13 art exhibitions in Dubai you don't want to miss in November

Have a colourful November…

Dubai is one of those cities where there’s a never-ending supply of things to do. For a bit of culture to shake up your month, soak in the creativity at these art exhibitions in Dubai.

Here are 13 art exhibitions in Dubai to check out in November…

Artist Playground by Pullman

When: Ongoing (End date TBC)

A true and dedicated art hub, Artist Playground by Pullman enables local artists and designers with a platform to showcase their work. American artist Attila Konnyu’s exhibition, Equilibrium is currently on display comprising of ten unique works. Konnyu is a mixed media artist who utilizes his memories, impression and stories of everyday life in Dubai, into abstract pieces representing joy and hope.

T-Lounge, Pullman Creek City Centre, 10am to 10pm, Tel: (0)4 294 1222. pullman-dubai-creek-citycentre.com

Ayyam Gallery

When: Monday, November 14 2022 to January 5, 2023

Mouteea Murad’s solo exhibition, The Common Pursuit of Happiness showcases her most recent body of work. This exhibition is split into two, including a participatory installation and a completed painting exhibition on the other. Mouteea’s vision is different to your ordinary art exhibition, with the viewer taking a central role. Each artwork in the space is accompanied by straightforward but vague instructions that allow the visitor to complete the painting thus creating an experimental exchange between the artist, the work and the audience.

Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai, Mon to Fri 10am to 6pm, Sat and Sun closed, Tel: (0)4 323 6242, ayyamgallery.com

BOCCARA Gallery

When: Wednesday November 9 till Monday November 21

Free to attend, this New York influenced gallery is showcasing two renowned NYC-based artists; Katya Leonovich and Denis Ouch. BOCCA’s debut here in the UAE aims to integrate New York’s chaotic and restless commotion with art pieces that were created in the street of New York, highlighting iconic images and personal viewpoints. 

BOCCARA Gallery, DIFC, Zone D, Gate Avenue, 10am to 10pm daily, @boccagalleryofficial

Dubai Design Week 2022

When: Tuesday, November 8 to 13, 2022

Dubai Design Week is back for its eighth season at Dubai Design District. The six-day event which takes place from November 8 to 13 will welcome visitors with a number of installations, exhibitions and experiential mediums. Read more about the Dubai Design Week here.

Dubai Design District (d3), Tues November 8 to Sun 13, 10am to 11pm, dubaidesignweek.ae

Efie Gallery

When: Until Tuesday, December 20

Yaw is a Ghanaian artist who repurposes found objects into stunning works that explore the complexities of currency, symbolism, and meaning. His new exhibition In the Cool of the Day at the Efie Gallery, explores his fascination with coins, utilizing the Ghanaian pesewa, as well as the US penny and the Emirati fil. His residency in the UAE is reflected through distinctive characteristics, such as the use of local currency and the shapes and arches that resemble Islamic architecture.

Efie Gallery, Unit 2 Al Khayat Art Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai, Tues to Sun 11am to 7pm Mon closed, Tel: (0)4 252 4182, efiegallery.com

Green Art Gallery

When: Until November 13

The Green Art Gallery is hosting Michael Rakowitz’s first solo exhibition – The Invisible Enemy Should Not Exist. It is part of his ongoing project centred on threatened, destroyed and missing cultural heritage. The project was born after the 2007 Iraq war when many national treasures were looted from museums. Using images and information from databases, Rakowitz has recreated the looted sculptures using paper-mâché made of Arabic-English newspapers and western Asian food packaging found in diaspora supermarkets.

Green Art Gallery, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai, Mon to Sat 11am to 7pm, closed on Sun, Tel: (0)4 346 9305, gagallery.com

Ishara Art Foundation

When: Until December 9, 2022

Showcasing her first solo exhibition in the region, Navjot Altaf presents Pattern. Depicting her long-standing commitment to many activist ventures – such as climate change, ecology and feminism, this exhibition acts as an intersection between art and activism. Navjot includes works that juxtapose the traditional and new mediums in which we represent an environmental crisis, and ultimately how we reflect on the future of the planet and society.

Ishara Art Foundation, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Mon to Thur 10am till 7pm, Fri closed, Tel: (0)4 223 3001, ishara.org

Jameel Arts Centre

When: Until April 2, 2023

Jameel Arts Centre is hosting an extended exhibition about the human relationship with water. An Ocean in Every Drop depicts the importance of water in all of our lives, influencing history, culture, language, and social relations. Our understanding of water has consistently evolved, and we now see water in a crisis, being both scarce due to drought and potentially over-abundant due to floods and sea levels. With a curation of international works, guests are invited to explore the topic of water and how it forms from our past to our present.

Jameel Arts Centre, Jaddaf Waterfront, Dubai, Fri 12pm to 8pm, Sat to Thursday 10am to 8pm, closed on Tues, Tel: (0)4 873 9800. jameelartscentre.org

Lawrie Shabibi

When: Monday, November 14  2022 until Friday, January 5, 2023

Shaikha Al Mazrou’s Dwelling in the Gap comes hot off the heels of her participation at Frieze Sculpture 2022 in London. Al Mazrou pushes her materials past their limits and their fixed properties. This exhibition focuses on the communion between the artist and material, the artwork and the viewer – a ‘gap’ that is central to the creative process. There are seven steel sculptures to check out.

Lawrie Shabibi, Sat 10am to 6pm, Sun closed, Tel: (0)4 346 9906, lawrieshabibi.com

Leila Heller Gallery

When: Until Tuesday, November 15

Parinaz Eleish Gharangozlou’s solo exhibition Beyond the Sea There is a City focuses on the relationship between history and the future. Her works explore how, if we forget or destroy historical stories, we will have nothing tangible to help us build a sane future. Her pieces aim to evoke mindfulness to preserve what we have, in order to invest in our future.

Leila Heller Gallery, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Sat to Thur 10am to 7pm, closed on Fri, Tel: (0)4 321 6942, leilahellergallery.com

Mestaria Gallery

When: Friday 11 till Wednesday 30 November

Wissam Shawkat is back with his second edition of his hugely successful exhibiton “Letters of Love II”. This collection is mae up of 50 works that are centered around the key theme of love. The launch date of his exhibiton is personally significant with it reflecting the date he left his home in Basra, Iraq. Expect to see abstract cubist pieces, that are colourful, full of poetry, symbolism and love.

Mestaria Gallery, Tues to Sun 10am to 7pm, Mon closed, Tel: (0)4 379 0940, mestaria.art

Oblong Contemporary Art Gallery

When: Until Friday November 25

Using strong black and white tones, Max Vadukul showcases his exhibition ‘Moody Timeless’, which focuses on his muse Ludmilla Voronkina. These portraits depict the varied feelings of the model, Vadukul captures that she is both strong and mysteriouis; creating a perfect fusion of art and emotions.

Oblong Contemporary Art Gallery, Bluewaters Island, Dubai, 10am to 10pm daily, Tel: (0)4 232 2071 

Tabari Artspace

When: Until Friday, November 11

Khaled Zai is showcasing his latest solo exhibition The Journey at Tabari Artspace in DIFC. The Egyptian sculptor utilises bronze and marble to create eight sculptures and a large painting focusing on the connection between movement and religious experiences. His sculptures portray the intimate connection between man and horse through the transcendence of movement as well as the space between heaven and earth.

Tabari Artspace, DIFC, Dubai, Mon to Fri 10am to 7pm, closed on Sat and Sun, Tel: (0)4 323 0820, tabariartspace.com

Images: Provided and Social