Kutubna Cultural Center is presenting an international Collage Art Exhibition that brings together more than 70 artworks by 44 artists from 26 countries, highlighting the evolving language of contemporary collage across physical and digital media. Curated by Nora Qudah, the exhibition runs from May 16 through August 31, 2026, at the center’s gallery in Nadd Al Hamar, Dubai.
The exhibition examines themes including memory, identity, migration, belonging, resilience, spirituality, culture, environmental awareness, and the relationship between tradition and modernity. Moreover, it showcases how artists employ collage to explore personal narratives and shared cultural experiences through layered visual compositions.
Contemporary Collage Explores Identity, Memory and Material Transformation
Collage emerged in the early 20th century through pioneering artists Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, who established the medium by combining diverse materials and imagery into unified compositions. Subsequently, artists such as Hannah Höch, Max Ernst, and Henri Matisse expanded its creative possibilities, shaping collage into a significant artistic practice that continues to evolve today.
At Kutubna Cultural Center, participating artists work with paper, fabric, photographs, found objects, and digital technologies to construct multi-layered works that blend reality with imagination. Consequently, the exhibition demonstrates how familiar materials can acquire new meaning through creative reinterpretation.
Rather than focusing on a single artistic approach, the exhibition presents collage as a flexible contemporary medium that accommodates diverse cultural perspectives and artistic voices. Furthermore, each artwork reflects the individual experiences of its maker while encouraging visitors to consider broader questions surrounding memory, place, identity, and transformation.
Thoughtfully installed throughout the gallery, the exhibition invites audiences to reflect on how everyday life consists of fragments, evolving moments, and multiple viewpoints. As visitors move through the space, they encounter works that encourage close observation and deeper engagement with the creative process.
International Artists Highlight Dubai’s Role as a Creative Hub
The exhibition features artists representing 26 countries: Afghanistan, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, India, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Pakistan, the Philippines, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Syria, Switzerland, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
While the participating artists live across different regions of the world, many are currently based in the United Arab Emirates, reinforcing Dubai’s growing position as an international center for contemporary art and cultural exchange.
The Collage Art Exhibition remains on view at Kutubna Cultural Center from May 16 to August 31, 2026.