The young Ukrainian pianist Illia Ovcharenko is something of a must-see, especially when he's playing the Romantic repertoire – and most especially for his treatment of Liszt. Praised as “technically flawless and impeccably musical” (International Piano) and winner of multiple [ ... ]
The second and final performance by Dubai Drama Group of this stage adaptation of the fourth (and best-scripted) of the BBC sitcom – a series of schemes by Captain Edmund Blackadder to escape the horrors of World War One, aided [ ... ]
The Nahr al Bared refugee camp was built in north Lebanon in 1948 for Palestinian families fleeing the Nakba. At the time, nobody considered the possibility that they might still be there 75 years later. In 2007, fighting erupted in [ ... ]
A return for this single-hander, written by and (we think) performed by Gillian Rhodes, who is really very good at this storytelling-with-performance sort of thing. This time it's a coming-of-age tale of a young boy in the late 19th century; [ ... ]
New work by the Bahraini artist, based on an interplay of colours and emotions where the intricate patterns of human behaviour are delicately overlapped with the rhythms of nature: "she reveals the intricate beauty of natural forms and how they [ ... ]
A solo exhibition of Alymamah Rashed’s latest work. A new series of large-scale watercolour and acrylic canvases, it's shaped by the belief that bodily connection to specific environments and elements can facilitate spiritual awakening. Rashed reflects on the immersion of [ ... ]
A captivating dance documentary that celebrates the life and work of the world-renowned choreographer Pina Bausch. During the preparations for the film in 2009, Bausch died suddenly; the dancers of Bausch's company, Tanztheater Wuppertal, convinced him to proceed as a [ ... ]
A second performance for Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige's speculative performance about the lost Roman city of Orthosia. buried beneath the Nahr al Bared refugee camp in north Lebanon. The ruins of the ancient city of Orthosia, lost since being [ ... ]
The Iraqi artist and calligrapher introduces the latest examples of his signature style, merging the beauty of classical Arabic scripts with modern design principles; Calligraforms transforms Thuluth script lettering into abstract, fluid forms that are removed their textual meaning and [ ... ]
When she was 12 years old, Melati Wijsen started a campaign to ban single-use plastic in Indonesia. Now 18, she decides to travel the globe seeking to connect with fellow young activists who are committed to making their world a [ ... ]
Niki Mukhi (guitar) and his quartet (Rami Lakkis, bass: Arindam Chakravarty, tabla: Ratish Chadha, drums) are joined by Vanraj Shastri (sarangi and vocals) for an evening of jazz, flamenco and Indian classical music.
This retrospective for the late Syrian artist honours Leila Nseir’s legacy and celebrates her contributions to art and feminism. Nseir’s art was rooted in humanist concerns and feminist thought, addressing themes of conflict, inequality, and poverty; her career was impacted [ ... ]
The artist, writer, art historian and collector Steven Naifeh will discuss his work, currently featured in a solo exhibition at Artbooth Gallery and at Abu Dhabi Art; his writing, notably his biography of Vincent van Gogh; and his collection of [ ... ]
The first in The Gallery Collective, a series of sort-of gallery takeovers whereby Sotheby's Dubai is giving its DIFC exhibition space over to a series of local galleries in a two-year run starting in November. Every six to eight weeks, [ ... ]
Two spectacular dance projects show how a young generation of dancers from all over the world are rediscovering Pina Bausch's choreography: the Semperoper Ballet Company in Dresden rehearses her dance opera Iphigenia in Tauris, and dancers from all over Africa [ ... ]
"If the bee disappears from the surface of the Earth," said Albert Einstein, "man would have no more than four years left to live". That's because without the bees' pollinating work, agriculture could collapse and with it our ability to [ ... ]
Daniel Roby's film has a Parisian couple whose daughter suffers from an incurable disease that forces her to live in a hermetically sealed glass bubble. Then a mysterious toxic fog begins to spread in the Parisian streets, killing anyone who [ ... ]
"Hilarious live performances by up-and-coming stand-up comedians" at Ting Irie Abu Dhabi every other Tuesday (best to check their Instagram account @tingirieauh just to be sure). It's hosted by Funeral Home Comedy; the Jamaican vibe is always great, irrespective of [ ... ]
An early-evening open mic gig for local musicians in Bla Bla's Backroom.
A handsome oyster farmer from the Mediterranean port town of Sète vows to win back his actress girlfriend after a botched proposal involving a ring hidden in an oyster shell. Fortunately, his friends are ready to do anything to help [ ... ]
16-year-old Bella and Vipulan are part of a generation that knows its very future is at risk – between climate change and the mass extinction of wildlife, their world could well be inhabitable 50 years from now. At the instigation [ ... ]
Works spanning the last eight years of the artist’s practice that critically engage with the socio-political contexts of architectural heritage and modernist ideologies and aesthetics. Drawing is at the centre of Amba Sayal-Bennett’s practice, expanding across works on paper, projections [ ... ]
A solo exhibition featuring Helal’s most recent body of work and a pivotal moment in the artist’s evolution, a more straightforward yet deeply expressive style without the constraints of his previous methods. The new approach, characterized by loose, dynamic strokes, [ ... ]
A solo show for the Mexican artist whose practice focuses on hybrid sculptural forms that draw inspiration from modernism, popular culture, and specific historic moments. In particular, Orlaineta explores post-war design and architecture, generally depicting biomorphic shapes with a strong [ ... ]
New work by the Lebanese-born Paris-based sculptor. Working mainly in wood but occasionally in marble or stone, Choukini's aethetic may appear somewhat primitivist; in fact his sculptures exhibit a sophisticated interrogation of organic and mechanical worlds. To 20 January.
