magpie

LAST CHANCE Hybrid Vistas
2026-02-07 | NIKA Project Space, Unit 11 Al Khayat Avenue, 19th Street Road — Al Quoz 1, Dubai
A group show with Adel Abidin, Daniele Genadry, Ali Kaeini, Katya Muromtseva, and Melissa Rios that explores “how landscape is transformed in an age of post-human thought, climate disruption, and hybrid perception … This is a space where nature is no longer “natural,” but imagined- artificially assembled, re-experienced through code and memory”.

Huma Shoaib: Fractal
2026-02-07 | XVA Gallery, Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood, Bur Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Huma Shoaib has always been an interesting, thoughtful artist, creating patterns from sacred geometry and looking for analogies in life and nature. She often uses paper cut silhouettes layered with detailed graphite drawings that typically adds three-dimensional depth to otherwise flat imagery.
According to the gallery, this new show is “an exhibition that explores chaos as fractal paradox; where perfect, infinite patterns of existence, spirituality and free will will repeat across scales, blurring the line between divine order and self-destructive conflict …” Significantly influenced by sufi ideologies, Huma Shoaib’s work tries to break down this chaos into simple fractal structures that speak of order, perfection, the divine.
To 5 March.

Abdelwahab Hawam: Solo Exhibition
2026-02-07 | Fann à Porter, The Workshop, Villa 45, St. 23b, off Al Wasl Road (opposite Box Park), Jumeirah 2, Dubai
The debut exhibition in the UAE by the emerging Egyptian artist draws inspiration from Hawam’s hometown of El Mahalla El Kubra in Gharbeya Governorate – its countryside, colours, and the faces of people who shaped his early life. Working in oils, Hawam places women at the centre of this universe through surreal, playful narrative compositions and colours; he reimagines human experiences with an uplifting, optimistic vision that invites viewers into his vibrant, magical world. To 30 March.
Above: Abdelwahab Hawam, Untitled (2025)

Creative Career Days: day one
2026-02-07 10:00 - 18:00 (Asia/Dubai) | Jameel Arts Centre, Al Jaddaf, Dubai
The Jameel’s introduction to careers in the creative sector, aimed primarily at school and college students, is back. Past editions were given to somewhat unwieldy titles, and this one continues the trend with Art as a Voice: How do you use it? The programme aims “to unpack how creative communities are built and sustained, and how artists can pursue their work with clarity and purpose”.
There will be stands run by potential employers and educators (over 30 UAE organisations and universities) promoting “various facets of the creative industry” and “the diverse offerings of local creative organisations”. The best part is the busy programme of workshops and talks that cover some of the essentials, including how to develop and present performance work, build a portfolio and access information; in short, “whether you are starting your journey into the arts or looking to reimagine your path, this edition aims to equip you with inspiration, practical guidance and insights into building a practice rooted in community, intention and expression …”
These are drop-in open-to-all days; they’re followed by a schools-only day on 9 February. Most of the programme is first-come first-served, with no opportunity for pre-registration.

