February 2024 – magpie

Madinat and more: Art Dubai 2024

29 February 2024

looks bigger and better than ever – the seventeenth edition of the art fair, which runs from 1 to 3 March at its usual base in Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai (VIP previews 28 and 29 February), has more than 120 galleries [ … ]

Upcoming: 2024’s film festivals

28 February 2024

A calendar of events in and around the cultural life of magpie Click on the event name and its website will open in a new tab. You can look for specific events from the search bar at the top, or [ … ]

Reflecting on dance: dance as reflection

28 February 2024

It can be difficult to pin down the unique value of contemporary dance. Yes, there’s the departure from traditional dance forms, breaking away from the constraints of strict choreographic rules and embracing the possibilities of experimentation and individual expression. But [ … ]

Getting real: NYUAD Art Gallery’s dynamic Spring show

22 February 2024

NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery celebrates its ten-year anniversary (is it ten years already??) with a characteristically interesting exhibition, albeit one that’s a touch more experimental than usual. In Real Time (22 February to 9 June) is a literally dynamic [ … ]

Sikka at heart? How to undersell your festival

20 February 2024

The 12th edition of the Sikka Art and Design Festival runs from 23 February to 3 March 2024. For the first time it’s being held at the Al Shindagha Historic Neighbourhood, centred on the museum – it’s been moved from [ … ]

Abu Dhabi gets a new space for art

14 February 2024

The interesting building that has arisen next to the Manarat al Saadiyat and Berklee Abu Dhabi in the Saadiyat Cultural District is Saadiyat’s only private art foundation – indeed, as far as we know the only one in Abu Dhabi [ … ]

A farewell to Perrotin Dubai, but hello Bastok Lessel

14 February 2024

There was some excitement when Perrotin opened the doors of its modest gallery space in DIFC back in November 2022. A couple of other big name galleries were already here, but Custot and Leila Heller had set up in Alserkal [ … ]

Upcoming: 2024’s design and architecture festivals

7 February 2024

A calendar of events in and around the cultural life of magpie Click on the event name and its website will open in a new tab. You can look for specific events from the search bar at the top, or [ … ]

Modern heritage in Abu Dhabi: plaques on 60+ buildings

7 February 2024

There’s not much of the original Abu Dhabi to be seen in the city; the original pre-20th century fishing village was probably little more than a collection of barasti huts, maybe with a few more substantial coral- and stone-based buildings [ … ]

Abdullah Al Saadi’s Venice Biennale exhibition

7 February 2024

The National Pavilion UAE has detailed its exhibit at this year’s Venice Biennale. It’s titled Sites of Memory, Sites of Amnesia, and comprises eight artworks by Abdullah Al Saadi. We were enthusiastic about the choice of Abdullah Al Saadi (in [ … ]