16 art galleries that will spice up your April

No matter what type of art you fancy, there’s an art exhibition in Dubai to check out…

Dubai is one of those cities where there is never a shortage of things to do. Whether you’re an art fan or not, soak up the creativity at these colourful art exhibitions in Dubai – it’s a great way to shake up your week.

Here are 16 art exhibitions in Dubai to visit in April

Elmarsa Gallery

When: Until Saturday, May 20

Created by Tunisian modernist Aly Ben Salem, A Perfect World illustrates pivotal moments in North African history. Aly Ben Salem is one of the first generations of artists to emerge out of Tunisia as the country struggles for independence from French colonial rule. At first glance Ben Salem’s work seems to be in stark contrast with his North African contemporaries, however, upon further inspection, their work shares a portrayal of a plural Maghrebi identity, highlighting their inherent history, memory, identity, cultural heritage, and authenticity.

Elmarsa Gallery, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai, Tues to Sat 10am to 7pm, Sun and Mon closed, Tel: (0)4 341 5806, galerielmarsa.com

Tabari Artspace

When: Until Thursday, April 27

Beneath Latent Skies is the first in a series of exhibitions by Chafa Ghaddar, a Lebanese contemporary artist. Utilising multiple mediums, Chafa Ghaddar casts a modern twist on the historical fresco mural painting technique, departing from its classical associations and arriving in the present. Beneath Latent Skies explores the body as a landscape and host of multiple agendas – a site of eroticism, violence, movement, temporality, love, despair, and repair. These pieces, when combined, create a tension between flesh, land, and sky. The artist poses the question, “Can the body truly be a landscape?”

Tabari Artspace Gallery, Gate 3, Bld 3, DIFC, Mon to Fri 10am to 7pm, Sat & Sun closed, Tel: (0)4 323 0820, tabariartspace.com

The Majlis Gallery

This hidden gem, located in the heart of Al Fahidi, is showcasing an interesting array of bespoke artworks. Showcasing Adel Mamish’s one-of-a-kind boots which are designed with vintage Obi Kimono fabrics to Pom Mullan’s porcelain dragonfly installations, Anne Hudsons ceramic bowl displays, and Oytun Camcigil’s unique jewellery items; guests will be able to feast their eyes on beautiful creations. This courtyard acts like a small safe haven from the bustling city, with archaic architecture that has been covered in artwork and installations. This is not an exhibition to be missed.

The Majlis Gallery, Al Fahidi, Dubai, UAE, Mon to Fri 10am to 6pm, Sat 9am to 6pm, Sun closed, Tel: (0)4 353 6233, themajlisgallery.com

The Efie Gallery

When: Until Monday, May 29

Moving away from his usual forte of utilising vibrant colours, Ishaaq Ismail’s exhibition Beyond The Fence, Begins the Sky features his first collection of monochromatic works that uses multiple hues of blue. By portraying characters with complicated and conflicting feelings against a variety of serene and utopian landscapes, this exhibition seeks to question perceptions about beauty while also taking into account the hardships these individuals must face.

The Efie Gallery, Al Quoz, Dubai, Tel: (0)4 252 4182, efiegallery.com

Honeycomb Hi-Fi

Dubai’s first listening bar invites all art lovers to view ‘the gallery.’ an intimate and cosy space which features a rotation of art exhibitions, that pay homage to global music cultures and their shared love for music throughout the ages. The Gallery is the particle brainchild of world-renowned portrait and documentary photographer Bill Bernstein, who is known for his shots of New York City nightlife in the late 70’s. Guests can bask in the celebration of music whilst sipping on Honeycomb’s gorgeous drinks and immersing themselves in the tunes of this iconic soundbar.

Honeycomb Hi-Fi, Pullman Dubai Downtown, Sun, Tues, Wed to Thur 7.30pm to 2am, Fri and Sat 7.30pm to 3am, mon closed. Tel: (0)4 412 6666, honeycombhifi.com

XVA Gallery

When: Until Thursday, April 13

Hussein Al Mohasen showcases his thoughts and feelings of peace and love of humanity in his exhibition Violet State in 14 Days. Utilising colour and poetry in his work, Hussein Al Mohasen explores the connotations of poetry written in different languages, focusing largely on his love for graffiti. Through the simple construction of a few words, Al Mohasen created works that are very striking, creating a large impact, with a colour palette he finds highly liberating. Visual art is the artist’s medium to explore truths, allowing the audience in turn to see and perceive truths.

XVA Gallery, Al Fahidi Neighbourhood, Dubai, 7pm to 10pm daily, Tel: (0)4 353 5383, xvagallery.com

Leila Heller

When: Until Sunday, April 30

Beijing-New York-based conceptual artist Jinjing Lin’s solo show, ‘Elsewhere’ displays a world tinted with the effect of the pandemic, fused with dystopian and utopian features. These multimedia paintings illustrate men and women gazing from their windows, whilst utopian U.F.Os make contact with the earth. Posing the question, ‘are they here to save us or destroy us?’ This exhibition comes from two years of the artist’s contemplation on human existence; examining the effect of technology on society, and the surreal times of the pandemic. ‘Elsewhere’ allows the audience to channel their lived and shared experience of being confined during the pandemic, wishing to be elsewhere, and how our perceptions shifted during this time.

