NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery Launches 'Between the Tides' for 10th Anniversary

Photo : Abu Dhabi Media Office

In honor of its tenth anniversary, the New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Art Gallery has unveiled an ambitious new exhibition, "Between the Tides: A Gulf Quinquennial." This noteworthy exhibition, which runs from October 1 to December 8, 2024, features the work of 21 artists and collectives from across the Gulf region, including the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia.

The "Between the Tides" exhibition is set to become a recurring event every five years, aiming to capture and reflect the evolution of the GCC's arts scene since 2019. This inaugural edition of the quinquennial event will showcase a diverse array of mediums, including architecture, paintings, videos, installations, and sculptures that echo the region’s distinctive cultural and environmental landscapes.

Since its inception in 2014, NYUAD Art Gallery has been instrumental in establishing NYUAD as a prominent cultural hub on Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi. By highlighting both emerging and established artists from the region, as well as international creators, the gallery has cultivated a vibrant cultural dialogue on a global scale.

Stay informed with the latest news. Follow DXB News Network on WhatsApp Channel 

The exhibition is co-curated by Maya Allison, the Executive Director of the NYUAD Art Gallery, and Duygu Demir, Art Gallery Curator and Research Assistant Professor. Their curatorial vision emerged from extensive dialogues with regional artists and curators, notably including Abdullah Al Mutairi, Ali Ismail Karimi, Aseel AlYaqoub, and Ayman Zedani. These conversations have informed the exhibition’s focus on significant moments in visual production over the past five years.

Featured artists in "Between the Tides" include Alia Ahmad, Abdulrahim Alkendi, Mohammad Alfaraj, Noor Al-Fayez, Afra Al Dhaheri, Mohamed Almubarak, Sophia Al Maria, Mariam M. Alnoaimi, Christopher Joshua Benton, Sarah Brahim, Vikram Divecha, Faissal El-Malak, Hazem Harb, Aziz Motawa, Mohammad Sharaf, Shaima Al-Tamimi, Ayman Zedani, and Bu Yousuf. The exhibition also includes collaborative works such as Civil Architecture by Hamed Bukhamseen and Ali Ismail Karimi; pieces by Aseel AlYaqoub, Asaiel Al Saeed, Saphiya Abu Al-Maati, and Yousef Awaad Hussein; and works by Camille Zakharia and Ali Ismail Karimi.

Maya Allison, Executive Director of the NYUAD Art Gallery, remarked, “In our first decade, alongside our growth as a cultural institution, we've witnessed an exciting proliferation of artists. Thanks to new initiatives across the Gulf, these artists are creating complex, nuanced, and provocative work. This exhibition aims to bring together and highlight this broader, shared artistic ecosystem. We are witnessing the opening of a new chapter in the region's art scene, one that resonates on the global stage.”

Duygu Demir, Art Gallery Curator and Research Assistant Professor, added, “The title ‘Between the Tides’ reflects the Gulf’s profound connection to lunar rhythms and the natural patterns that shape our perception of time. The exhibition features a broad spectrum of artistic styles and addresses critical themes such as urban growth, environmental change, heritage, identity, and representation. The process of curating this show, through discussions with curatorial interlocutors and artists, has been profoundly educational.”

Over the past decade, NYUAD Art Gallery has curated a diverse range of exhibitions, alternating between global artists and explorations of Gulf art and art history. Past notable exhibitions focusing on the Gulf include But We Cannot See Them (2017), a comprehensive survey of the UAE’s avant-garde art scene; Speculative Landscapes (2019), showcasing rising UAE-based artists; and Khaleej Modern (2022), which examined the development of modern art in the GCC.