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Saturday 07 November 2009 (UAE)
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Art Galleries and Art Exhibitions in Dubai
There is a growing art scene in Dubai and the UAE with many exhibitions and works displayed from artists based in Dubai and elsewhere in the Middle East, in addition to works displayed from international artists. A few shops in Dubai call themselves a gallery when they really are only a furniture or picture frame shop. Nevertheless, some of them have some interesting stuff to look at. Just wander around one of Dubai's shopping centres and you'll find something. But that's hardly what most people are looking for in an art gallery.
There are two areas of Dubai with a cluster of art galleries and recommended for a visit. The galleries highlighted in green are on the "must see" list (although to be fair, it's worth visiting all the galleries in the same group as they're so close to each other). A list of galleries and further details follow the two suggested areas.
1. Bastakiya (or Bastakia) in Bur Dubai to visit the Majlis, XVA, Eye Art Gallery, Ostra Art Gallery and maybe the Basta Art Cafe for a coffee - all within walking distance of each other and near the Dubai Museum. It's a pleasant walk around a historical and scenic part of Dubai amongst the Wind Towers.
2. Al Quoz Industrial Area to visit B21 Gallery, The Courtyard (gallery, cafe and shops - and the spectacular "Petals"), The Third Line - all within walking distance of each other, and Meem Gallery a short, complicated, drive away. B21, TTL, and Meem are all similar in that they have a large single warehouse style room with periodic exhibitions. Al Quoz really is an industrial area so don't be put off when first venturing in to its cement dusted depths. It's not quite the Louvre (although Dubai may yet build one of those) but persevere, and you'll find these refreshing artistic oases in the desert.
Art Galleries and Shops in Dubai/UAE
- 4 Walls Art Gallery [gallery] www.4walls-dubai.com -
art gallery in Al Quoz displaying Middle East and international modern art.
Behind Gargash Motors, see location
map,
tel +971-4-3388892, email info@4walls-dubai.com. Opened 2007?
- Al Abbar Art Gallery Dubai [shop] www.alabbarart.com - two locations, Gulf Towers tel
+971-4-3375537 and Jumeirah Beach Center tel
+971-4-3449207 (the blue and glass shopping center on Jumeirah Beach Road). Sells oil paintings, lithographs, limited edition prints, and posters. Opening hours 0900-1300 and 1600-2100
in the Jumeirah Center and 0800-1300 and 1600-2000
in Gulf Towers.
- Art Sawa Gallery [gallery] - Al Quoz
- ArtSpace Dubai (Art
Space Dubai) [gallery] www.artspace-dubai.com -
9th Floor, Fairmont Hotel, tel +971-4-3325523, Sheikh Zayed Road,
email info@artspace-dubai.com. Open 1000-1400 & 1500-2100
Saturday to Thursday during Ramadan. Promotes art from national
and international contemporary artists. Intend to offer exhibitions
every 3 weeks.
- Ayyam Gallery [gallery], www.ayyamgallery.com,
Al Quoz near the other art galleries in Al Quoz. Syrian art.
Dubai opening 10am Sat 31 May 2008 (with live artists flown in from
around the world), tel +971-4-3236242.
There's a gallery also in Damascus, Syria.
- B21 Progressive Art Gallery [gallery] - opposite Spinneys warehouse,
Al Quoz 3, +971-4-3403965, b21gallery@yahoo.com, no website.
- Bagash Art Gallery, www.bagashartgallery.com -
tel +971-4-3515311. Opened in early 2006
to showcase southeast Asian Art.
- Basta Art Cafe [cafe] - Bastikiya, tel +971-4-3626100
(or +971-4-3535071?), a few trinkets for sale. Another delightful restored
building with large shaded outdoor area to drink your tea. Open Sat-Thu
1000-2200.
