In the studio with Mohammed Ahmed Ibrahim
His practice has come to represent his personal journey, his country, the landscape as well as a kind of primal language that is accessible to everyone yet explainable by none. Mohammed Ahmed Ibrahim is one of the UAE’s treasures - here is my interview from our studio visit.
Salsali Private Museum announces final Dubai exhibition
Salsali Private Museum, which has been open in Alserkal Avenue since 2011, will close its doors at the end of May and relocate to Berlin. The final exhibition will be from Philip Mueller.
Zimoun: Silence that you hear
Swiss artist Zimoun uses humble materials to create audio-visual works that sound like a symphony but that should be listened to in the same way as you might experience silence. A truly wonderful show.
Former Art Dubai participants to curate Documenta 2022
An Indonesian art collective has been selected to curate Documenta 2022. It is the first time a collective has taken on the role and the first time that its curatorial leadership has come from Asia
Art Dubai: Bawwaba, a cross section of the Global South
The inaugural section of Bawwaba at Art Dubai features 10 solo presentations from artists across the Global South. Curated by Elise Atatanga, the idea is to present a narrative as well as a window into different artist practices.
Art Dubai: Modern section retells history
Art Dubai’s Modern section has evolved over the years to become a place for learning and contextualisation for contemporary art from across the region. This year, the 11 galleries present historical works from around the world and the accompanying symposium is a platform for intellectual exchange.
Art Dubai: Meet the Residents
Art Dubai’s second residents programme features 12 of the leading artists from Latin America. They will spend 4-8 weeks in the UAE in the lead up to the fair producing new work based on their experiences.
Wissam Shawkat: Disciplined Insurgence
Wissam Shawkat is a calligrapher who straddles the gap between the ancient and the contemporary. His work looks out on two fronts and his abstract and minimal pieces are the result of a life long relationship with the letters themselves.
Rainlight in the Rain Room
Contemporary dance performances inside Rain Room Sharjah will take place next week.
The UAE National Pavilion at Venice: a combination of poetry and filmmaking
Nujoom Alghanem will represent the UAE at the Venice Biennale. I spoke to the curators Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath about their choice and the artist’s practice.
Huda Lutfi and Sherin Guirguis on the inner and outer landscapes of Cairo
For the launch of the newly renovated Tahrir Cultural Center in the American University of Cairo, Shiva Balaghi curated a show of two prominent Egyptian artists: Sherin Guirguis and Huda Lutfi.
Louvre Abu Dhabi at Innovation Week
As part of Abu Dhabi Innovation Week, Louvre Abu Dhabi is hosting a series of commissions and installations to mark the close of the Roads of Arabia exhibition.
Sustainability, art and wildlife: Harold Vanderschmidt
After spending his lifetime taking stunning wildlife photographs across Africa, Dr Harold Vanderschmidt had his first exhibition at the age of 64. He is completely self-taught and has a natural skill, stemming from his deep passion for the animals.
Tafawut: Year of Tolerance
A group show in Showcase Gallery explores tolerance in light of the UAE’s 2019 Year Of Tolerance. It includes a primary presentation of work by Jessica Watson-Thorp, who used her art as a bridge to explore Islam.
The Big Picture: eL Seed
The issue of script, legibility and art was the focus of the latest issue of Canvas magazine. Here is my take on it with a feature on the work of eL Seed.
Rembrandt and Vermeer at Louvre Abu Dhabi
The Louvre Abu Dhabi’s first exhibition of 2019 sees two Vermeer paintings cut from the same piece of canvas cloth hang next to each other for the first time in 300 years.
Art Dubai Portraits: photographer Michael Tsegaye
In the latest Art Dubai Portrait, Michael Tsegaye says: "I was painting for about two years, but my studio was very small, it was not well ventilated, somehow I do now have an allergic reaction to the paint - the photography came in and saved my artistic life..."
Brazilian art collective to take part in Art Dubai
Brazilian artist collective OPAVIVARÁ! has been commissioned to produce Art Dubai 2019’s interactive installation