Emirati artist Afra Al-Dhaheri. Image via @brunswickarts on Instagram
Abu Dhabi Art (ADA), one of the UAE’s biggest art fairs, have partnered up with London’s Cromwell Place to highlight the works of talented Emirati artists.
Works by Hind Mezaina, Afra Al-Dhaheri and Afra Al-Suwaidi will be showcased at an exhibition in South Kensington, in London in June and will be the first Abu Dhabi Art show held in another country.
The participating artists created their works last year as part of Abu Dhabi Art’s annual event, “Beyond: Emerging Artists,” which was modified amid the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
Director of Abu Dhabi Art, Dyala Nusseibeh, said in a statement about the forthcoming art exhibit, “Cromwell Place was a natural partner for our first exhibition abroad, as several of our gallery exhibitors at the fair are also members at Cromwell Place.”
Featured artist, Hind Mezaina’s work explores themes such as the idea of heritage and “collective memory,” in her pieces, and Afra Al-Dhaheri uses strands of her own hair to create her art, which she says explores “identity formation.”
ADA’s Cromwell Place collaboration will be an ongoing initiative in a bid to continually promote the works of Emirati artists in London.
Moreover, as part of the partnership, Dubai based Lawrie Shabibi Gallery will also exhibit work by Emirati artist Mohammed Ahmed Ibrahim, and other Dubai galleries such as Third Line and Isabelle van den Eynde will also showcase various Middle East-based artists, such as Anuar Khalifi, Sara Naim, Sophia Al-Maria and Manal Al-Dowayan.
