UAE's Autumn Art Season Ignites: 21 Must-See Exhibitions Across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah

Galleries and museums throughout Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah are showcasing a diverse array of exhibitions as the UAE's vibrant autumn art season gains momentum. Among the notable highlights are 'Sculpture, Form & Memory' at Maha Al Mansoori Art Gallery, featuring the UAE's inaugural solo exhibition for Egyptian modernist Mahmoud Moussa; 'History Otherwise: Women Modernists from the Arab World' at Concrete in Dubai, which re-examines the significant contributions of female artists to modern Arab art; and 'What We Left In The Sandbox' at Rizq Art Gallery, where Emirati artist Reem Al Mubarak uses interactive artworks to explore childhood memories. The season's offerings delve into themes of migration, cultural identity, environmental change, and the human relationship with surroundings, presenting works across 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 21 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, continuing her exploration of light, colour, geometry, and materials. Large wool tapestries with geometric patterns form the exhibition's core, their appearance shifting as viewers move. Diluted acrylic on linen and smaller works on paper and wood explore colour and surface interactions, introducing a softer dimension 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 through the works of Azza Al Qubaisi and Karima Al Shomely. Al Qubaisi's 'Between Land and Sea', curated by Aysha Al Hemeiri, spans jewellery to large-scale public works, using natural materials to connect the UAE's landscapes with memory, identity, and place. Al Shomely's 'Between a Fold and a Memory' examines Emirati women's clothing, textiles, and objects, exploring how items like the burqa carry memories of labour, social change, and cultural knowledge across generations through photography, sculpture, textile, and video. Until November 10; Dubai.
3. Sojourner: The Difference is the Same at Efie Gallery: Kenyan artist Maggie Otieno's first solo exhibition with Efie Gallery showcases her use of reclaimed and distressed materials, drawing on almost three decades of practice. Works include sculptures made from 150-year-old railway sleepers and fragments of wooden canoes, transforming objects associated with movement into forms exploring stillness, memory, and passage. Until November 13; Dubai.
4. Sculpture, Form & Memory at Maha Al Mansoori Art Gallery: This exhibition at Region Concept Space in Abu Dhabi's MiZa district presents the UAE's first solo show for Egyptian modernist Mahmoud Moussa (1913–2003), featuring over 10 sculptures. Presented by Maha Al Mansoori Art Gallery in collaboration with Motion Gallery in Cairo, it explores Moussa's approach to material, form, and cultural heritage, highlighting his influence on subsequent generations of Egyptian artists. November 11 to 15; Abu Dhabi.
5. History Otherwise: Women Modernists from the Arab World at Concrete: Part of Alserkal Art Week, this exhibition at Concrete in Dubai draws from the Barjeel Art Foundation collection to highlight the contributions of women artists to 20th-century Arab modernism. It features archival posters and works across four themes: introspecting, documenting, abstracting, and crafting, including pieces by Inji Efflatoun, Samia Halaby, and Mona Saudi. November 15 to 22; Dubai.
6. Pieter Vermeersch at Perrotin Dubai: Belgian artist Pieter Vermeersch presents his first UAE solo exhibition at Perrotin Dubai, featuring 11 works that explore the interplay of colour, material, and perception through painting, photography, and architectural interventions. Until November 22; Dubai.
7. 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 and how it shapes memory and routine. Working across ceramics, printmaking, and mixed media, she uses recurring motifs of the city to explore the traces left by construction and redevelopment. Until November 26; Abu Dhabi.
8. Provisional Sanctuaries at Tashkeel: Dubai-based Malaysian artist Shamin Sharum's solo exhibition at Tashkeel explores temporary prayer spaces in the UAE, examining how modest architecture provides a sense of belonging for migrant communities. Through painting, drawing, and architectural models, he reconstructs these spaces, focusing on details reflecting the communities using them. Until November 27; Dubai.
9. Vantage Point 13 at Sharjah Art Foundation: This edition of Sharjah Art Foundation's photography platform, now in its dedicated gallery, features six commissioned series from an international open call. The exhibition showcases diverse contemporary photography approaches from artists Adam Rouhana, Guanyu Xu, Latifa AlBokhari, Luisa Dorr, Maheder Haileselassie, and Sathish Kumar. Until November 29; Sharjah.
10. 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 landmark and rarely seen works by Sonia Balassanian, Jai Chuhan, Luísa Correia Pereira, Lalitha Lajmi, Irene Scheinmann, and Kholeif himself, tracing artistic journeys across geographies. Until November 30; Dubai.
11. 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 the relationship between the body, clay, and emotional expression. October 22 to December 13; Abu Dhabi.
12. 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, it considers the traces of ecological change and human intervention on the environment. Until December 15; Dubai.
13. 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. Developed through 421 Arts Campus's Artistic Development Programme, it encourages contemplation and self-understanding. Until January 10, 2027; Abu Dhabi.
14. What We Left In The Sandbox at Rizq Art Gallery: Emirati artist Reem Al Mubarak explores childhood memories and the emotional significance of everyday objects in her solo exhibition at Rizq Art Gallery. The exhibition features interactive artworks made from familiar materials like bubble wrap and sand, inviting visitors to reconsider their own experiences and the nature of memory. Until January 10, 2027; Abu Dhabi.
15. Paul Guiragossian: 100 Years of Art at Bassam Freiha Art Foundation: This exhibition celebrates the centenary of Lebanese artist Paul Guiragossian (1926–1993) with significant works from his estate at the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation in Abu Dhabi. It offers an overview of his life and legacy, known for his expressive use of colour and depictions of the human figure, exploring themes of family, identity, and displacement. Until January 17, 2027; Abu Dhabi.
16. 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, highlighting the Arabian Gulf's role in pearl and spice trades. It features approximately 240 artworks and historical objects, including detailed models of historic vessels and ancient navigational instruments, tracing connections between East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, India, China, and Southeast Asia. Until February 14, 2027; Abu Dhabi.
17. Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial: Home – A Glossary for a Communal Sense of Place: The second Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial explores ideas of home, belonging, and community through installations in public spaces across Al Ain and Abu Dhabi. Led by artistic director Elvira Dyangani Ose, the biennial features 21 artists and collectives responding to their environments, with installations at locations including Mina Zayed and Saadiyat Cultural District. Until February 15, 2027; Al Ain and Abu Dhabi.
18. The Matter of Light at Dom Art Projects: This exhibition brings together 22 artists and collectives from Eastern Europe and the Arab world to explore the role of light in shaping perception, space, and artistic expression. Curated by Eugenia Kikodze, it features works by artists such as Kamal Boullata, Zaha Hadid, Susan Hefuna, and Zoulikha Bouabdellah, examining the relationship between light, form, and the environments people inhabit. Until March 10, 2027; Dubai.
19. Salah Elmur: Just as the Heart of a Mango is a Stone at Jameel Arts Centre: Sudanese artist Salah Elmur examines family histories, memory, and collective experience in his solo exhibition at Jameel Arts Centre. The exhibition, curated by Zain Al Saie and Qutouf Elobaid, features paintings, sketches, and archival photographs produced since 2018, exploring relationships between family, land, labour, and grief. Until March 14, 2027; Dubai.
20. A Board Game Adventure at Louvre Abu Dhabi: This exhibition transforms Louvre Abu Dhabi into a playground exploring how ancient games have connected cultures for millennia. It traces the journey of games like chess and Mancala, combining immersive installations with rare artefacts from international museums and interactive displays that encourage visitors to play and solve puzzles. Until April 25, 2027.