Programme – day one:
All day
Career Surgery One-to-one sessions led by Jolaine Frizzell (Founder, Ivy Advisory) – includes a guide to the booths tailored to the individual’s needs
Instagram Surgery One-to-one sessions led by Morvarid Tayyeb and Salma Shaheem (both from The Institute for Emerging Art) – a personalised review of your Instagram profile, guidance on how you can maximise your artistic presence on socials
1-to-1 University Q&A One-to-one sessions led by Miranda Higgins (International Student Recruitment Manager at University of the Arts London) – explore study options from one of the world’s top art and design universities
Speedy Interviews One-to-one CV-oriented with potential contacts
11am-12pm Vinyl Souk
12-1pm Bayt Al Mamzar
2-3pm American University of Sharjah
3-4pm Abu Dhabi Music and Art Foundation
Portfolio Reviews One-to-one critiques and feedback to help develop your portfolio for
residencies, university programmes and professional opportunities
10-11am New York University Abu Dhabi (MFA)
11am-12pm American University of Dubai (advertising)
12-1pm New York University Abu Dhabi (MFA)
2-3pm Global Studies University (MA and PhD programmes)
3-4pm Gulf Photo Plus (photography)
4-5pm Tashkeel (fine art)
5-6pm Maraya Arts Centre (fine art)
CV Reviews One-to-one critiques and feedback to help develop your CV to get noticed
11am-12pm Dubai Culture
1-2pm Art Jameel
2-3pm National Pavilion UAE
3-4pm Art Jameel
4-5pm American University of Dubai
Open Studio A public session hosted by Art Jameel’s Youth Assembly to present their research and ongoing projects in preparations for the upcoming Youth Takeover exhibition (May 2026).
Museum tours
11.30am-12.15pm Behind the Scenes Tour Learn how an exhibition comes together: a walking tour of the museum, led by the featured artists and the Art Jameel team
4.30-5.15pm Behind-the-Scenes Collection Tour A backstage view of Art Jameel’s private collection room, with an introduction to the tools used to conserve and preserve artworks
Talks
11-11.45am Creating Environments for Connecting Panel discussion on how connection can be cultivated through shared experiences, storytelling and food
12-12.45pm Making It Work: On Sustaining a Creative Practice Panel session on the financial and professional realities of working in the creative industry, with practical insights on sustaining a creative career without losing sight of the work itself
2-2.45pm Humanising Artificial Intelligence A Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation workshop about treating AI as a medium to be designed rather than a threat to be feared.
2.30-3.30pm Voices of Hive: From Solo Vision to Shared Language – Scaling Ideas Through Collaboration Led by Hady Fakhry (Creative Strategist, ANDCO) who reflects on the transition from individual creative vision to collaborative execution, co-founding and growing a branding agency, and how ideas evolve when shaped by multiple perspectives.
3.30-4.15pm Build What You Wish Existed: A Creative Roadmap for Launching Your Initiative Interactive talk with participants invited to imagine, design and plan impact-driven projects rooted in their community’s needs. Includes live doodling and visual mapping exercises to shape ideas and more
4-5pm Voices of Hive: Brewing Connections – How Creative Collectives Transform Culture Led by Hanan Al Badri (Creative Director, Founder of Barjis) who discusses how grassroots creative collectives and shared spaces can act as platforms for cultural exchange and experimentation
Workshops
11.45am-12.45pm Writing Workshop: Vantage points for another world Explores writing fiction from different perspectives and ideas of Utopia
1-2pm Improv session: How do you use your voice, when you have no voice? Improv centred on personal stories and inner reflections. Participants explore their voice through words, sound, presence and imagination
2-3pm The Dream System: Designing a Roadmap to Creative Practice How structured systems can help transform ideas into tangible creative outcomes, using tools developed through game design to rethink how creative projects take shape
3-4pm How to Build a Creative Side Hustle Without Burning Out Hosted by Karama Arts Club: a practical, open conversation about making your creative side projects sustainable alongside a full-time job or studies
4-5pm Music Production Workshop: Pocket Operator A hands-on workshop – learn the basics of rhythm sequencing, sampling and layering
Performances
3-4.15pm AlMultaqa Chamber Orchestra
5-6pm 63Kolektib+: Dayo – Rehearsal of Existence (“an intimate glimpse into the collective’s journey of art-making as migrants”)

Writers’ Mixer
2026-02-07 17:00 - 19:00 | Kutubna Cultural Center, Madina Avenues 17, Nadd Al Hamar, Dubai
An opportunity for writers – novelists, poets, journalists, bloggers, and more – to meet, exchange ideas, and network: “connect with fellow book lovers, spark new collaborations, and feel part of a shared creative space … An evening of conversation, inspiration, and a shared love for the written word”. It’s led by the Abu-Dhabi-based Kuwaiti author Mohamed Asem; tickets are AED 25 (free to Kutubna members) which includes a drink from the Café Kutubna menu.

Rabbit Hole
2026-02-07 19:30 - 21:00 | The Junction, Unit H72, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
A second performance for H72’s production of David Lindsay-Abaire’s play about a family navigating love, loss, and the possibility of finding light in unexpected places. The final show is on 8 February.