- Boutique 1 / Boutique1, www.boutique1.com - new shop at The Walk JBR, Dubai Marina, tel +971-4-3304555, email style@boutique1.com, open 06 November 2008. Includes Boutique 1 Art Gallery, Boutique 1 Books, Boutique 1 Cafe, Boutique 1 Spa, Boutique 1 Living (men's and women's fashion), Boutique 1 Magazine. Manager Fadi Mogabgab, a Lebanese curator. New exhibitions each month of art including paintings, photography, sculpture, coffee (ok, maybe the coffee doesn't change). January 2009 - Joanna Andraos (artist in attendance), February 2009 Joan Miro & Alexander Calder, March 2009 Marwan Sahmarani (artist attending), April 2009 Akri Kuroda, May 2009 Andonov, June 2009 Michel Pelloille.
First Boutique 1 shop at the Boulevard (upper level), Jumeirah Emirates Towers. Boutique 1 fashion also for sale (discounted) at Dubai Outlet Mall in their shop "The Outlet"
- Christie's Dubai (well-known international art
auctioneers) sales office [art auctions] - office 7, 1st floor, building
2, Emaar Business Park, Sheikh Zayed Road,
PO Box 48800,
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, tel +971-4-3615323, fax +971-4-3615324,
open Sunday-Thursday, 1000-1800. Managing Director - Michael
Jeha. Opened office in April 2005 so all the rich people in Dubai could
give them their surplus cash.
- Creative Arab - see Meem Art Gallery information.
- Carbon 12 Gallery, www.carbon12dubai.com - art gallery in Marina View Towers ground floor, Dubai Marina, email info@carbon12dubai.com, tel +971-50-4644392.
- Design People [shop]
- Mazaya Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road web www.designpeopledubai.com, furniture
shop with paintings by Imad Bechara (Lebanon). Clever looking website.
- Emorarts - an online art gallery at www.emorarts.com, open 24/7 (of course), delivery by DHL.
Based in Dubai, established by
Ian Mercer and Ian Mulville.
- Eye Gallery [gallery], Bastakia, small pleasant
gallery with avant-garde exhibitions from resident artists in Dubai
, especially Iranian art.
Open 0900-2000 (1000-1900 during Ramadan). Tel +971-4-3534833, email eye_g@eim.ae,
no website.
- Five Green [shop], www.fivegreen.com -
behind Aroma Garden Cafe, Oud Metha Road, Bur Dubai, tel +971-4-3364100.
Art, music, clothes and magazines for modern urban living.
- Four Seasons Ramesh Gallery [shop] - Bastakia tel
+971-4-3536881, fax +971-4-3536177, www.fourseasonsgallery.com (under
construction
Oct 2006). A commercial establishment selling a wide range of teapots,
old photos and other vaguely arty looking objects, but not many paintings.
Branches also in Mall of the Emirates, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, and Heritage Village.
- Gallery 1 [shop] - Souk Madinat in Jumeirah and
Mall of the Emirates. Same place as Middle East Arts in Souk / Souq
Madinat. Sells photographs you can't make yourself but wish you could.
Web www.g-1.com.
- Gallery 76 [gallery] - in DIAC, tel +971-4-3444398,
opened January 2005. Opening hours Sat-Wed 0900-1700, Thu 0900-1600.
Showcasing contemporary art from national and international artists.
- Godolphin Gallery [showcase] - Nadd / Nad Al Sheba
racetrack. It's not art in the normal sense of the word but worth a
visit to see the
impressive
collection
of trophies
won by horses from Godolphin Stables (that belong to the Maktoum family
- Dubai's ruling family). Open daily 0900-1700 and closes 2000 on race
nights (mornings only during
Ramadan?),
web
www.godolphin.com/gallery.asp.
- Green Art Gallery
[gallery], www.gagallery.com -
near Dubai Zoo between Jumeira Beach Road and Al Wasl Road, villa 23,
street 51, Jumeirah, tel +971-4-3449888, fax +3447449, PO Box 25711,
Dubai, UAE, email greenart@emirates.net.ae, www.gagallery.com. Open
Sat-Thu 0930-1330 & 1630-2030.
During Ramadan, hours are 0930-1500. Middle Eastern art and collectibles.
