Age of You at Jameel Arts Centre. Photo: Daniela Baptista
Visiting an art gallery is one of the most fruitful cultural experiences, offering so much to learn from the artists and their work. If you find yourself stuck in a creative rut, at a loss for inspiration, or simply looking to appreciate the work of local and international artists, let our round-up of the best exhibitions and galleries in Dubai guide you to your art fix.
Intersect 21
Symbol flower by Marwan El Gamal. Courtesy of Art D’Egypte
Intersect 21 is an online exhibition featuring artwork from 21 galleries located in California, the Middle East, and North Africa. With the aim of presenting a focused, curated platform for cultural exchange, galleries included at Intersect 21 explore the notion of art and place, the creation of art in these specific regions, and its impact on their culture and society. Intersect 21’s Special Project Cultural Partner, Art D’Egypte will also be presenting selected artworks from the exhibition Technocrats and featured videos from past projects. Additionally, the online exhibition will feature the Dubai-based art institute, Leila Heller Gallery, along with panel discussions relating to the arts in each region.
Intersect 21 is online from February 16 through February 22.
Psychomachia by Kristel Bechara
Kristel Bechara. Photo: Supplied
Award-winning Lebanese artist Kristel Bechara has unveiled her latest collection at her art gallery in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). Titled Psychomachia, the collection is inspired by the tumultuous 2020 and brings to life a poem of the same name by the early fifth century AD Latin poet, Prudentius. The artist uses her signature style of bold patterns, colors, and modern mixed media to evoke the medieval poem’s theme of good prevailing over evil — a timeless idea that finds relevance to this day, and offers a much-needed dose of hope.
Kristel Bechara Gallery is open to the public at PS101, Zone C, Gate Avenue, Dubai International Financial Centre.
‘Age of You’ at Jameel Arts Centre
Jameel Arts Centre. Photo: Daniela Baptista
One to get the wheels in your heard turning, Age of You is about “how you’ve been morphing into something else.” Curated by Shumon Basar, Hans Ulrich Obrist, and Doug Coupland, the exhibition is based on their latest book, The Extreme Self, which is a sequel to their previous title, The Age of Earthquakes: A Guide to the Extreme Present. The exhibition features over 70 visual contributors from art, design, filmmaking, photography, technology, and electronic music, which alongside the curators’ words, explore the relationship between “technology and intimacy, diplomacy and identity.”
Age of You at the Jameel Arts Centre is open to the public until August 14.
Future Mosaic by Shepard Fairey at the Opera Gallery
Shepard Fairey. Photo: Supplied
World-renowned artist Shepard Fairey is set to have his first-ever art exhibition in Dubai, at the Opera Gallery in March 2021. Titled Future Mosaic, the exhibition will feature new works on canvas, paper, wood, and metal, that signify Fairey’s growth as an artist, as well as classic imagery that has been refreshed to depict his history of image-making. Visitors can expect to see references to Middle Eastern and Arab symbology adeptly blended with motifs influenced by a variety of cultures throughout history. What’s more, the artist behind Barack Obama’s iconic campaign poster will also be creating an exclusive mural at an undisclosed location in the heart of Dubai.
Future Mosaic by Shepard Fairey will be exhibited at the Opera Gallery from March 2021 onwards.
Art Dubai 2021
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Initially set to take place at the Madinat Jumeirah from March 17-20, the highly anticipated Art Dubai has now been moved to DIFC to run from March 29-April 3 to abide by Covid-19 safety measures. The 14th edition of the fair will welcome visitors at a “new purpose-built venue” with remote stands that will allow gallery directors to present their work to collectors outside of the country. About 45 galleries will be presented this year, and the updated list of participating galleries will be announced by Art Dubai by the end of this month. Tickets to the fair can be booked via Art Dubai’s new application, while a decision on whether visits can be made only on an appointment basis will be made closer to the opening date.
Art Dubai will run from March 29-April 3 at DIFC.
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