Vivaldi: A Journey East
2026-02-07 19:30 - 21:30 | The Arts Center @ NYUAD, NYUAD Campus, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
This UAE National Orchestra concert looks like a really interesting (and challenging) option – music by the baroque master composer rescored for the instruments, modes and sounds of the Arab world: “a musical dialogue emerges, as harpsichord converses with qanun and violin answers the oud, finding shared language”. We don’t know exactly which Vivaldi works have provided the source material, or indeed who provided the arrangements, but it’s bound to be worth the ticket price …

Le Prénom
2026-02-07 20:00 - 21:30 | Zayed Theatre, SUAD Campus, Hazza Bin Zayed St, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Culture Emulsion’s production (in French, of course) of the popular comedy by Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre de la Patellière that premiered in 2010 and went on to become a successful film adaptation. It’s a story about names and family relationships; 40-something Vincent is about to become a father for the first time. Invited to dinner by his sister and brother-in-law, he meets up with childhood friend Claude. A convivial evening ensues – until Vincent announces the baby’s name …

The Laughter Factory Premium Comedy Club
2026-02-07 20:30 - 22:00 | Studio One Hotel, Dubai Studio City, Dubai
The February Laughter Factory tour has another good collection of standups:
Paul Tonkinson Terrific live performer with an effervescent style and some great caricatures in his repertoire. A former (double winner) Time Out Comedian of the Year
Pierre Hollins Another circuit favourite, likeable and easy-going … most of the time. Former comedy acrobat and unicyclist, about to publish his first novel. “Always enjoyable, often inspired”
Liz Bains Dubai-based comedy club regular. Very funny about being in Dubai and a woman; a magpie favourite
The rest of the schedule:
8 Feb The Club Abu Dhabi (7pm start)
11 Feb The Strand, Palm Dubai (8pm start)
13 Feb Radisson DAMAC Hills
14 Feb Dukes The Palm

MASQUERAVE3
2026-02-07 20:30 - 2026-02-08 02:00 | Waterfront Park, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi
“An avant-garde concept, electrifying soundscapes, and themed masks, bringing together art, architecture, and nightlife for a truly unique after-hours experience …” Third time out for the Louvre’s club night, featuring a DJ set from the Blaze at 10pm with techno from the Swiss production duo Adriatique headlining from midnight.

Ben&Ben
2026-02-07 21:00 - 22:00 | Global Village, Wadi Al Safa 4, Dubai
Filipino indie folk-pop band known for soulful melodies and rich harmonies come to the Main Stage at Global Village. The gig is free with general admission.

Maria Laura
2026-02-07 22:30 - 23:30 | Dubai Opera Studio, Downtown Dubai, Dubai
Maria Laura may be well established in Dubai, but she’s originally from Cuba; and it shows in her passion for music – which covers multiple genres, including pop, RnB, and soul. She’s a good jazz singer, too, especially of course with a Latin flavour; and since she’s also a prizewinning clarinettist as well, your ticket (which does include two drinks) may get you more than this Dubai Jazz Studio series originally promised …

LAST CHANCE Leda Catunda: I like to like what others are liking
2026-02-08 | Al Mureijah Square, Sharjah
The most comprehensive solo exhibition to date of Brazilian artist Leda Catunda outside her home country. Sharjah Art Foundation is presenting four decades of Catunda’s practice, tracing the transformation of her art from figurative painting to hybrid forms that explore materiality, abstraction and dimensionality; her works typically explore the limits of textures and materials, exemplifed by her ‘soft paintings’ over materials like toweling, bedclothes, leather, velvet and silk. But the scope is broad: from large-scale installations to elemental watercolours, each piece embodies a sensuous negotiation between the handmade and the mass-produced, offering a whimsical critique of pop culture and consumerism.

LAST CHANCE Juliet Makhlouf: Admiring Ancestors
2026-02-08 | Oblong Contemporary Art Gallery, Al Khayat Art Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai
More than 30 new paintings, offering a comprehensive survey of the artist’s recent work. This show approaches ancestry as a living presence rather than a distant past, reflecting on civilizations whose surviving traces – clay tablets, systems of law and trade, and foundational narratives such as the Epic of Gilgamesh – continue to shape collective human memory. The story of Syria is presented as inseparable from that of the wider Arab world, formed through centuries of shared history, values, and belief.

