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Common Grounds
Curated by Shamsa Al Qubaisi, Maryam Al Zaabi and Sara Al Sulaimani, and mentored by curatorial advisors Nada Shabout and Magali Arriola.
This exhibition presented a curated selection of works that explored the profound connections underlying human experience. Moving beyond individual narratives, the collection revealed how art transcends boundaries to articulate shared truths about identity, memory, and belonging. Through diverse mediums and perspectives, the works examined universal themes of cultural heritage, displacement, and resilience while inviting viewers to engage in an ongoing dialogue. The gallery transformed into a dynamic space where personal reflection converged with collective understanding, demonstrating art's unique capacity to both reflect and shape our interconnected world.
Explore All ExhibitionModern and Collector Talks at Art Dubai 2025
The Modern and Collector Talks Programme at Art Dubai 2025 was presented in partnership with Dubai Collection. These engaging discussions explored thematic aspects of collecting practices in the region, examined the development of modern art, and delved into collection building strategies, among other relevant topics.
Dubai Collection Nights 2025
The third edition of Dubai Collection Nights took place during the second week of Ramadan, from 10-16th March 2025, as a series of curated events bringing the public closer to the Collection. The programme took place across the city, the initiative offered local audiences a chance to see artworks from Dubai’s first institutional collection, as well as connect with artists, patrons, and art professionals involved with the initiative.
Dubai Collection Nights Recap: The Stories, The Artists, The Patrons, The Moments
Mohammed Kazem: Artist Studio Visit
Tour of A.R.M. Holding Art Collection
Al Safa Art and Design Library: A Walking Tour of Burj Rashid Exhibition
Panel Discussion: Curator’s Corner with Nada Shabout
Panel Discussion: Archiving the Past, Shaping the Future
Experiential Artist Suhoor with Talal Al Najjar and Ayesha Erkin at Bayt Al Mamzar
Dubai Collection Studio Visit
Panel Discussion: The Art of Collecting Series
Grassroot Initiative + Emirati Artist Studio Visit: Sima Collective
Children’s Workshop: Geometry + Art with Ziad Al Najjar
Workshop: Composition & Art with Ahmad Moualla
Experiential Artist Dinner by Ayesha Hadhir and Camilla Singh
The experiential dinner, commissioned by the Dubai Collection, had many layers and elements that played a significant role in bringing the experience to life. The experience began with a performance, conceptualised by Ayesha Hadhir and Camilla Sing and performed by Camilla Singh, exploring the rich tradition handed down over generations, connecting UAE and Venetian cultures through common human experiences. Both cultures, have a deep bond with the sea and parallel food traditions such as fishing and commerce. Dubai Collection Experiential Dinner on the occasion of the 60th Venice Biennale.
Explore ExhibitionDubai Collection Nights 2024
Dubai Collection Nights is a week-long series of curated events that tool place between 15 - 21 March 2024 bringing the public closer to the Dubai Collection community. Taking place across various locations in the city, the initiative offers a platform for local audiences to see artworks from Dubai’s first institutional collection and connect with artists, patrons and art professionals.
Children’s Workshop: Learn about Samia Halaby & Etel Adnan with artist Mohannad Orabi
Join us for a creative adventure at our children's workshop with artist Mohannad Orabi. Orabi will introduce children to the work of pioneering Dubai Collection artists Samia Halaby & Etel Adnan. The workshop will focus on non-figurative paintings, shapes, colours, forms and gestural marks to create paintings that reflect their ideas on small scale canvases. Open to children aged 4 - 12 years
Panel Discussion: Art of Collecting
This panel brings together a group of collectors to discuss their collecting journeys and habits. The conversation will shed light on the increasingly important role collectors play, and how they set their strategy and focus on patronage. Panellists are Dubai Collection patrons Nadine Kanso, George Salamoun, Jamil Hallak & Charles Al Sidawi in conversation with Hala Khayat
Artist Studio Visit: Tagreed Darghouth
Dubai Collection artist Tagreed Darghouth is best known for her abstract impressionist work which features gestural brushstrokes and textured layers of paint. Her oeuvre grapples with themes of popular culture & the cultural changes in her native Lebanon. Join us for a visit to the artist’s studio for an opportunity to experience her practice up-close and hear her share key moments from her artistic journey
Children's Workshop: A Journey into Creativity with Dubai Collection artist Mohannad Orabi
Mohannad Orabi’s work is dominated by vivacious childlike figures in various scenarios and landscapes. Join us to learn from the artist first-hand, & enter his world of painting where children will discover his new body of work centred around different flowers and plants & create their own masterpieces to take home. Open to children aged 4 - 12 years
Bayt Al Mamzar: A Walking Tour with Co-Founder Gaith Abdulla
Bayt Al Mamzar began as a domestic space in 1983. Continuing this history, founders Gaith and Khalid Abdulla revived their family home to welcome a wider audience connected through arts and culture. Bayt Al Mamzar now houses art studios, exhibitions, residencies, public programmes, and a specialised library. Meant as an evolving space that answers the needs of the UAE's contemporary arts and creative community, they invite experimentation and strongly encourage multidisciplinary collaboration. Join us for an intimate visit of the space with Gaith Abdulla.
Corporate Collection Visit: Tour of the A.R.M. Holding Art Collection at H Residence by HUNA
You will have access to one of the UAE’s prominent corporate collections at H Residence by HUNA. Led by Sossy Dikijian and Hala Khayat, the tour will take guests through one of the most exciting and forward-looking institutional corporate art collections in the country. The afternoon offers the opportunity to learn about the organisation’s journey towards art patronage and discover their new display of works by artists including Pablo Siquier, Ishmael Randall Weeks and Alia Ahmed among others.
