3 Must-See Art Exhibitions This Weekend In Dubai, Brussels and London
Our top picks of Middle Eastern art shows to view if you’re in any of these dynamic art-filled cities
Villa Empain – Boghossian Foundation, Brussels
Exhibition title: ‘Melancholia’ – Until 19 August
Curated by Louma Salamé, this exhibition is a trip down 150 years of artistic production, from ancient Greek to modern art, all thoughtful meditations on the origins and manifestations of melancholy. On view are multimedia works ranging from paintings to sculptures by 70 regional and international artists including Farah Atassi and Etel Adnan. You can walk through the installations created for the show in the Villa and Foundation’s garden. The show depicts the idea of mourning in the East and the West, and how it has evoked a sense of nostalgia for the past. Villaempain.com. Tel. +322497461264
Abdelkader Benchamma, ‘Melancholia’, Villa Empain – Boghossian Foundation
The Mosaic Rooms, London
Exhibition title: ‘What do you mean, here we are?’ – Until 15 September
With a focus on challenging political perceptions and addressing misconceptions regarding the Arab experience and diaspora, the art gallery presents a series of six exhibitions focused on both seminal Arab modernist artists and group shows from Egypt, Morocco and Iran to mark its 10th anniversary this year. Currently running is an exhibition created in collaboration with Cairo’s Townhouse, surveying the Egyptian gallery’s recent emergence into the limelight with its stellar mix of regional art from its humble beginnings in the backstreets of Cairo. Co-curated by Mariam Elnozahy and Fiona Fox, this show reveals Townhouse’s resilience in the midst of regional socio-political turmoil and change. Mosaicrooms.org. Tel. +442073709990
‘What do you mean, here we are?’, Townhouse Gallery, The Mosaic Rooms, London
Leila Heller Gallery, Dubai
Exhibition title: ‘Inner and Outer Space’ – Until 31 August
American muralist, painter, sculptor and installation artist Kenny Scharf’s first solo exhibition in the UAE features large-scale paintings of abstract, fantasy-like creatures in addition to discovered objects and relief sculptures. Described as ‘Pop Surrealism’, his works address dark societal issues behind a playful façade inspired by his own subconscious. Scharf uses melting cartoon faces to portray humanity’s ecological turmoil and capitalist exploitation, while maintaining a fun-loving tone throughout. His childhood preoccupation with outer space is reflected in the depiction of infinity and absence of boundaries in his work. With airbrushed strokes of oil and acrylic paint, Scharf’s paintings also reveal the prevalence of street culture within modern art. Leilahellergallery.com. Tel. +97143216942
Kenny Scharf, ‘Dark Melt’, 2017, Leila Heller Gallery