A photograph from artist Tarek Al-Ghoussein's 'Odysseus' series, which will feature in the exhibition Between the Sky and the Earth: Contemporary Art from the UAE. Photo: Tarek Al-Ghoussein
A photograph from artist Tarek Al-Ghoussein's 'Odysseus' series, which will feature in the exhibition Between the Sky and the Earth: Contemporary Art from the UAE. Photo: Tarek Al-Ghoussein
A photograph from artist Tarek Al-Ghoussein's 'Odysseus' series, which will feature in the exhibition Between the Sky and the Earth: Contemporary Art from the UAE. Photo: Tarek Al-Ghoussein
A photograph from artist Tarek Al-Ghoussein's 'Odysseus' series, which will feature in the exhibition Between the Sky and the Earth: Contemporary Art from the UAE. Photo: Tarek Al-Ghoussein

UAE's 50th anniversary to be marked in Washington with an art exhibition


Sophie Prideaux
  • English
  • Arabic

A contemporary art exhibition will be showing in Washington next month to mark the UAE's Golden Jubilee.

Taking place in partnership with the NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery, The Middle East Institute's Arts and Culture Centre will showcase Between the Sky and the Earth: Contemporary Art from the UAE at the MEI Art Gallery. The exhibit opens on December 3.

The show brings together 12 artists whose different concepts, mediums and backgrounds reflect the UAE’s diverse contemporary art scene.

Conceptualised by independent Abu Dhabi curator Munira Al Sayegh, the exhibition will showcase an intergenerational dialogue between the artists as they explore their social, cultural and natural landscapes. All 12 artists call the UAE home, and have roots in the Gulf, the Levant, South-East Asia and the US.

Ebtisam Abdulaziz's 2019 work 'Focal Illusion' is part of the exhibition. Photo: Ebtisam Abdulaziz
Ebtisam Abdulaziz's 2019 work 'Focal Illusion' is part of the exhibition. Photo: Ebtisam Abdulaziz

The featured artists are: Ebtisam Abdulaziz; Afra Al Dhaheri; Tarek Al-Ghoussein; Hashel Al Lamki; Shaikha Al Mazrou; Asma Belhamar; Alaa Edris; Lamya Gargash; Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim; Mohammed Kazem; Solimar Miller and Augustine Paredes.

The exhibition will examine themes around permanence and fluidity, time and memory through a range of subjects such as the environment, consumerism and the impact of urbanisation on people and societies.

“I have chosen works that combine playful irreverence alongside a rigorous investigation of a vibrant UAE from the perspective of different nationalities who make it their home,” said Al Sayegh. “In the process, this exhibit challenges standard narratives of the Emirates and speaks to the intricacies present in the country’s art ecosystem.”

Between the Sky and the Earth also marks a significant collaboration for the MEI Art Gallery and the NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery, both of which aim to provide a platform for thought-provoking artists from the region.

“This partnership between the Middle East Institute and the NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery reflects our institutions' belief in the value of collaboration and bridge-building across cultures,” said Kate Seelye, vice president for arts and culture at the Middle East Institute. “By co-presenting an exhibition in Washington, DC with a regional institution, we are able to gain from their expertise and insights to provide Washington audiences with a new lens on the transformations the UAE has experienced over the past 50 years.”

The NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery executive director Maya Allison said: “We are delighted and honoured to play a role in the realisation of this exhibition in collaboration with the Middle East Institute. This constellation of work gives a glimpse of the art scene here, from those who’ve been breaking new ground in art for decades, to those who are rising stars of the new generation of artists in the Emirates. After working with many of these artists myself over the last decade, I’m eager to see their work in such a different context, in the US, and through the eyes of its residents.”

Gran Gala del Calcio 2019 winners

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Thanksgiving meals to try

World Cut Steakhouse, Habtoor Palace Hotel, Dubai. On Thursday evening, head chef Diego Solis will be serving a high-end sounding four-course meal that features chestnut veloute with smoked duck breast, turkey roulade accompanied by winter vegetables and foie gras and pecan pie, cranberry compote and popcorn ice cream.

Jones the Grocer, various locations across the UAE. Jones’s take-home holiday menu delivers on the favourites: whole roast turkeys, an array of accompaniments (duck fat roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in beef bacon, honey-glazed parsnips and carrots) and more, as  well as festive food platters, canapes and both apple and pumpkin pies.

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, The Address Hotel, Dubai. This New Orleans-style restaurant is keen to take the stress out of entertaining, so until December 25 you can order a full seasonal meal from its Takeaway Turkey Feast menu, which features turkey, homemade gravy and a selection of sides – think green beans with almond flakes, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole and bread stuffing – to pick up and eat at home.

The Mattar Farm Kitchen, Dubai. From now until Christmas, Hattem Mattar and his team will be producing game- changing smoked turkeys that you can enjoy at home over the festive period.

Nolu’s, The Galleria Mall, Maryah Island Abu Dhabi. With much of the menu focused on a California inspired “farm to table” approach (with Afghani influence), it only seems right that Nolu’s will be serving their take on the Thanksgiving spread, with a brunch at the Downtown location from 12pm to 4pm on Friday.

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Updated: November 24, 2021, 11:10 AM