NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Art Gallery is set to debut a significant new exhibition on October 1st, titled “Between the Tides: A Gulf Quinquennial.” This landmark showcase will delve into the dynamic evolution of the GCC’s artistic scene, featuring 21 artists and collectives from the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia.
The quinquennial event, occurring every five years, will highlight key artistic moments in the region from 2019 onwards, with exhibits including paintings, videos, installations, and sculptures that capture the unique cultural and environmental aspects of the Gulf.
Running through December 8th, the exhibition also celebrates the 10th anniversary of the NYUAD Art Gallery.
Since its establishment in 2014, the gallery has become a prominent cultural hub on Saadiyat Island, playing a vital role in promoting both emerging and established artists from the GCC and beyond, thereby fostering a diverse cultural dialogue.
Curated by Maya Allison, Executive Director of the NYUAD Art Gallery, and Duygu Demir, Curator and Research Assistant Professor, the exhibition reflects significant trends in the region’s visual arts over the past five years. The curatorial team engaged in extensive dialogues with artists and regional curators, including Abdullah Al Mutairi, Ali Ismail Karimi, Aseel AlYaqoub, and Ayman Zedani, to shape the exhibition’s focus.
Featured artists include Alia Ahmad, Abdulrahim Alkendi, Mohammad AlFaraj, Noor Al-Fayez, and many others, alongside collaborative works by Civil Architecture and Camille Zakharia.
Maya Allison remarked, “In the first decade of the NYUAD Art Gallery and Project Space, alongside our own development as a cultural institution, we have seen a proliferation of artists – thanks in part to new initiatives across the Gulf — producing complex, nuanced, and provocative work, alongside their more seasoned peers. Expanded beyond a national arts landscape, this exhibition brings together and makes visible a larger shared ecosystem. A distinct chapter has opened in the region, and on the global stage.”
Duygu Demir added, “The title of the first iteration, Between the Tides, reflects the Gulf’s deep connection to lunar rhythms and a sense of time shaped by natural patterns. The exhibition showcases a wide variety of artistic styles, from emerging voices to well-known figures, and explores important themes like urban growth, environmental change, heritage, identity, and representation. During the research phase of this show, our conversations with the curatorial interlocutors, as well as exchanges with the artists, were immensely educational.”