The final performances for this contemporary comedy-drama. Set in a luxury tennis club suite, the play follows seven long-time friends reunited for a destination wedding; but a seemingly innocent game of sharing phone messages and calls turns into digital Russian [ ... ]
The Abu Dhabi stop for the September Laughter Factory tour. The acts: Peter Flanagan Hit Irish comic fresh from a critically acclaimed show at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. Expect “great storytelling" with "warmth and shamrock panache” delivered via razor-sharp writing [ ... ]
A solo exhibition of paintings by the noted Iranian-American artist. Derakshani has a body of work that spans decades, with examples in major institutional and private collections worldwide; this exhibition presents a selection of never-before-exhibited works from three of his [ ... ]
A solo show for an artist whose distinctive approach to visual storytelling lies in her ability to blend hyperrealism with dreamlike distortion. In this series, a follow-on from her gorgeous but unsettling La La Land works, her paintings transform the [ ... ]
Khazaie's solo show is inspired by nature, particularly by trees that bend in the face of wind and storms yet do not break. These symbolise resilience and flexibility; just as in life, people too change under pressure and harsh conditions, [ ... ]
Tashkeel reopens its Nad Al Sheba Gallery with this solo exhibition by Syrian-Lebanese artist and designer Ranim AlHalaky, the culmination of a year-long journey of research, mentorship, and production as part of Tashkeel's Critical Practice Programme. To 16 October.
An exhibition on the rich heritage of the Mamluk Sultanate, a dynasty that ruled a vast expanse of territory encompassing the most significant Islamic holy sites for more than 250 years (1250–1517), with more than 270 works gatheredfrom 34 museums [ ... ]
Carol Kane is extraordinary as a Jewish immigrant arriving in late 19th-century New York with her young son Yossele (Paul Freedman) to join a husband (Steven Keach) who she hasn’t seen in three years. He's embraced the new world and [ ... ]
This first solo exhibition in the region for Bassiouni offers a first look at an ongoing international project that reframes landscape photography through the lens of lived Muslim presence in the contemporary West. Each of these photographs – taken from [ ... ]
Shumon Basar curates this project marking the gallery’s 20th anniversary, a look back on "two decades of The Third Line’s story in relation to global cultural, political, and economic shifts". The exhibition component features both early and more recent works from [ ... ]
After a long break from painting, Izoli has returned with a new body of work centred around "the circus of life" – Izoli uses the circus as a metaphor for the unpredictability and complexity of life as a Syrian citizen. [ ... ]
Says the gallery: "Drawing on literature, philosophy, and astrophysics, Benchamma transforms celestial phenomena into symbolic landscapes that invite us to move beyond the material and the real, into dimensions where the rational and the fantastical coexist". For his third solo [ ... ]
Exhibiting for the first time in Dubai, Lebanese artist Mahmoud El Safadi is showing a collection of miniature paintings on playing cards, a series of works that reflect on the Mediterranean as a site of memory, inheritance, and continuity – [ ... ]
A retrospective celebrating over four decades of work by the Sharjah-born artist. It traces Mona Al Khaja’s journey from her studies at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Cairo to her continued exploration of abstraction, symbolism, and colou, featuring works [ ... ]
Bernhard Buhmann curates this group show based on the idea that plunging downwards is both terrifying and liberating – the gallery quotes Andrea Roelig: "We stand between death and life, and decline is dangerously enticing because it also carries an [ ... ]
The inaugural show of Taymour Grahne's new project space in Dubai features the Maine-based painter, the recipient of numerous fellowships amd now (after 30 years as faculty at the Maine College of Art and Design) a full time artist. Her [ ... ]
A group show of paintings, sculptures, and photographs by a number of well-known contemporary artists that explore contrasts of material, form, and colour. The artists: Kenia Almaraz Murillo Nick Brandt Ian Davenport Hubert Le Gall Umberto Mariani Landon Metz Marc [ ... ]
A group exhibition for four distinguished Palestinian women artists – Rania Amoudi, Dina Matar, Fatima Abu Rumi, and Marwa Alnajjar – that offers a powerful counterpoint to static portrayals of femininity and nationhood. Grounded in place yet transcending borders, the [ ... ]
Says the gallery: “In an era of visual noise and the relentless pace of modern life, Amina Illuminati offers a moment of stillness — a space where matter becomes light, and form becomes revelation”. It’s a group show for work [ ... ]
The gallery describes Mohasses (d.2020) as "one of Iran’s most enigmatic modern artists … A painter, sculptor, and translator, Mohasses carved out a unique space in Iranian art, setting himself apart through his radical embrace of European modernism and a [ ... ]
The gallery describes Mohasses (d.2020) as "one of Iran’s most enigmatic modern artists … A painter, sculptor, and translator, Mohasses carved out a unique space in Iranian art, setting himself apart through his radical embrace of European modernism and a [ ... ]
The first exhibition of the new iteration of The importance of staying quiet, a survey of Pakistani art, features photographic archives from Lala Rukh’s years at the University of Chicago (1974–76). It includes early works that carry a cinematic sense [ ... ]
A new Ras Al Khaimah gig for the September Laughter Factory tour, albeit minus Peter Flanagan (who's doing the Dubai and Abu Dhabi stops). The acts" Dana Alexander The Canadian standup is a Laughter Factory favourite with material drawn from [ ... ]
The first solo exhibition for a key figure of the contemporary avant-garde in the UAE, curated by Nasser Abdullah. This series engages with abandoned and derelict spaces across the Emirates in a playful, insightful way. Often using desert settings and [ ... ]