- Guy Flichy Gallery [gallery] (not Guy Flichey Gallery) - www.guyflichygallery.com, Villa 40, Al Bastakiya, mobile tel +971-50-5415392, email guy@guyflichygallery.com. Open late 2008?
-
Majlis Gallery [gallery & small shop], www.majlisgallery.com - near Dubai Museum, Al Fahidi roundabout, Bastikia (Bastakiya), Bur Dubai, tel +971-4-3536233. Well known as it's been open for years (since 1970). Pleasant courtyard to sit in and drink your bottle of water after walking around.
- Meem Gallery [gallery], www.creativearab.com -
Al Quoz, easy to find if you know how, in warehouse #1 between Marina
Furniture and Max Garage on Umm Suqeim
Rd (the one that goes from Al Khail Rd to the Burj Al Arab). Difficult
if coming from the other Al Quoz art galleries. Tel +971-4-3477883,
info@creativearab.com. Looks closed if there's
no exhibition but if you appear lost, and someone's there, they
may let you in.
- Middle East Arts [shop] - in Souk Madinat in Jumeirah
- Umm Suqeim/Um Suqqeim. Tel +971-4-3686057, web www.middleeastarts.com.
Same place as Gallery 1.
- Miraj Islamic Art Centre - Jumeirah Beach road,
Jumeirah 3 (in the old University of Wollongong building), tel +971-4-3941084
or +971-4-3941094.
- Mondo Arte [gallery] - The Galleria, second floor,
Mall of the Emirates, tel +971-4-3413001.
An eclectic collection of paintings from local and international artists.
- Original and Unique Art Gallery [gallery?] - Al
Wasl Road, tel +971-4-3948808, email info@onuart.com,
web www.onuart.com. Established in March 1999 for exhibiting European
and North American art. Art Institute added February 2005. Open 1000-2100
daily (maybe not Fri mornings though).
- Ostra Gallery [gallery] - Al Fahidi roundabout,
Bastakia, Bur Dubai, tel + 971-4-3539441, email ostra@emirates.net.ae,
no website. Small gallery opened in Sep
2004, displays Arabic paintings and calligraphy.
-
Petals [shop] - a trinket shop in The Courtyard which doesn't sound like much but really is worth a visit if you're in The Courtyard, just to see what an astounding array of household goods it is possible to buy - Edwardian, Victorian, Baroque, Younameit, etc. This is not an understatement. Tel +971-4-3473003, email petals@emirates.net.ae.
- Picasso Gallery [shop] - Satwa, near the Iranian
Hospital, tel +971-4-3450996, email picassogallery@hotmail.com. Picture
framing shop but they sell a few pictures and large clay pots.
- Port of Call Gallery [shop] - Oriental antiques, furniture, and art gallery for Orient Fine Art LLC Dubai, location 4th floor of the Al Attar Business Tower on Sheikh Zayed Road, established in Dubai October 2000, tel +971-4-3326006, email info@portofcallgallery.com, website www.portofcallgallery.com.
- Sahary Gate [tour operator] - walk in through what
appears to be a garage door into a welcoming restored courtyard with
tourist office, gallery, resident
calligrapher, conference
room and coffee shop. During Ramadan they
have an Iftar Buffet on the roof with a cultural presentation for 180
dhs per person.
They also do seminars on UAE culture, tours of the UAE, and language courses.
Bastakia House No 14, tel +971-4-3535660, fax +971-4-3539747, www.saharygate.com,
PO
Box
44911,
Dubai, UAE.
- Sharjah Art Museum, www.sdci.gov.ae -
Bait Al Serkal, Al Shuwaiheyn area, Sharjah, near the Old Souk/Bazaar
in the Arts Area of Sharjah. Tel +971-6-5688222, basement parking available.
Admission free, open 0900-1300 & 1700-2000 except Mon (closed) & Fri
(1700-2000 only). Wed afternoon for ladies only (young children ok).
