UAE Arts

The United Arab Emirates has a long and fascinating history of arts and culture, and it has continued to grow up to the present day with countless galleries, museums, and renowned institutions that have opened in recent years. The arts and architecture of the modern day UAE range from old-world traditions and buildings to modern-day art fairs and polished skyscrapers, encompassing any and every type of art to explore. In the three most well-known Emirates-Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah-there are unique arts scenes that embody the culture of each place. 

Abu Dhabi is home to several upscale, polished arts spaces. The Louvre Paris partnered with the UAE to open Louvre Abu Dhabi in March 2007. The project is known as France's biggest cultural endeavor abroad, and the museum is the only other Louvre in the world. The Louvre Abu Dhabi is located on the island of Saadiyat, a major developing cultural hub in Abu Dhabi. There are plans to open the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, the Sheikh Zayed National Museum, the Natural History Museum, and the Abu Dhabi Performing Arts Center, all on Saadiyat Island.

The Abu Dhabi Art visual arts programme happens throughout the year and features both conventional and unconventional means of engaging with art. This includes exhibitions, instillations, events, panels, and more, and the year culminates in the Abu Dhabi Art Fair, where galleries and artists can display their art for sale. Warehouse 421 is a warehouse space that holds an emerging artists fellowship that awards recipients a trip to the US as well as artistic opportunities like workshops, exhibitions, fine art academic training, and more. 

All of this development came rapidly to the Emirates as the country started to become more globalized. The 2000s were a flourishing time for the UAE in the arts because of the establishment of the “economic free zones." Shortly after this development, in 2006, the world-renowned art auction house Christie's opened in the Emirate of Dubai. With the rapid expansion that came shortly afterwards came the Dubai arts district. It is also referred to as Alserkal Avenue, named after Emirati businessman Abdelmonem Bin Eisa Alserkal, the developer of the project. Established in 2008, Alserkal Avenue is a massive conglomeration of all things art. It is located in the district of Al Quoz and comprises countless arts and institutions, industrial creative spaces, art and photography galleries, housing for artists, and more. 

In addition to this mega-modern development that transformed the Dubai arts scene, Dubai also has an old art history dating back hundreds of years. In modern-day Dubai, you can still find traditional Emirati crafts, architecture, and art history. Al Fahidi is a neighborhood along the Dubai Creek that consists of historical Emirati buildings made of gypsum and sandstone, a stray away from the steel-and metal-based architecture the city is known for. This neighborhood is packed with history due to its location on the creek, designating it as a long-time trading hub. There are a number of arts events held in Al Fahidi each year, such as the Sikka Art Festival, as well as art galleries and exhibitions. 

While perhaps lesser known than Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the Emirate of Sharjah is considered the cultural capital of the UAE, and is a goldmine for artists. There are many artistic establishments in Sharjah, including the Sharjah Art Foundation, which supports artists through exhibitions, commissions, production grants, research, etc. The Emirates Handcraft Center showcases the history and practice of different handcrafts and how they represent the old history of the region. 

A more modern-day example of arts establishment in Sharjah is House of Wisdom, which was established by UNESCO in honor of Sharjah's title of World Book Capital in 2019. It is supposed to continue Sharjah's legacy as the world book capital by providing access to knowledge through books, culture and learning. This cultural center redefines how we see the library as a cultural institution, and reimagines it as more than just a place that houses books. The center was inspired by the House of Wisdom in Baghdad. It spans over 12,000 sq meters and it has architectures that was inspired by the sounds of poetry. There is a 105,000-book library inside this structure, with an outdoor garden and designated indoor reading areas. A monument sculpture stands outside the House of Wisdom, and was erected to look like a massive, abstract representation of Arabic scrolls, spiraling towards the sky. “This sculpture appropriately celebrates the past and future, honoring the ancient scrolls of history and shaping it into an upward spiral torch." 

These culturally rich institutions of the UAE have yet a new member. Eden Gallery Dubai, which was just opened on Fashion Avenue in The Dubai Mall, is one of the biggest and most internationally renowned art galleries in the UAE and Gulf Nations. With contemporary artists such as Alec Monopoly, Eduardo Kobra, David Kracov, Gal Yosef, Angelo Accardi, and others, Eden Gallery Dubai has brought an international approach to the contemporary arts to the city of Dubai. 

Visit Eden Gallery Dubai today at Fashion Avenue in The Dubai Mall on the Financial Center Street, Along Sheikh Zayed Road, Next to Burj Khalifa - Dubai.

Opening Hours: 7 days a week. 10:00 am - 1:00 am.