Launching on November 6th 2021, The Dubai Collection will reveal its inaugural exhibition at the Eithad Museum that will feature pieces of art from HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai’s private collection.
Entitled, “When Images Speak: Highlights From The Dubai Collection,” the exhibition will convey stories from the region’s burgeoning arts and culture scene through three chapters: “Abstract Variations, Societies in Transition, and Evoking the Environment.”
In the chapter Abstract Variations, works by contemporary Arab artists Dia Azzawi and Omar El Nagdi will be exhibited to convey their perspective of the future of art within the MENA region. In Societies In Transition, artists Mahieddine, Selim, and Asaad Arabi showcase their view of topical issues within society that have existed for many years, including the importance of cultural identity in a world that is rapidly changing and taking on influences from a number of other cultures.
The last chapter, Evoking the Environment will explore how artists have understood nationhood and autonomy by living in a number of different cities, and looks into major transformations of once rural areas to fast paced urban landscapes.
Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority said in a statement, “The opening of When Images Speak is an important milestone in the Dubai Collection’s trajectory, as it presents the actualization of an innovative initiative conceptualized right here in Dubai. This could not have happened without the trust of our patrons and their belief in the ambition of this project that seeks to bring art in the Emirate to the public and public spaces in the UAE and abroad; connect patrons with locally-based artists, and collectively build Dubai’s art collection supporting its cultural sector.”
Speaking about Sheikh Mohammed’s private collection, she added, “Having His Highness’s collection featured in Dubai Collection’s first ever physical exhibition reflects his support for the growth of the creative sector in Dubai. The exhibition will present a rich narrative of 20th-century Arab art, which will also highlight the role the Gulf played in documenting this artistic period.”
The exhibition is being curated by art historian Dr. Nada Shabout, who aims to provide an analysis of modern and contemporary art from the Middle Eastern region.
Her Highness Sheikha Latifa continued, When Images Speak “will feature some of the most influential and progressive artists, all of whom played a pivotal role in shaping modern movements in the region and throw light on the socio-cultural dynamics of their time.”
When Images Speak: Highlights From The Dubai Collection is being launched by Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (DCAA) and the Art Dubai Group, and is an initiative under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed which aims to support the DCAA’s 2019 Vision for the future of arts and culture in Dubai.