Panel Discussion: Collecting Practices and the Development of the UAE Art Scene
Join us for a discussion featuring collectors as they delve into the development & evolution of the UAE art scene and their pivotal role in supporting the creative ecosystem. Gain unique insights and perspectives from the individuals who play a role in driving the cultural narrative of the region. Panelists are Omar Al Gurg, Farhad Bakhtiar & Rakesh Kumar in conversation with Benedetta Ghione.
New Collecting Models; Setting Up a Foundation & Artist Residencies
Art foundations and artist residencies are important ways of promoting artists and supporting the development of their work, and more of these initiatives are now appearing in the region. This discussion brings together panellists engaged in these areas to share their experience and give their insights for future developments. Panellists are Shireen Atassi of the Atassi Foundation for Arts and Culture, Shafeena Yusuf Ali of Rizq Art Initiative, and Kwame Mintah of Efie Gallery, in conversation with Martin Nixon, professor of art history at Zayed University.
Corporate Collection Visit: Tour of the A.R.M. Holding Art Collection at H Residence by HUNA
You will have access to one of the UAE’s prominent corporate collections at H Residence by HUNA. Led by Sossy Dikijian and Hala Khayat, the tour will take guests through one of the most exciting and forward-looking institutional corporate art collections in the country. The afternoon offers the opportunity to learn about the organisation’s journey towards art patronage and discover their new display of works by artists including Pablo Siquier, Ishmael Randall Weeks and Alia Ahmed among others.
Encounters
This exhibition unites twelve artists from the United Arab Emirates, each representing diverse generational perspectives yet bound by a shared cultural landscape and analogous life encounters. Whether manifested through their choice of materials, creative processes, or thematic expressions, these artists articulate a collective narrative unique to their individual voices. The exhibition presents works and juxtapositions across three sections: Man and Nature; Repetition and Observation; and Industrial Materials and Artisanal Traditions.
Explore Full Exhibition
Dubai Collection Nights 2023
Corporate Collection Visit: A.R.M. Holding Collection Guided Tour
The tour entailed private access to the firm's headquarters led by Hala Khayat and Carlo Rizzo who took guests through one of the most exciting and forward-looking institutional corporate art collections in the country. The afternoon offered the opportunity to learn about the organisation's journey towards art patronage and discover works by Ivan Argote, Tammam Azzam, JR, Xavier Veilhan among others.
The Future of Institutional Collections: Perspectives From The Region
This conversation explored the process of developing new models for building publicly accessible art collections, where representatives from different institutions in the region discussed policy and curatorial concerns specific to their context. Panellists are Taline N. Boladian, Co-Director of the Beirut Museum of Art, Katia Vraimakis, Acquisitions Manager at the Royal Commission for AlUla in conversation with Carlo Rizzo, Dubai Collection Director.
Artist Studio Visit: Abdul Qader Al Rais
Pioneering Emirati artist Abdul Qader Al Rais is best known for his abstract oil paintings and landscape watercolours, Al Rais uses recurring motifs such as doors, windows and floating squares, reflective of traditional Emirati architecture. We visited the artist's studio for an opportunity to experience his practice up-close and hear him share key moments of his journey. The evening was followed by a conversation with Hala Khayat, Art Dubai Regional Director.
The Art of Collecting
This panel brought together a group of collectors with varying disciplines at different stages of their collecting journey, who shared insight about their practice. They shed light on the increasingly important role collectors play, and how they set their strategy and focus their patronage. Panellists include Sabih Ahmed Associate Director and Curator Ishara Art Foundation and Dubai Collection Patrons Souheil Soueid and George Salamoun in conversation with Hala Khayat.
Film Screening & Q&A: Nujoom Al Ghanem’s Sharp Tools (2017) (a tribute to Hassan Sharif)
We held a private screening of Nujoom Al Ghanem’s film on Hassan Sharif (1951 - 2016) ‘Sharpened Tools’ at Cinema Akil on March 27 2023 with dedicated moments for Q&A with the filmmaker. The film offers an intimate insight into the life of one of the most influential figures in Emirati art who was a pioneering thinker, critic and writer.
Artist Studio Visit: Mohammed Kazem
Mohammed Kazem is a renowned multidisciplinary artist, whose practice ranges from video, sound art, photography and performance art. He is known as one of the region’s first conceptual artists. We visited the artist's studio for a unique opportunity to explore and view his practice up-close. The tour was led by Hala Khayat
Artist Studio Visit: Safwan Dahoul
Safwan Dahoul is one of Syria’s most renowned contemporary artists who has lived and worked in Dubai since 2011. Dahoul is recognized for his melancholic and monochromatic figurative compositions that investigate the dream state. We held a private tour and conversation of Safwan Dahoul’s studio with Hala Khayat.
Corporate Collection Visit: A.R.M. Holding Collection Guided Tour
The tour entailed private access to the firm's headquarters led by Hala Khayat and Carlo Rizzo who took guests through one of the most exciting and forward-looking institutional corporate art collections in the country. The afternoon offered the opportunity to learn about the organisation's journey towards art patronage and discover works by Ivan Argote, Tammam Azzam, JR, Xavier Veilhan among others.
When Images Speak
Highlights from the Dubai Collection
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