Check hours on public
holidays. Ramadhan
hours mornings only. Permanent collection belongs to the Ruler of Sharjah
- Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qassimi. Regular exhibitions, lectures,
workshops etc. Established in 1995, moved to new building in 1997.
Visit it to realise Sharjah is not just about dodgy car parts and strict
dress codes. Dubai has nothing like this. At least, not yet.
- The Courtyard [gallery and shops], www.courtyard-uae.com -
near
Spinneys warehouse, Al Quoz 3, tel +971-4-3475050.
A collection of art galleries (well, one), artists, exhibitions, art
supplies, furniture, and a cafe/coffee shop. Pleasant place to visit.
Don't leave without having a look in "Petals".
- The Empty Quarter [art gallery], www.theemptyquarter.com - DIFC Gate Village, Building 02, PO Box 509997, Dubai. A new (in 2009) art gallery that has a focus on fine art photography.
- The Jam Jar [gallery, studio, and events], www.thejamjardubai.com (changed from www.jamjardubai.com) - a company that organises art related activities, for individual or corporate clients. They have a DIY art studio (with art supplies, coffee and music) and art gallery. They'll even come to you for an event. Tel +971-4-3417303, email gallery@thejamjar.com, location is street 17a in Al Quoz, behind the Modern Bakery and Dubai Garden Center near Mall of the Emirates (exit 39 on Sheikh Zayed Road). Open hours Monday to Thursday 10am - 9pm, Friday 2pm - 9pm, closed Sundays.
- The Mojo Gallery [gallery], www.themojogallery.com - Unit 33, Al Serkal Avenue, Street 8, Al Quoz 1 (one block behind Times Square), tel +971-4-3236367. Opening date 03 November 2009 with an exhibition by Gail Catlin from South Africa running 04-25 November 2009. Mojo Gallery focuses on highlighting emerging international artists.
- The Red Gallery [gallery], www.theredgallery.net -
Villa 833b, Al Wasl Rd (Iranian Hospital Road), after Umm Suqeim
Spinneys heading in Jebel Ali direction. Tel +971-4-3955811, fax +971-4-395-5812,
email theredgallery@eim.ae. Gallery specialising in contemporary Asian
fine art. Opened late 2006 / early 2007?
-
The Third Line [gallery], www.thethirdline.com - between The Courtyard and Spinneys warehouse, sign is a bit obscure, Al Quoz 3, tel +971-4-3411367, www.thethirdline.com. They've done a good job of turning a warehouse into a gallery.
- Total Arts [gallery] - The Courtyard, near Spinneys
warehouse, Al Quoz 3, tel +971-4-3475050.
Opened 1996, specialising in Middle East influenced art and artists.
Owner Dariush Zandi.
- Total Design [studio] - The Courtyard, near Spinneys
warehouse, Al Quoz 3, tel +971-4-3475050.
Photographic studio also owned by Dariush Zandi.
-
XVA [gallery], www.xvagallery.com - behind the Majlis Gallery, near Dubai Museum, Bastakia, Bur Dubai, tel +971-4-3535383, email xva@xvagallery.com. Cafe and guesthouse accommodation in a restored building, rooms are 700-800 dhs per night. Gallery open 0900-2100 Sat-Thu. Movie nights in splendid courtyard retaurant on Wed nights from 8 pm when temperature is cool enough (approx Nov-Mar), sometimes the director or producer will be there to talk about the movie. H2O dhow cruise also part of their offerings.
Art Exhibitions, Fairs and Auctions
- Abu Dhabi Art - first exhibition 19-22 November 2009 at Emirates Palace Hotel, with the support of TDIC and ADACH. Expected to be an annual exhibition showcasing international art and art galleries, especially Arab and Middle Eastern art. Sounds a bit like an Abu Dhabi version of Art Dubai.
- Art Dubai - art exhibition at the Madinat Jumeirah from 18-21 March 2009
- Art Antiques Design Dubai - art, furniture, book displays from international art galleries and dealers, from 18-22 February 2009
- Art Paris Abu Dhabi - Annual art exhibition at Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi (first one in 2007), with art from .... well, we'll let you have a wild guess at that. Dates are 17-21 November 2008.
