NYUAD Art Gallery will launch “Between the Tides: A Gulf Quinquennial,” a major exhibition exploring the evolving artistic landscape of the GCC. This significant event will feature 21 artists and collectives from across the region, including the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia.
The quinquennial, scheduled to occur every five years, captures pivotal moments in the GCC’s art scene since 2019. It will showcase a diverse range of works, including paintings, videos, installations, and sculptures, reflecting the unique cultural and environmental attributes of the region.
Running until December 8, the exhibition not only highlights contemporary artistic practices but also commemorates the Art Gallery’s 10th anniversary.
Since its opening in 2014, the NYUAD Art Gallery has become a vital cultural venue on Saadiyat Island, elevating NYUAD’s status as a cultural beacon. It has played a crucial role in presenting both emerging and established artists and fostering a rich, international cultural dialogue.
“Between the Tides: A Gulf Quinquennial” is co-curated by Maya Allison, Executive Director of the NYUAD Art Gallery, and Duygu Demir, Art Gallery Curator and Research Assistant Professor. Their curatorial approach was shaped through extensive discussions with regional artists and curators, including Abdullah Al Mutairi, Ali Ismail Karimi, Aseel AlYaqoub, and Ayman Zedani. Instead of offering a comprehensive survey, this exhibition highlights key moments in the visual arts over the past five years.
Artists featured in the exhibition include Alia Ahmad, Abdulrahim Alkendi, Mohammad AlFaraj, Noor Al-Fayez, and many others, with collaborative works by Civil Architecture, Aseel AlYaqoub, Asaiel Al Saeed, Saphiya Abu Al-Maati, Yousef Awaad Hussein, Camille Zakharia, and Ali Ismail Karimi.
Maya Allison reflected on the gallery’s milestone and the quinquennial’s significance: “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 the support of new initiatives across the Gulf—who are 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 the exchanges with the artists, were immensely educational.”
Over the past decade, the gallery has featured a diverse array of exhibitions, alternating between global artists and explorations of Gulf art and history. Noteworthy past shows include “But We Cannot See Them” (2017), “Speculative Landscapes” (2019), and “Khaleej Modern” (2022), which have all contributed to its reputation as a leading cultural institution.