With Find Your Eyes, Benji Reid has made a performance that is unlike any you will have seen. Other artists have approached the creative process itself as performance; but no one else has combined photography, choreography and theatre to make [ ... ]
A second performance of the Hungarian State Opera’s classic production of the classic Puccini tale of artists, dreamers, and lovers in 19th-century Paris. Praised for its authenticity and emotional depth, this production is a genuine piece of theatrical heritage … [ ... ]
Someone at MadCat Comedy is having fun thinking of titles for their shows … This one features the always excellent Liz Bains, Mad Cat’s main man Miqdaad, “and other heavy hitters you don't wanna miss”. The door price includes one [ ... ]
The last weekend for the September Laughter Factory tour. The acts: Peter Flanagan Hit Irish comic fresh from a critically acclaimed show at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. Expect “great storytelling" with "warmth and shamrock panache” delivered via razor-sharp writing (he's [ ... ]
New ink drawings on paper and acrylic paintings on canvas from the French-based Syrian artist that offer viewers a journey through colour, symbolism, and contemplation. These are works that "reflect on the mystical power of nature, its geometry and order, [ ... ]
Bady Dalloul’s first institutional solo exhibition in the UAE is an extended solo show curated by Art Jameel’s Lucas Morin. The artworks feature fragile heroes and ordinary people navigating systems larger than themselves; Dalloul repurposes everyday materials (including books, matchboxes, [ ... ]
The second performance of a remarkable show that combines photography, choreography and theatre to tell an emotional rollercoaster of a story. Find Your Eyes draws on Benji Reid’s work both as an award-winning photographer and a pioneer of hip hop [ ... ]
Asunción Molinos Gordo’s second major collaboration with Art Jameel – following her 2019 Artist’s Garden, In Transit (Botany of a Journey) – is her first retrospective exhibition in West Asia. This show spans 15 years of Molinos Gordo’s work, tracing [ ... ]
In times of adversity, especially amid the ongoing devastation in Gaza, tatreez – the ancient practice of hand-embroidery, a foundational element of Palestinian intangible heritage – becomes an act of survival and defiance. This exhibition of works by 25 artists [ ... ]
Artist duo Bik Van der Pol (Liesbeth Bik and Jos Van der Pol) engage in collaborative projects on how art constructs public spaces for speculative thought and collective creativity. The poem that jumps the fence features weekly performances on Abu [ ... ]
A proper full-scale orchestral concert evening, even if the combination of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and his Piano Concerto No.5 (“Emperor”) feels as though it might be driven more by marketing than a natural musical combination. Still, there are no complaints [ ... ]
This exceptional panel discussion aims to lead to a better understand of the term “African theatre", the evolution of theatres among the 52 countries of Africa, and this contemporary moment in Africa’s theatres. Who is making theatre today in Africa [ ... ]
MadCat’s standup team comes to Abu Dhabi's Easy Tiger bar in the Al Ain Palace. The door price of AED 99 includes two drinks ...
This mid-career retrospective marks the first institutional survey in the region for Ala Younis. It includes archival installations, textiles, murals, mosaics, and drawings spanning the last two decades of her hybrid practice as an artist-researcher-curator. There will also be some [ ... ]
The Courtyard's most peopular 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 [ ... ]
A MadCat gig promising "Dubai's top comedians – ALL HEADLINERS” but also “a comedy whirlwind, featuring a revolving lineup of Dubai's best comedians and fresh faces” which implies that they’re not all headliners … Still, let’s not be picky: MadCat does [ ... ]
The debut solo exhibition in Dubai by the German Romanian artist introduces a new body of work that captures human presence in flux figures that dissolve into their surroundings. Known for his monumental canvases and emotionally charged brushwork, Hosu invites [ ... ]
A nice idea from Karama Arts Club (though it doesn’t appear to be members-only) – “doodle, drink, and unwind with your creative peers” (all supplies supplied by Skriblbox, so you don't need to bring anything). The location is secret and [ ... ]
The acclaimed Chinese violinist Siqing Lu, noted for his profound lyricism and technical mastery, has chosen a challenging programme for his first UAE recital, part of the Abu Dhabi Classics programme and presented in partnership with the Chinese Embassy. Alongside [ ... ]
Back for a new season, it’s one of the most consistently funny of the Courtyard's classic improv gigs: the speakers have to give a presentation on a slide deck they’ve never seen before, with the topic determined at random by [ ... ]
A proper classic, done in the classic style: Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake earned its initial reputation because of the choreography by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, and this production by the Hungarian National Ballet with the Hungarian National Opera Orchestra – [ ... ]
Mad Cat's regular Thursday stop in Silicon Oasis promises “Dubai’s wildest comedy night". The door price of AED 99 includes two drinks, a decent exchange ...
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 [ ... ]
Directed by the noted Sri Lankan playwright, director and activist Ruwanthie de Chickera, this eclectic ensemble production is a collaboration between Stages Theatre Group, Sri Lanka and Mashirika, Rwanda. Dear Children, Sincerely (DCS) is an ongoing research project, initiated in [ ... ]
Agatha Christie’s first piece of writing for the stage, initially produced in 1930 and the start of a successful second career for her as a playwright. In her 1977 autobiography she describes it as "a conventional spy thriller ... full [ ... ]
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