Leila Heller, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz 1, Dubai, Sun to Thur 10am to 7pm, Fri closed, Sat 11am to 7pm. Tel: (0)4 321 6942, leilahellergallery.com

Green Art Gallery

When: Until Saturday, April 29

A Line of Foreign Verses intertwines the cultural and political histories between the two artists, Hera Büyüktaşcyan and Seher Shah, showcasing how they have historically formed friendships at critical junctures in their lives. The significance of this unique dialogue bound by shared experience speaks to the power of memory and passageways across turbulent landscapes. Their work delves into the geographies of paper and place. Utilising the act of writing and drawing, the artists navigate the historical, personal, and political together.

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

Carbon.12

When: Until Monday, May 1

British-Indian artist, Amba Sayal-Bennett’s exhibition Architectures of Excess explores the ways in which methods of abstraction are exclusionary and performative, creating boundaries between the present, the absent and the othered. Her works focus on modernism and its different forms across the world as well as the movement of bodies, knowledge across the world, highlighting the diasporic experiences, and how postcolonial countries such as India, struggle for modernity.

Carbon 12, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, Mon to Sat 11.30pm to 7pm, Sun closed, Tel: (0)4 340 6016, carbon12.art

Ayyam Gallery

When: Until Monday, May 1

The Houses Behind the Army Canal, is a solo exhibition by Sadik Kwaish Alfraji, which is the second exhibition in a series of three, which focuses on the three generations of migration within his family. The first exhibition depicted his grandfather’s life, with this chapter focusing on his father’s move to Baghdad and how his life unfolded amid poverty and political turmoil in 1958. Utilising a mixture of mediums, Alfraji tries to encapsulate the emotions of his father during this dysfunctional time and the lack of hope and prosperity that engulfed his community.

Ayyam Gallery, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, Mon to Fri 10am to 6pm, Sat 12pm to 6pm, Sun closed. Tel: (0)4 323 6242, ayyamgallery.com

Bedia Gallery

When: Ongoing

This is one of the most recent galleries to enter the Dubai art scene, and it is owned by Kemal Yazici, the first Turkish gallery owner and artist in Dubai. Born in Turkey and raised in Germany, Kemal Yazici creates contemporary abstract art by utilising geometrical and organic elements. Yazici creates his masterpieces by overlapping layers, combining flowing textures and using bespoke tools to depict the vibrant dynamic world we live in. Bedia Gallery houses Kemal’s unique work as well as his art studio on the first floor.

Bedia Gallery, Warehouse 10, Al Khayat Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai, Tues to Sun 10am 7pm, Mon closed, Tel: (0)4 335 9133, bediagallery.com

The Foundry

When: Until Thursday, May 4

This art, culture and co-working space is hosting four world-class artists, who will unveil their newest collections of artworks. Gallery Three will showcase Dubai-based painter Sylvia Ong’s exhibition Around the sun all year long, illustrating how the sun remains constant despite the personal turmoil that individuals face. Gallery Four will host a group exhibition by four Syrian artists, featuring more than 500 works which aim to preserve and promote art and archives from Syria. Gallery Five will be home to a mixed-media project delivered through direct testimony, memories and visual associations. Gallery Eight will see the debut of a long-term project that comprises of works from Iranian artists over multiple generations, portraying their lived experiences throughout history.

The Foundry, Boulevard Crescent, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Blvd, Downtown Dubai, 10am to 10pm daily, Tel: (0)4 367 3696, @foundrydowntown

Ishara Art Foundation

When: Until Saturday, May 20

Exploring philosophical and political dimensions of time, this group exhibition includes the works of over 20 contemporary artists from South Asia and its diasporas. Notations on Time depicts a dialogue between artistic generations, illustrating complexities between the past, present and future. Pushing away from Western notions, Notations on Time highlights different ways of thinking about aesthetics, existence, remembrance and futurity.

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

Jameel Arts Centre

When: Until Sunday, May 14

Daniele Genadry’s Blind Light investigates how distance, light, and movement affect visual experiences, especially in nature. Through photography and painting, her medium of choice allows her to explore how images can create their own temporality through light, as well as how mediated fields of vision can sensitize our perception. The exhibition features works that are based on Daniele’s recent research in La Rochelle and Cassis, France and the Grand Canyon, USA.

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: Until Friday, April 28

Berlin-based Timo Nasseri will be showcasing his first solo exhibition, All Borrow Their Light, comprising of carefully constructed sculptures and paintings from various stages of his practice. His works explore mathematical and geometric models which reflect his fascination with Islamic architecture, specifically with muqarnas ornamentation – the honeycombing under domes and arches that originated in the 10th and 11th centuries, which is specifically used in Iranian architecture.

Lawrie Shabibi, Al Quoz 1 Al Serkal Avenue, Dubai, Mon to Sat 10pm to 6pm, Sun closed, Tel: (0)4 346 9906, lawrieshabibi.com

ArtKōrero Gallery in ME Dubai

When: Until Monday, May 1

Located on the third floor of ME Dubai, artist Natalia Kapchuk is showcasing her first solo show. All of her works are mixed-media creations that showcase the beauty of our world with the conflicting effects that human activity has had on it. Some of her pieces will also be displayed in the lobby – so make sure not to miss them.

ME Dubai, The Opus by Omniyat, Al A’amal St, Business Bay, Dubai, Tel: (0)4 525 2500, melia.com

Images: Social and provided