By Mark Your Art Calendar
The September sun is kinder, less scorching, beckoning us to venture out more often. Taking a cue from this turn in temperatures, the art world too is gearing up to unveil a stellar line up of unique exhibitions. Glass sculptures, pop-art, vintage collections and ensemble shows — take your pick from a varied selection of art displays in this round up of ongoing and upcoming art events by Middle East Masala.
Fragility and Resilience by Ayesha Sultana at Ishara Art Foundation, Al Serkal Avenue, Dubai
Until December 7th, 2024
The first comprehensive solo exhibition of US-based Bangladeshi artist Ayesha Sultana in the GCC featuring the artist’s hand-blown glass sculptures, oil paintings, Japanese silk tissue artworks, photography exhibits, her sketch books and diaries. The series explores the fine balance between vulnerability, fragility and resilience in the contemporary world.
Butterflies by Majd Kurdieh at Fann a Porter Art Gallery, The Workshop, Dubai
September 21st – October 21st, 2024
The solo exhibition by Syrian artist Majd Kurdieh blends story-telling and whimsical illustrations, with a child-like naivete, that is contrasted by poetry, references to art history and even pop culture. In this series the artist continues with his set of Fasaeen characters, who want to steal sadness from the world, with a focus on the leader of The Very Scary Butterfly Gang: the Butterfly itself.
Works from the Fann Collection
A pop-up group exhibition of several artists from the archives of Fann A Porter Gallery
Until September 14th, 2024
Hanging Gardens by Randa Maddah at Tabari Art Space, DIFC, Dubai
September 12th – November 1st, 2024
Syrian visual artist Randa Maddah showcases a range of artworks, notable among them being her intricately etched paintings depicting dream-like scenes. Themes of reincarnation and rebirth are reimagined on canvas in Maddah’s paintings. Inspired by the gardens of her village in occupied Syria’s Golan Heights, the artist depicts elements of nature, floating objects and circular motifs, symbolizing the cyclic nature of existence and return to origins.
Continuum by Armin Najib at Aisha Alabbar Gallery, Al Serkal Avenue, Dubai
September 18th, 2024 to November 9th, 2024
Iranian multi-disciplinary artist Armin Najib dabbles in painting, drawing, photography, sculpture and art-jewellery. A mechanical engineer Armin’s work revolves around kinetic mechanisms and magnetic fields. In Continuum he explores the ongoing evolution of human existence empowering viewers to see their own growth and transformation.
One Hundred Years of Painting: Arab Art from 1916 to 2017, Kutubna Cultural Center, Nadd Al Hamar, Dubai
Until October 13th, 2024
A retrospective journey of the evolution of Arab art over the last century featuring 27 paintings highlighting significant works from the region. Visitors get to see abstract works, calligraphy, still life and landscapes dating as far back as 1877. Notable works include Shaker Hassan’s cubist “Red Rooster” from Iraq, Saliba Douaihy’s abstract View of Qannoubine Valley from Lebanon, the art of Egyptian Farghali Abdel Hafez and Syrian artist Fateh Moudarres.
In your dreams, Bayt Al Mamzar, Dubai
Until October 12th, 2024
An ensemble exhibition of Iranian artists on the themes of dreams, imagination and reality, In Your Dreams, features artworks, photography, mixed media and installations, blending traditional elements of Iranian culture with imagination and provocation offering liberating perspectives on identity and gender. Curated by Yalda Bidshahri, the exhibition features the work of artists Dorsa Asadi, Chupan Atashi, Gisou Golshani, Fatemeh Kazemi, Lilian Nejatpour, Niloofar Taatizadeh, and Maryam Tafakory.
The Kaleidoscope by Creashion_dxb Art Coast Gallery, Goshi Warehouse, Al Quoz, Dubai
September 21st-22nd, 2024
Creashion_dxb an independent women-led art group presents a line-up of 30 artists for their upcoming show, featuring abstracts, sculptures, landscapes and mixed media.
Roots and Modernity, Sharjah Art Museum, Sharjah
September 18th – November 24th 2024
Sharjah Museums Authority announces its first collaboration with the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts for the upcoming exhibition, “Roots and Modernity: Contemporary Mediterranean Arab Art.” The exhibition offers visitors the opportunity to explore the vibrant world of contemporary art from the Mediterranean Arab region, including the Levant, Egypt, and North Africa.
Tashkeel presents Mouza Al Hamrani’s Homepage, FN Designs, Alserkal Avenue
September 10th – October 15th, 2024
Emirati illustrator and multimedia artist Mouza Al Hamrani’s solo exhibition is the culmination of her participation in Tashkeel’s Critical Practice Programme. Mouza interprets early influences of the cyber world capturing its impact on the Khaleeji landscape, interpreting how technology influenced a conservative society. Her work fosters a dialogue about regional digital history and its ongoing influence, blending the past with the present.
Ways of the Forest, 421 Warehouse, Abu Dhabi
September 22nd – December 29th, 2024
The exhibition is an intricate study of our eroding ecological histories, of lost environmental wisdom, rapid development and ghosts of extraction. The artists question who owns forest lands, who gets displaced, and who is restricted from sites marked for conservation.
Andy Warhol, The Glam Factory, Foundry, Downtown Dubai
September 20th – October 31st 2024
A collection of over 100 pieces of the legendary Andy Warhol’s most prized pieces, including his famous portrait of actress Marilyn Monroe, will be part of this exhibit. The Glam Factory will be a retrospective of Warhol’s art, along with an immersive studio experience, transporting viewers to the nightlife of New York in the 1970s. Curated by Nada Ghandour and hosted by Art For All, the exhibition offers a portrait of American society from 1960s to 1980s— a timeline marked by artistic, technological, and societal renewal that was reflected in Warhol’s art.
The Cosmic Renaissance by Kaikhan Salakhov, Firetti Contemporary Dubai
September 18th – November 18th, 2024
Kaikhan Salakhov’s art intersects science, art and spirituality. As the founder of Astral Space Exploration (ASX), Salkhov developed Cosmocybernetic Art, that examines how civilizations might evolve in space. Influenced by Star Wars and philosophical writings of Ken Wilber and Sri Aurobindo, Salakhov’s art reflects his fascination with futuristic concepts and advanced technologies. In this exhibition he presents 36 acrylic paintings that reimagine Renaissance art through a modern lens, blending classical aesthetics with contemporary scientific concepts.