t forget to wear your face mask.
Rearranging the Riddle: Shaikha Al Mazrou
Just before the Covid-19 pandemic shut down normal life, Shaikha Al Mazrou opened her first institutional show at Maraya Art Centre. It remains closed but there is a new video up on the Maraya site and here is my short review to help you enjoy the show until you can see it in person.
Isolation life: 5 online art shows worth checking out
Don’t let isolation get you down. Here is a round up of five digital art displays, showcasing art from across the region to brighten up your day and provide some much needed cultural impetus.
Enter the #LivingRoom with Lawrie Shabibi
Galleries all over the region are coming up with innovative ways to keep us entertained in quarantine. Here is a selection of Lawrie Shabibi’s content
Photography's power to protect
Taking a look back at some highlights of last year. This is a round up of the best and most powerful images at Xpsoure photography festival in Sharjah. In dark times, photography has great power.
Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi: The Interview
Collector, patron, supporter, commentator, inspiration. Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi has worked at raising the profile of Arab art across the world, for more than a decade.
Wolf Tone: a group exhibition
Wolf Tone is a group exhibition that I curated in Dubai’s XVA Gallery. Here is the curatorial essay.
Dubai Culture partners with Expo 2020
Dubai Culture and Arts Authority becomes Official Cultural Supporter of Dubai Expo 2020
Majd Kurdieh: Smaller than a cherry blossom, bigger than the world
Through whimsical characters and poignant poetry, Majd Kurdieh uses a childlike and cartoon-like approach to tackle subjects of war, conflict, spirituality, friendship and sadness.
Body Building: Ishara Art Foundation
Body Building is a curated exhibition that explores South Asian identities and perspectives in the context of architecture and the built environment and in particular, in relation to the Gulf context.
On Appreciating Visual Art
I wrote about the sometimes tricky task of encouraging everyone to learn to love and appreciate visual art. People don’t always trust their own opinions and my advice is, anything you think and feel is the “right” reaction. Read my opinion piece here.
Dubai Design Week: a preview
The countdown is on for Dubai Design Week. Now in its fifth edition, the event brings together designers and artists from all over the region for a week-long celebration of design
The Alumni Return: A group exhibition
The Alumni Return is a group exhibition of eight artists and designers who have been associated with Tashkeel studio hub and have gone on to study for master’s degrees. This is a presentation of their final works for their studies.
Leaving the Echo Chamber
The event came to a close in June 2019, here is a look back over the Sharjah Biennial’s 14th edition, which had three curators for the first time and achieved a wonderful symbiosis of place and content.
Sketch-off competition to design next-gen car
A sketch battle competition open to automobile and product designers, graphic designers and artists based in the UAE will launch with a cash prize.
Princess Fawzia: A life through a lens
Portrait of an Egyptian princess who lived her life through a lens. A student and a researcher pulled together a collection of documents to tell the intriguing story of Egypt’s Princess Fawzia Fuad for an exhibition in Cairo.
Lorenzo Quinn: Artist for the people
Lorenzo Quinn is a world renowned sculptor whose signature trademark - the human hand - has allowed people to connect with his work from far and wide. I interviewed him for Shawati Magazine.