Jorge Tacla: Time the destroyer is time the preserver
2026-02-08 | Al Mureijah Square, Sharjah
While Jorge Tacla was only an adolescent during the 1973 coup against Chile’s democratically-elected socialist president Salvador Allende, the upheaval left an irrevocable mark on his politics and practice. Titled after a line from a TS Eliot poem, Tacla’s “most expansive presentation to date” examines how enduring truths can be excavated in the aftermath of a destructive incident.
Structured as eight ‘chapters’, the exhibition traces Tacla’s sustained challenge to the supposed hierarchies of human suffering, false binaries of victim and perpetrator, and the structural violence connecting seemingly disparate events; the paintings reassert the primacy of human memory and perception in navigating the complexities of representation and interpretation. By depicting buildings and landscapes ‘in negative’, the artist defines form through absence, “creating images that reflect on how events are inscribed within individual and collective consciousness”.
The exhibition is curated by SAF director Hoor Al Qasimi with Abdulla Aljanahi, Curatorial Assistant at the Foundation. To 7 June.
Above: Jorge Tacla, La Distribucion de los Primarios (The Distribution of the Primes) (1995)

Ahaad Alamoudi: Sunkissed
2026-02-08 | Al Mureijah Square, Sharjah
The motifs of the sun and its intense heat as well as the sand and its pervasive orange hue often serve to represent and condense the Gulf’s complex ecologies and aspirations. This selection of recent and newly commissioned works by Jeddah-based artist Ahaad Alamoudi draws on these stereotypical symbols to examine how collective identity and visual expression intersect, emerge and unfold amid the region’s rapidly transforming landscape.
Alamoudi’s snapshots of contemporary Khaleeji aesthetics playfully capture the give-and-take between developmental goals and their real-world manifestation. Viral memes, talking falcons, automated toy cars and insect light traps all function as tools to process accelerating change; together, these works explore how the overarching desire for development is absorbed and rearticulated in everyday life.
The exhibition is curated by Amal Al Ali, Curatorial Assistant at the Foundation. To 3 May.
Above: Ahaad Alamoudi, Those Who Don’t Know Falcons Grill Them (still), (2018)

Creative Career Days: day two
2026-02-08 10:00 - 18:00 | Jameel Arts Centre, Al Jaddaf, Dubai
The Jameel’s introduction to careers in the creative sector, aimed primarily at school and college students, continues with its mix of stands run by potential employers and educators (over 30 UAE organisations and universities) and a busy programme of workshops and talks – most of which is first-come first-served, with no opportunity for pre-registration.

