Bassam Freiha Art Foundation to Launch Contemporary Emirati Art Exhibitions

Photo : Abu Dhabi Media Office

The Bassam Freiha Art Foundation (BFAF) is set to unveil a series of exhibitions from October 14, 2024, to February 16, 2025, at the Saadiyat Cultural District in Abu Dhabi. This event will showcase contemporary Emirati art, the Orientalist movement, and monumental sculptures by acclaimed artist Anthony James.

Visitors will have the opportunity to explore four exhibitions hosted in the Main Gallery, Annex Gallery, and Sculpture Garden, while also participating in various events as part of the foundation's educational program. The exhibitions will officially commence on October 14, 2024.

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**Hour Eternal – Emirati Abstraction** is one of the featured exhibitions, curated by Dr. Michaela Watrelot. This exhibition will spotlight 14 Emirati artists who have significantly influenced the contemporary art scene in the UAE. The artworks on display will be sourced from the Ministry of Culture, local artists' studios, galleries, and private collectors.

This exhibition aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the evolution of abstract art in the Emirates. The selected pieces will reflect the duality of time—its fleeting and eternal nature. Artists such as Hassan Sharif, Hussain Sharif, Mohammed Kazem, and Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim will be represented, alongside notable figures like Abdul Qader Al Rais, Mona Al Khaja, and Salma Al Marri.

Dr. Michaela Watrelot expressed her excitement about the exhibition, stating, "In the past 20 years, the UAE's cultural and physical landscape has undergone rapid transformation. Pioneering artists like Hassan Sharif and the Five have played crucial roles in exploring how abstraction can reflect the nation's evolving identity. Displaying their works alongside other influential artists experimenting with geometry, calligraphy, and architecture within abstraction is monumental. This achievement is made possible through the support of the UAE Ministry of Culture, the Barjeel Art Foundation, and the many artists, collectors, and galleries that have loaned pieces to BFAF. I am immensely grateful for their contributions to Hour Eternal and eager to share these works with the public come October."

Additionally, a selection of pieces from the private collection of Bassam Said Freiha, the foundation's founder, will be exhibited. This includes paintings from prominent artists such as Rudolphe Ernst, Léon Comerre, Paul Leroy, and Fabio Fabbi.

In the Annex Gallery, Tarek Elkassouf will present the **Boundaries** exhibition, featuring 29 limestone sculptures embellished with 22-carat gold, alongside the linked exhibition **Lines from Letters**.

The Sculpture Garden will also showcase two pieces by Anthony James, who has the distinction of being the first and only visual artist to exhibit on all seven continents. His work is currently displayed in prestigious galleries across Aspen, Beverly Hills, Singapore, Dubai, London, and New York.

Beginning in October, BFAF will continue its educational initiatives, supported by the newly appointed Art Educator and Curatorial Liaison, Emilie Dubois. The programs will include artist-led workshops, art talks, and lectures, designed to enhance the community's engagement with the exhibitions and the artists featured.