Alhashemi's second solo exhibition at the gallery is her first after returning from the States with a Master’s in Fine Arts. Curated by Nasser Abdullah, this exhibition presents a series of works that build on her previous experiences, "appearing as [ ... ]
Behzad Noori, PhD is a self-described artist, writer, educator and necromancer; his research-based practice includes films, installations, and archival studies, investigating histories from the Global South, labour and the means of production, and histories of political relationships that have existed [ ... ]
A group show for three female artists whose backgrounds, experiences, and practices converge in a shared exploration of cultural heritage, personal memory, and emotional landscapes. Negin Fallah examines the intersection of tradition and transformation, where echoes of Iranian illuminated manuscripts [ ... ]
An intimate look at the creative journey of the founder of the Injari contemporary clothing brand, Chinar Farooqui, and the narratives woven into each piece produced by Injiri, its dedication to traditional craftsmanship, and its emphasis on sustainable practices. To [ ... ]
El Siwi's first solo exhibition in over a decade features both new paintings and pieces from an archive of earlier works: "the paintings shown here collectively present philosophical provocations and musings" says the gallery. The title references Upper Egypt and [ ... ]
Sharjah Arts Foundation’s annual indie/experimental film festival returns for its seventh edition, featuring around 30 UAE premieres. Most are in the Competition section, documentary and fiction films that have been nominated by an international committee of filmmakers and industry professionals. [ ... ]
This month's Laughter Factory tour has a particularly good look, with some top standups on the bill (and one more than usual). It kicks off at the Mövenpick as usual. The acts: Stephen Grant hard-working emcee, a genius British comic [ ... ]
Winston’s work blends art with sports culture, transforming everyday objects – deflated basketballs, cigarette butts, even the signatures of artists and athletes –into pieces that challenge viewers to reconsider the significance of these items; the results "resonate with resilience, legacy, [ ... ]
A new venue for the candlelit performance, the Al Azure Room at SeaWorld Yas Island. Aldo Dotti plays a 65 minute programme of piano favourites: Mozart: Rondo alla Turca from Piano Sonata No. 11 in A Major, K 331 Mozart: [ ... ]
Aldo Dotti plays a 65 minute programme of piano favourites, outdoors at the Jumeriah Al Qasr's Céleste poolside restuarant. The programme: Mozart: Rondo alla Turca from Piano Sonata No. 11 in A Major, K 331 Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 12 [ ... ]
This month's Laughter Factory tour has a particularly good look, with some top standups on the bill (and one more than usual). This is the earlier of two gigs today (the team moves on to the Mövenpick later). The acts: [ ... ]
Nabil Ayouch’s grittily authentic tale of a rapper turned teacher helping his students find their creative voices is a class act. It manages to combine familiar cinematic tropes like 'strength through making music' and the inspirational teacher with a taste [ ... ]
A gig at Atlantis for one of the big-name EDM producer/DJs who really does merit the acclaim. Last time he was here, he sold out the place and delivered a great 150-minute performance with a terrific lights-and-lasers show and more [ ... ]
This month's Laughter Factory tour has a particularly good look, with some top standups on the bill (and one more than usual). This is the second of two gigs today. The acts: Stephen Grant hard-working emcee, a genius British comic [ ... ]
This production debuted for four performances in May and two in July; all sold out (deservedly). It's now back for a run at Theatre by QE2 and these are its last two shows (at 3pm and 8pm). It's an English [ ... ]
Alserkal Art Week returns 17-25 November. As usual many of the galleries will be opening new shows during the week (we count ten: they're listed separately in the Agenda), but the Alserkal Avenue people have been developing a programme themselves [ ... ]
AABF has changed its nomenclature from 'book fair' to 'book festival' for 2024, but this is till an important date for Arab-language publishers – and the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), which organises it, has reported a "significant" increase [ ... ]
A captivating dance documentary that celebrates the life and work of the world-renowned choreographer Pina Bausch. During the preparations for the film in 2009, Bausch died suddenly; the dancers of Bausch's company, Tanztheater Wuppertal, convinced him to proceed as a [ ... ]
Salakhov's work is “a profound exploration of the intersection between science, art, and spirituality, using sacred geometry to illuminate deep cosmic truths”. On show are 36 “meticulously crafted” acrylic paintings that reimagine Renaissance art through a modern lens, blending classical aesthetics [ ... ]
Ayesha Sultana’s first public talk in the UAE examines the complex relationship between the human body and the natural world, and in particular her hand-blown glass sculptures and watercolour paintings on tissue displayed at Ishara in her ongoing Fragility and [ ... ]
A compelling hybrid of drama and documentary, this film covers the events that led up to the infamous destruction of an extraordinary 300-year-old tree held sacred by the Indigenous Haida Nation of Haida Gwaii, British Columbia. Inspired by John Vaillant’s [ ... ]
A solo show for the Emirati artist to open this new gallery in Abu Dhabi’s Mina al Zayed. Al Nahyan’s practice is based on foraging -- materials she collects on her walks through her family farm and elsewhere, are accentuated [ ... ]
Continuing this seven-part lecture series by art historian Rose Balston on female artists from the 16th through to the 18th century – “women who have not only been side-lined, but literally (and shockingly) blocked out of history”, mainly by the [ ... ]
Our everyday lives are sometimes like a jungle, where everybody has to fight for survival in their own way. This work for 17 dancers of the Korea National Contemporary Dance Company interprets the jungle as a place of collisions between [ ... ]
Since 2014, Black Box Cinema (founded and managed by Abu Dhabi-born actor and director Nawaf Al Janahi) has presented Arab-language short films since 2014. Screenings are at the Biennial Hub on Abu Dhabi Beach. In this Public Art Abu Dhabi [ ... ]
© 2026 magpie media