Programme – day two:
All day
Career Surgery One-to-one sessions led by Jolaine Frizzell (Founder, Ivy Advisory) – includes a guide to the booths tailored to the individual’s needs
Instagram Surgery One-to-one sessions led by Morvarid Tayyeb and Salma Shaheem (both from The Institute for Emerging Art) – a personalised review of your Instagram profile, guidance on how you can maximise your artistic presence on socials
Speedy Interviews One-to-one CV-oriented with potential contacts
11am-12pm Vinyl Souk
12-1pm Bayt Al Mamzar
2-3pm American University of Sharjah
3-4pm Abu Dhabi Music and Art Foundation
Portfolio Reviews One-to-one critiques and feedback to help develop your portfolio for
residencies, university programmes and professional opportunities
11am-12pm American University of Dubai (advertising)
12-1pm Maraya Arts Centre (fine art)
2-3pm Global Studies University (MA and PhD programmes)
3-4pm Gulf Photo Plus (photography)
4-5pm Tashkeel (fine art)
5-6pm Maraya Arts Centre (fine art)
CV Reviews One-to-one critiques and feedback to help develop your CV to get noticed
11am-12pm Dubai Culture
1-2pm Art Jameel
2-3pm National Pavilion UAE
4-5pm American University of Dubai
Crit Sessions Hosted by Art Jameel’s Youth Assembly, inviting young artists and creatives to share ideas and works in-progress with their peers
10-11am Andres Ugartechea (The Assembly 25/26)
1-2pm Dina Barqawi (The Assembly 25/26)
4-5pm Sanjushrree Subash (Peer Curator, The Assembly 25/26)
Museum tours
11.30am-12.15pm Behind the Scenes Tour Learn how an exhibition comes together: a walking tour of the museum, led by the featured artists and the Art Jameel team
4.30-5.15pm Behind-the-Scenes Collection Tour A backstage view of Art Jameel’s private collection room, with an introduction to the tools used to conserve and preserve artworks
Talks
11-11.45am Procrastination and the Uncertainty of Creative Projects A group of creative practitioners and cultural workers reflect on how ideas evolve through uncertainty, how projects take shape over time through process and the realities of making work today
2-2.45pm Rethinking Creative Futures Hosted by Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. What does it mean to build sustainable creative ecosystems in the region? Discussing outreach, art careers and talent pipelines, and the roles of institutions in creative development and community engagement
2.30-3.30pm Voices of Hive: Amplifying Voices in the Creative Ecosystem – Practice, Presentation and Collaboration Led by Cyrus Zorkot (THAT Concept Store) who reflects on the role of creative leadership from fashion and lifestyle to art and community platforms. Topics include networking with collaborators, engaging institutions and funders and articulating your creative narrative
3-3.45pm Listening In: The Music Ecosystem in the UAE A panel of music industry insiders considers where music gathers, how it moves and what it means to take part
4-5pm Voices of Hive: Amplifying Regional Voices – Collecting, Curating and Presenting Contemporary Art Maria de la Paz Monge Cortes (Head of Exhibitions and Curator, Cultural Foundation Abu Dhabi) reflects on the process of amplifying diverse voices from the region through contemporary art collections
4-4.45pm Creative Ego vs Creative Ecosystem: Co-creation and the Sustainability of Literature A conversation-driven session hosted by Emirates Literature Foundation exploring how co-creation underpins the long-term sustainability of literature across languages and contexts
4-5pm Voices of Hive: Brewing Connections – How Creative Collectives Transform Culture Led by Hanan Al Badri (Creative Director, Founder of Barjis) who discusses how grassroots creative collectives and shared spaces can act as platforms for cultural exchange and experimentation
Workshops
11am-12pm How to Create a Story When you Haven’t Got an Idea Hosted by Sharjah Performing Arts Academy – a practical performing arts workshop designed to spark ideas through creative exercises
1-2pm Creative Problem-Solving Under Pressure A fast-paced, hands-on session hosted by Karama Arts Club, designed to simulate the pressure of real-world creative environments. Participants will tackle timed challenges that test adaptability, collaboration and quick thinking
2-3pm Visual Dissecting A hands-on session on the fundamentals of visual communication through close looking, discussion and guided exercises. The workshop invites participants to sharpen their critical eye and experiment with more intentional image-making
2.30-3.30pm Not Sure, But Doing It Anyway: How to make art when you don’t know what you want to say Participants will explore how to cut through the chaos of today’s creativity-maxing to build a creative practice that feels authentic and achievable via some practical frameworks, key questions and a little play
4-5pm Foley for Beginners An introductory, hands-on workshop exploring how everyday objects are transformed into sound effects that bring film to life. Led by composer Joseph Najm
Performances
1-2pm Manic Mundane A hybrid sound performance that moves between electronic composition and acoustic expression.
3.30-4.15pm Senior Wind Ensemble Young musicians from Dubai’s woodwind, brass and percussion community have prepared a piece inspired by Jameel’s exhibiting artist Bady Dalloul
5-6pm The Tasty Biscuits with special guest Ananya Murali – an energetic and playful performance centring music as a shared, communal experience

The Laughter Factory Premium Comedy Club
2026-02-08 19:00 - 21:00 | The Club, Al Mina, Abu Dhabi
The February Laughter Factory tour has another good collection of standups:
Paul Tonkinson Terrific live performer with an effervescent style and some great caricatures in his repertoire. A former (double winner) Time Out Comedian of the Year
Pierre Hollins Another circuit favourite, likeable and easy-going … most of the time. Former comedy acrobat and unicyclist, about to publish his first novel. “Always enjoyable, often inspired”
Liz Bains Dubai-based comedy club regular. Very funny about being in Dubai and a woman; a magpie favourite
The rest of the schedule:
11 Feb The Strand, Palm Dubai (8pm start)
13 Feb Radisson DAMAC Hills
14 Feb Dukes The Palm

Happy Chinese New Year Concert by Firdaus Orchestra
2026-02-08 19:00 - 21:30 | Al Wasl Plaza, Expo City, Dubai
The Expo City-funded all-women ensemble celebrates Chinese New Year under the Al Wasl Dome: “blending the elegance of a symphonic performance with the beauty of traditional East Asian melodies, the concert captures the joy, hope, and togetherness that define this cherished occasion …” Firdaus are always worth hearing, and doubly so this time since the concert is free.

