4 Not To Miss Art Exhibitions In The UAE This Summer

Galleries and museums across the Arab nation are buzzing with inspiration

Iranart:From Dubai and Sharjah, to the mighty Louvre in Abu Dhabi, these art exhibitions in the UAE offer an inspiring snapshot of the nation’s diverse art scene, promising art collectors and enthusiasts myriad opportunities to discover classical masterpieces, rare works and contemporary marvels from around the globe.

Fahd Burki: Daydreams at Jameel Art Centre, Dubai

Pakistani Artist Fahd Burki’s paintings, drawings and sculptures are inspired by a wide range of influences including architecture, nature and various strands of contemporary popular culture. From figurative work and abstraction, to a selection of commissioned reliefs, his Dubai exhibition ‘Daydreams’ bringing together works spanning the last fifteen years of the artist’s practice and offers a glorious glimpse of Pakistan’s contemporary art scene. Until 9th October 2022; jameelartscentre.org.

Spotlighting the prolific career the Lebanese artist Aref El Rayess (1928 – 2005), this is the late artist’s first major institutional exhibition to date. Across painting, drawing, sculpture and collage, more than five decades of work reveals this important Arab modernist’s rich and complex practice. From folklore and mystical motifs, to political expression and social commentary, this exhibition is a celebration of El Rayess’ eternal hope. Until 7th August 2022; 

In the Footsteps of Cai Lun II: Selected Works on Paper at Alserkal Avenue, Dubai

An assembly of painters and artists who have used drawing and printmaking as primary media – including Tammam Azzam, Nihad Al-Turk, Mohammad Bozorgi, Thaier Helal, Samia Halaby, Athier Mousawi, and Faisal Samra – this Alserkal Avenue showcase pays homage to the ancient Chinese official Cai Lun who revolutionised how paper was made. His invention made its way into the Middle East when during the eighth century, after Abbasid forces captured Chinese papermakers in present-day Kazakhstan. Since then, it has served as an essential surface for painters, printmakers and calligraphy artists around the region. Until 5th September 2022, Ayyam Gallery.

Stories of Paper at The Louvre, Abu Dhabi

Featuring more than 100 objects, the showcase examines the rich artistic legacy of this fragile material that has shaped the artistic landscape for centuries, from ancient Asia to Europe and contemporary Arabia. Created in partnership with the Musée du Louvre and in collaboration with France-Muséums as well as several leading international institutions and private collections, Stories on Paper features masterpieces from the likes of Katsushika Hokusai, Italian conceptual artist Michelan-gelo Pistoletto and Hassan Sharif, Abdullah Al Saadi and Mohammed Kazem, pioneers of Emirati conceptual art. In the digital age, this Louvre exhibition salutes the enduring relevance of the humble paper as a universal canvas for artistic expression. Until 24th July 2022;