The Khaleej Modern exhibition at the NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery traces local modern art history and the evolving process of national identity.
Make a note in your calendar with a must-do visit to the NYUAD Art Gallery for a rare opportunity to get an amazing insight into the local and regional history of twentieth century art.
The exhibition, Khaleej Modern: Pioneers and Collectives in the Arabian Peninsula, runs until December 11 and traces modern art, or the Gulf’s pre-boom era, of the twentieth century up until 2008.
“An exhibition like this is quite rare, a kind of opening salvo and call to action, offering new vistas on art history and art practice in this region,” says Maya Allison, Executive Director of The NYUAD Art Gallery and University Chief Curator. “Rather than a definitive survey, this project sets us on a journey to explore the under-studied – and, for some people, unknown – emergence of modern art in the Arabian peninsula over the last century.”
The exhibition is guest curated by Dr Aisha Stoby, who holds a PhD degree in Modern Art Movements in Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia from the University of London. She presented her original research for the exhibition that’s been several years in the making, with many of the works on view or the first time in decades.
“We hope the exhibition will contribute to wider regional and global understandings of modern visual art,” says Dr Stoby. “This project responds to emerging debates around recentering art narratives, toward a more nuanced and inclusive appreciation of global art histories. It has been incredible to be a part of this project and to see the artworks of these pioneering artists brought together for the first time.”