Sunday Night Comedy
2026-02-08 19:00 - 22:30 | Social Distrikt, The Pointe, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai
Dubomedy’s standup night at Social Distrikt – good vibes, good comedy, and “you never know who will pop in”. Recommended.
It’s free, but it’s popular, so pre-booking is recommended to get a seat. And there’s a minimum spend of one drink or food item (which you were probably going to get anyhow).

Rabbit Hole
2026-02-08 19:30 - 21:00 | The Junction, Unit H72, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Final performance for H72’s production of David Lindsay-Abaire’s play about a family navigating love, loss, and the possibility of finding light in unexpected places.

Steinway Series: Fuko Ishii
2026-02-08 20:00 - 21:30 | Dubai Opera Studio, Downtown Dubai, Dubai
Japanese pianist Fuko Ishii demonstrates why she was the winner of the 17th Grieg International Piano Competition in 2022. Praised for her sensitivity and colour, she has put together an all-Grieg recital programme that highlights the composer’s variety:
Norwegian Dances, op.35
Ballade in G minor, op.24
– Intermission –
From Lyric Pieces:
Folk Song, op.12, no.5
Album Leaf, op.12, no.7
Spring Dance, op.47, no.6
Scherzo, op.54, no.5
Puck, op.71 no.3
Vanished Days, op.57 no.1
Til Foråret, op.43 no.6
Wedding Day at Troldhaugen, op.65, no.6
That looks an interesting programme, with the emotion of the Ballade in G minor set against the variety of the Lyric Pieces. She will be using a Dubai Opera Limited Edition Steinway piano.

Noura Ali-Ramahi: I Am Not a Chair. Am I a Fox?
2026-02-10 | Khawla Art Gallery, Plaza 30, 12B Delma St., Abu Dhabi
This solo show includes works created over several years, using acrylic, pastel, ink, charcoal, and found materials such as wood, fabric, and recycled objects. At the centre of the exhibition is the recurring image of the chair, appearing as a symbol of structure, expectation, and imposed identity. Opposite it stands the fox: alert, untamed, and in motion, representing instinct, freedom, and a refusal to remain fixed.
To 18 March.

Localized Futures: Education
2026-02-10 18:00 - 20:00 | 421 Arts Campus, Mina Zayed, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
421’s Winter season of talks and panel discussions developed in collaboration with afikra, Localized Futures, explores the future of key cultural and civic sectors through a regional lens – challenging the dominant global narrative by looking at the complexities, innovations, and solutions inherent to the MENA region. This session, the second of four, considers how regional educational institutions can move beyond traditional models of education to build learning ecosystems that are locally relevant, globally competitive, and capable of fostering critical thinking and creative citizenship.
The panel:
Prof Awam Amkpa Vice Provost for the Arts and Dean of Arts and Humanities at NYUAD
Dr Hanada Taha Thomure Professor of Arabic Language at NYUAD and Director of the Zai Arabic Research Center
Prof Kevin Mitchell Trustees Professor and Professor of Architecture at NYUAD
Moderator: Aaron Fallon Director of Ghadan Lab at the Salama bint Hamdan al Nahyan Foundation
The upcoming Localized Futures topics are Cities & Communities (2 Apr) and Arts (9 Apr).

