Gallery sights in Dubai
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Courtyard
This cultural complex wraps around the eponymous courtyard flanked by an eccentric hodgepodge of buildings that makes it look like a miniature movie studio backlot: here an Arab fort, there a Moorish facade or an Egyptian tomb. It’s the brainchild of Iranian expat artist Dariush Zandi, who also runs the bi-level gallery Total Arts at The Courtyard, specialising in Middle Eastern art. Other spaces are occupied by a cafe, artist studios and various creative businesses.
reviewed
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XVA Gallery
One of Dubai’s best-loved and most reputable galleries, XVA occupies a warren of rooms in a beautifully restored Bastakia courtyard residence. Curators showcase contemporary paintings, sculptures and art installations from regional and international artists. They also organise the annual Bastakiya Art Fair and art-house movie screenings (November to April). The complex also houses the delightful XVA cafe and boutique hotel.
reviewed
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Third Line
Third Line is the ‘baby’ of a couple of talented young curators, Sunny Rahbar and Claudia Cellini, and is one of the city’s more exciting art spaces. Artists represented often transcend the rules of traditional styles to create fresh new forms. Recent exhibitions have included the arresting op art of Rana Begum and the elaborate paintings of Iranian artist Farhad Moshiri, as well as group exhibits of emerging Emirati artists.
reviewed
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Gallery Isabelle Van Den Eynd
Previously known as B21, this innovative gallery has lifted some of the most promising talent from around the Middle East from obscurity into the spotlight. The mythology-laced installations, videos and collages of Cairo-based Lara Baladi and the distorted photography of Iranian-born Ramin Haerizadeh are among the works that have attracted collectors and the curious since the space’s opening in 2005.
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The JamJar
The JamJar is more than just another gallery exhibiting contemporary art by emerging local and international talent. It’s a DIY painting studio too, so if you’re feeling the creative urge, you can hire an easel, a canvas and all the paint and paper you require to create your own masterpiece. Twice a year the space also hosts the independent film series Mahmovies!.
reviewed
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Meem Gallery
An ambitious co-venture by two Emirati business tycoons and British art dealer Charlie Pocock, this blue-chip gallery is dedicated to presenting the masters of modern Arab art. As such, it usually exhibits some pretty big names, such as Libyan calligrapher Ali Omar Ermes, the pop art of Jordan’s Jamal Abdul Rahim or paintings by modern Arab art pioneer Dia Al-Azzawi from Iraq.
reviewed
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B21 Gallery
In this warehouse space, Palestinian artist Jeffar Khaldi shows his own vibrant work, as well as rotating exhibitions of locally produced and regional art, such as Ramin Haerizadeh’s distorted photography. It’s worth a look if you’re in this developing arts neighbourhood, but call first if you’re not, as they could be in-between exhibitions.
reviewed
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Majlis Gallery
In a fabulous old house in the Bastakia Quarter, Majlis Gallery is one of Dubai’s oldest commercial galleries, established in 1989. Compared with the progressive galleries in Al-Quoz, Majlis is much more traditional and gentle, focusing on paintings and sculpture created by international artists, many of them based in – and inspired by – the region.
reviewed
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1x1 Art Space
Dubai has of late been emerging as a key place for sourcing Indian art, in part because of the efforts of Malini Gulrajani, whose mission is to showcase the best in contemporary works from the subcontinent. With shows by such painters as Jatin Das and TV Santosh, this grand and elegant gallery has a fixed spot on the radar of avid collectors.
reviewed
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Total Arts At The Courtyard
In a modern courtyard complex with artists' workshops, designers, craftsmen and media companies, Total Arts holds changing exhibitions of contemporary art and Islamic calligraphy, along with rare carpets, textiles and sculptures by local and regional artists. Also check out The Courtyard Gallery while you're here.
reviewed
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Green Art Gallery
With regular temporary exhibitions and a growing permanent collection concentrating on the work of artists living in the UAE, this small commercial gallery is committed to nurturing local talent and developing the art scene. It also helps educate artists about international art distribution and promotion.
reviewed
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Carbon 12
This edgy gallery represents paintings, sculpture, photographs and media created by newly discovered as well as internationally established artists, all of them hand-picked. The clear lines and minimalist vibe of the white-cube space offers a perfect setting for both large-scale and smaller pieces.
reviewed
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Cuadro
In an enormous space taking up the entire ground floor of Gate Village’s Bldg 10, this highly regarded gallery presents top-flight artists from both the West and Middle East.
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Empty Quarter
This sleek gallery is devoted exclusively to fine art photography.
reviewed