- Contemparabia - a seven-day tour from 15-21 March 2009 to museums and art fairs in Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah
- Creek Art Fair - art galleries in Bastakiya expand and show more art at the same time as the Art Dubai fair (renamed as Al Bastakiya Art Fair according to news report 24 January 2009?). Dates 15-22 March 2009
- Gulf Art Fair - renamed as Art Dubai for 2008
- Sharjah Biennial (Sharjah International Art Biennial) - 16 March to 16 May 2009
- START at Art Dubai 2009 - an arts program for underpriviledged children during Art Dubai 18-21 March 2009
Art Societies, Clubs, Councils and Groups in Dubai and the UAE
- Al Owais Cultural Foundation
- ARTE, Artisans of the UAE - www.arte.ae - an arts and crafts group.
- Cultural and Scientific Association
- Design People Dubai - www.designpeopledubai.com - interesting website. Different.
- Dubai Arts & Crafts group - groups.msn.com/dubaiartscrafts
- DUCTAC - Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre, www.ductac.org, non profit art and theatre center at Mall of the Emirates on the 2nd floor, at the Ski Dubai end. Has a pottery studio, dance and arts classes, an art gallery, The Centre for Musical Arts, The Art Materials Shop, The Old Library, The Manu Chhabria Arts Center (not Chabria). Tel +971-4-3414777 (general), fax +971-4-3414443 (arts center), fax +971-4-3414445 (theatre), email artsreception@ductac.org.
- Dubai Cultural City - a several billion dhs development announced early in 2006 which will include the first Klingon-designed Opera House in the world.
- Dubai Cultural Council (DCC) - web www.dubaiculturalcouncil.ae (needs updating - all events and shows listed have already happened). Established 12 January 2004 to facilitate development of Dubai as a cultural hub in the Middle East.
- Dubai International Art Centre (DIAC) - www.artdubai.com - villa No 27, street 75b, near Town Centre, Jumeirah Beach Road, tel +971-4-3444398. Well-established center for art supplies, courses. Since January 2005, Gallery 76 has art displays and art exhibitions.
- Emirates Fine Arts Society (EFAS) - based in Sharjah with offices also in Abu Dhabi, Khorfakkan, and Ras Al Khaimah. Main tel +971-6-5354488, email artsuae@emirates.net.ae, web www.artsuae.org.ae (may not be correct - dated 2000 but cannot find more up to date version). Promotes art appreciation and education with courses, lectures, seminars, and workshops for calligraphy, ceramics, graphic art, painting, photography, and sculpture. Occasionally publishes in fine arts related magazines and periodicals. Established in 1980. Member of the Arab Art Association and the International Art Association (Arab) in Paris.
- Juma Al Majid Heritage and Cultural Center
- RAKarts / RAK arts - www.rakarts.ae - established May 2008 in Khouzam (near RAKESS) to promote arts in Ras Al Khaimah with pictures for adults to look at and activities for children. They also offer yoga, pilates, and martial arts - to make the human body look more artistic we guess.
- Sharjah Arts Society - same as the Emirates Arts Society.
- The Jam Jar (see listing in art galleries section above) organise art related activities, for individual or corporate clients.
Last update Friday 30-Oct-2009
Related pages
- Bastakiya - historic area of Dubai with art galleries, cafes, and historic buildings, and a Saturday Souk arts & crafts fair in winter.
- cheap hotels in Dubai
- Dubai Film Festival
- historic landmarks in Dubai
- hotels in Dubai
- photos of Dubai
- things to do in Dubai
- tourist guide to Dubai
- visas for Dubai
Related websites (open in new window)
- www.artinthecity.com - art in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah. Maps, calendar of art fairs and art related events, the Art Bus timetable.
- www.uaeinteract.com - list of local UAE artists and images of their works.
- Dubai directory - add your link free