The Comedy Lab @ Easy Tiger
2026-02-10 20:00 - 23:30 | Al Ain Palace Hotel, Corniche Road, Abu Dhabi
MadCat’s standup team at their regular stop at the Easy Tiger bar in Abu Dhabi’s Al Ain Palace. The door price of AED 99 includes two drinks …

LAST CHANCE Yuyu Zhitong: Serendipity
2026-02-11 | Volery Gallery, Maze Tower - 5201, Dubai International Financial Center, Dubai
The debut solo exhibition in the Middle East for the Chinese-born London-based artist, known for her luscious sweeps of colour and a mordant wit (“Good Girls Go To Heaven, Cool Girls Go Everywhere”). This show presents a new body of paintings that develops her intuitive yet disciplined approach to abstraction; working without preparatory sketches, Zhitong allows each composition to emerge through a continuous process of construction and reconfiguration, guided by trained intuition and attentive perception. Gesture, rhythm, and colour operate as structural elements, shaping works that balance spontaneity with control.
The gallery says the exhibition title refers to the ability to recognise meaning within chance encounters: “for Zhitong, painting becomes a site where intuition meets uncertainty, and where form and significance emerge through observation rather than intention. Each work captures a moment of alignment between perception, emotion, and structure …”

Ludmilla Radchenko: Wings of Power
2026-02-11 | Oblong Contemporary Art Gallery, Al Khayat Art Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai
Works resulting from a year of profound transformation initiated by the artist’s journey to Nepal, “where inner awareness and self-observation became central to her practice”. Radchenko’s visual language combines painting, collage, symbolism, and layered cultural references, creating compositions that are bold, ironic, and emotionally charged. Recurring animal figures embody the Seven Deadly Sins — not as moral judgment, but as raw human forces: instinct, desire, fear, excess, anger, pride, and inertia. Opposing them are the Wings, symbols of awareness, elevation, and transformation.
To 25 February.
Above: Ludmilla Radchenko, Butterfly Light Time (2025)

Animenia Abu Dhabi
2026-02-11 - 2026-02-15 | Manarat al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Animenia returns to Manarat Al Saadiyat with five days of cosplay, music, food, and J-pop culture – “step inside a world inspired by the hidden corners of Neo-Tokyo, where glowing signs, colourful characters, and offbeat discoveries bring anime culture to life … An unmissable anime celebration unlike anything fans have experienced before …” There’s a cosplay competition with big prizes, an ‘artists alley’ where people will try to sell you stuff like rare collectibles, “delicious bites inspired by authentic Japanese street food” (so not actual authentic Japanese street food then and the chance to find “creators whose work has already taken over your feed”. The last Animenia was a load of fun, if you like this kind of thing.
It’s open 4pm to midnight (3pm-midnight on Saturday and Sunday) with single day entry costing AED 95 (AED 145 on 13 and 14 Feb). A five-day Festival Pass is AED 495.

Hijra: dir Shahad Ameen (2025)
2026-02-11 19:30 - 21:30 | The Arts Center @ NYUAD, NYUAD Campus, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
This adventure-ish drama, written as well as directed by Shahad Ameen, follows Saudi grandmother Sitti travelling from Taif to Mecca to perform Hajj with her two granddaughters, 12-year-old Janna and 18-year-old Sarah. But before they reach their destination, Sarah disappears, forcing Janna and Sitti into a tense search that stretches across Saudi Arabia, crossing old pilgrimage routes and confronting strangers, unforgiving landscapes, long-buried family secrets, and Sitti’s rich and complicated past …
Their harsh journey begins to mirror the spiritual trials of Hajj itself. While Hijra is undoubtedly entertaining, it goes further – exploring culture, the ties that binds families together, and the deep intergenerational gulfs between the women. We come to see those rifts as nuanced rather than a judgement on the old ways; it’s been described as a critique of the notion that older generations of women were not free, or that elders in general are backward.
This thoughtful, engaging film screens in the CinemaNA contemporary Arab cinema series presented by the NYUAD Film and New Media Program.

Wednesday Night Impro: Maestro
2026-02-11 20:00 - 22:00 | Courtyard Playhouse, Street 4B, Al Quoz 1, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The Courtyard’s popular evening of elimination improv. Ten actors converge for a night of scenes, songs and games based on audience suggestions. After each round you score the players on a scale of 1 to 5, and the one with the lowest score is knocked out. Eventually only one remains, to be crowned the Maestro. “Fast-paced, unpredictable, and hilarious” says the promo, and you couldn’t argue with that. As with all Courtyard improv evenings it’s free, but you need to put your name on the guestlist (via the website); and it’s first-come first-served, so get there early to grab a seat.
