The capital’s annual festival of arts and culture is back. Running November 16 to 19, this year’s exhibition features works by some of the creative world’s biggest names – including Pablo Picasso and Gu Dexin. Part gallery exhibition and part performing arts festival, Abu Dhabi Art has a little bit of everything including live performances, free workshops and large-scale installations.

Five pieces of art you can’t miss:

Great works being exhibited at the festival by international galleries

01. Oil On Canvas by Abdul Qader Al Rais
The Hunar Gallery stand

Al-Ghaith-Series-by-Abdul-Qader-Al-Rais

02. Movement Of The People by Ali Banisadr
Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac stand

AB-Movement-M

03. Buste d’Homme by Pablo Picasso
The Acquavella Gallery stand

ADA 2016 - Pablo Picasso

04. Courting Falcons by Abdullah N.I. Syed
The Aicon Gallery stand

MCD---Aicon-gallery-1

05. No Or Bad Signal by Abdulnasser Gharem
The Galerie Brigitte stand

Gharem

Even more exhibitions to see:

Taking the term “that’s bananas” quite literally, self-taught Beijing artist Gu Dexin’s large-scale installation features a blanket of the yellow fruit spread along the floor. Curated by historian and creative art expert Alexandra Munroe, Dexin is one of China’s most influential contemporary artists and is best known for his installations that highlight decay and permanence over time. The banana blanket on the floor will be left to deform and decompose.

There’ll also be a showcase of modern arab art curated by Catherine David, a French art historian and curator. While French art writer Fabrice Bousteau is curating (Re) Birth, a group show that features both new up-and-comers as well as established artists.

ADA-2016---Gu-Dixen

Nov 16 to Jan 21
Manarat Al Saadiyat, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, daily 2pm to 10pm. Tel: (02) 6575800 Taxi: Manarat Al Saadiyat. abudhabiart.ae