3 art events to check out in Dubai this week

There’s never a dull moment in the world of art, from competitions for non-artists to explore their creative side to Emirati artists paving the way for inspiration. Here’s a rundown on the latest on the arts in the city.

Unspoken boundaries

Abu Dhabi Art expands beyond the notion of a traditional art fair, placing a strong emphasis on a diverse public engagement programme, including art installations and exhibitions, talks and events that take place in different locations throughout the year. They recently announced the selection of Emirati artist Farah Al Qasimi as its 2022 Visual Campaign artist. Farah, who was also recently featured in The New York Times, said, “Abu Dhabi is my home, and Abu Dhabi Art was one of the first major art events I attended when I moved back home after college, so it is great to be chosen for this year’s visual campaign. A lot of my work is about and for the Emirates, so I’m happy to be able to share these images in this way.” The images of her campaign are all from very different projects, reflecting the range of different approaches in her practice, from observing the real world to the building still lives and collages in studio, “There is also a relationship to performance and gesture,” she added. Through her bold and vibrant photographs, she explores the unspoken social norms and values embedded in a place, a moment or an object. Her thought-provoking images act as an invitation for the viewer to sense the unspoken boundaries that govern the scenes, in which they catch a glimpse. Farah’s work is currently on show at Abu Dhabi’s Cultural Foundation in an exhibition titled, Farah Al Qasimi: General Behaviour, presenting photographic and video-based works from 2012-2021.

Creative, chicken wings