UAE's Autumn Art Season Ignites: 18 Must-See Exhibitions Across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah

As the UAE's vibrant autumn art season gains momentum, galleries and institutions throughout Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah are showcasing a diverse array of exhibitions. Notable highlights include the second Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial, which delves into themes of home and belonging through site-specific installations in Al Ain and Abu Dhabi. In Dubai, 'The Matter of Light' at Dom Art Projects features 22 artists and collectives examining the interplay between light and perception. Meanwhile, Jameel Arts Centre presents 'Just as the Heart of a Mango is a Stone,' where Sudanese artist Salah Elmur explores family histories, memory, and collective experience.

The exhibitions collectively address themes such as migration, cultural identity, environmental change, and the human relationship with surroundings, featuring a wide range of artistic mediums including painting, photography, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, and immersive installations. Louvre Abu Dhabi also presents a new exhibition tracing 5,000 years of board games.

Here are 18 exhibitions to experience across the UAE:

1. Taking Form at The Third Line: Rana Begum's fifth solo exhibition at The Third Line features new works in textiles, linen, wood, and paper that continue her exploration of light, colour, geometry, and material. Large wool tapestries and works on paper and wood explore the interplay of colour and surface, introducing a softer element to Begum’s abstract and geometric style. Until November 10; Dubai.
2. Between Land and Sea, and Between a Fold and a Memory at Leila Heller Gallery: Two exhibitions at Leila Heller Gallery focus on Emirati identity and heritage. Azza Al Qubaisi's 'Between Land and Sea' uses natural materials to explore memory, identity, and place, drawing connections between the UAE’s desert and coastal landscapes. Karima Al Shomely's 'Between a Fold and a Memory' delves into the textiles and objects associated with Emirati women, examining how materials like the burqa carry memories of labour, social change, and cultural knowledge. Until November 10; Dubai.
3. Sojourner: The Difference is Same at Efie Gallery: Kenyan artist Maggie Otieno's first solo exhibition with Efie Gallery utilizes reclaimed and distressed materials, including 150-year-old railway sleepers and fragments of wooden canoes, to explore themes of memory, stillness, and passage. Until November 13; Dubai.
4. Pieter Vermeersch at Perrotin Dubai: Belgian artist Pieter Vermeersch's first solo exhibition in the UAE presents 11 works exploring the relationship between colour, material, and perception through painting, photography, and architectural interventions. His work examines how colour alters spatial experience and the boundaries between surfaces and objects. Until November 22; Dubai.
5. The Horizon We Inherit at Iris Projects: Emirati artist Eman Al Hashemi's first solo exhibition with Iris Projects examines the changing urban landscape of the UAE through ceramics, printmaking, and mixed media. The exhibition explores how urban features become embedded in memory and how the built environment actively shapes daily life. Until November 26; Abu Dhabi.
6. Provisional Sanctuaries at Tashkeel: Dubai-based Malaysian artist Shamin Sharum's solo exhibition at Tashkeel investigates the significance of temporary prayer spaces in the UAE, particularly for migrant communities. Through paintings, drawings, and architectural models, the exhibition reconstructs these spaces, highlighting their role in fostering a sense of belonging. Until November 27; Dubai.
7. Vantage Point 13 at Sharjah Art Foundation: This edition of Sharjah Art Foundation's photography platform features commissioned series by six international artists: Adam Rouhana, Guanyu Xu, Latifa AlBokhari, Luisa Dorr, Maheder Haileselassie, and Sathish Kumar. The exhibition showcases diverse contemporary photographic approaches. Until November 29; Sharjah.
8. Fellow Travellers at Tabari: Curated by Professor Omar Kholeif, this exhibition brings together six artists from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas to explore themes of movement, memory, kinship, and cultural exchange. It features works by Sonia Balassanian, Jai Chuhan, Luísa Correia Pereira, Lalitha Lajmi, Irene Scheinmann, and Kholeif himself. Until November 30; Dubai.
9. Bodies that Make, Bodies that Grieve at NYU Abu Dhabi Project Space: Eight UAE-based female artists rooted in the Global South explore how ceramics can give physical form to emotions. Curated by Shafeena Yusuff Ali, the exhibition features sculptures by Nujoom Alghanem, Mirna Bamieh, Moza Al Falasi, Malavika, Parneet Pahwa, Zahra Shafie, Laiba Sherin, and Haseena Suresh, examining memory, grief, and lived experience. October 22 to December 13; Abu Dhabi.
10. The Sky Held It, The Earth Remembered at Ishara Art Foundation: This exhibition features works by Shahana Rajani, Rohini Devasher, and Sarker Protick, exploring how land, water, and the cosmos serve as archives of memory and history. Through photography, moving image, and installation, the artists address ecological change and its lasting traces. Until December 15; Dubai.
11. Revelation at 421 Arts Campus: Emirati artist Juma Al Haj's first institutional solo exhibition explores seclusion, reflection, and personal transformation through an immersive installation combining painting, engraved glass, text, light, shadow, and a water feature. Until January 10, 2027; Abu Dhabi.
12. Paul Guiragossian: 100 Years of Art at Bassam Freiha Art Foundation: This exhibition celebrates the centenary of Lebanese artist Paul Guiragossian, showcasing significant works from his estate. It provides an overview of the life and legacy of a key figure in modern Lebanese and Middle Eastern art, focusing on themes of family, identity, and the human condition. Until January 17, 2027; Abu Dhabi.
13. Spices and Wonders: Sailing the Indian Ocean at Louvre Abu Dhabi: This exhibition explores 1,000 years of maritime trade and cultural exchange across the Indian Ocean. It features approximately 240 artworks and historical objects, including ship models, navigational instruments, and a third-century Buddha sculpture, highlighting the Arabian Gulf's central role in global commerce. Until February 14, 2027; Abu Dhabi.
14. Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial: Home – A Glossary for a Communal Sense of Place: The second Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial features installations by 21 artists and collectives across public spaces in Al Ain and Abu Dhabi. Titled 'Home: A Glossary for a Communal Sense of Place,' the biennial examines diverse understandings and experiences of home and community. Until February 15, 2027; Al Ain and Abu Dhabi.
15. The Matter of Light at Dom Art Projects: This exhibition brings together 22 artists and collectives from Eastern Europe and the Arab world to investigate the role of light in perception, space, and artistic expression. Works by artists including Kamal Boullata, Zaha Hadid, Susan Hefuna, and Zoulikha Bouabdellah explore light through various materials and disciplines. Until March 10, 2027; Dubai.
16. Salah Elmur: Just as the Heart of a Mango is a Stone at Jameel Arts Centre: Sudanese artist Salah Elmur's solo exhibition features paintings, sketches, and archival photographs exploring family histories, memory, and collective experience. The exhibition delves into the relationship between individual memory and broader social histories. Until March 14, 2027; Dubai.
17. A Board Game Adventure at Louvre Abu Dhabi: This exhibition transforms Louvre Abu Dhabi into a playground, using ancient games like chess and Mancala to explore how people have connected across cultures. It combines immersive installations with rare artefacts and interactive displays, showcasing games as cultural objects that have fostered connection for millennia. Until April 25, 2027; Abu Dhabi.