Exploring the UAE's Vibrant Art Scene: Nine Must-See Exhibitions Across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah

Galleries and institutions across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah continue to present a diverse array of captivating exhibitions. Current highlights feature A Board Game Adventure at Louvre Abu Dhabi, which explores the historical evolution of games like chess, Mancala, Ludo, and Carrom; Precarious Beings at Tashkeel, showcasing Hamad Al Muzaini’s examination of urban adaptation; and Body Quotidian at Sharjah Art Foundation, featuring works by Laila Majid and Inaam Zafar. Together, these showcases highlight a broad spectrum of artistic mediums spanning photography, works on paper, sculpture, design, craft, and painting.

Here are nine exhibitions to explore across the UAE:

1. In Plain Sight at Gallery Isabelle Alia
Alia Zaal’s latest solo exhibition offers an intimate look at the UAE landscape through paintings, works on paper, and ceramic pieces focusing on localized details rather than vast vistas. Inspired by areas like Al Khawaneej in Dubai and the mangroves of Abu Dhabi, the works draw conceptually on 11th-century scholar Ibn Al Haytham's theories on optics and personal memory. Running until September 15 in Dubai.

2. In Abstracto, In Concreto: On Memory and Presence at Efie Gallery
Curated by Brice Arsene Yonkeu, this group exhibition features Luke Agada, Ludovic Nkoth, Naila Opiangah, and Tunji Adeniyi-Jones. Through painting and charcoal drawing, the artists utilize the human body to examine personal history, cultural inheritance, and diasporic experiences. Running until September 17 in Dubai.

3. Tangerine Dreams at Ayyam Gallery
This group exhibition brings together various artists—including Sama Alshaibi, Abdalla Al Omari, Tammam Azzam, Thaier Helal, Leila Nseir, Faisal Samra, Khaled Takreti, and Kais Salman—to explore the color orange and its contrasting associations with memory, landscape, and identity. The showcase is accompanied by Irish poet Roisin Kelly's poem Oranges. Running until September 18 in Dubai.

4. Body Quotidian at Sharjah Art Foundation
Curated by Raja’a Khalid, this exhibition presents sculptures, photographs, and paintings by Laila Majid and Inaam Zafar. The artists investigate the human body through everyday materials, domestic spaces, and silhouettes, considering how technology reshapes contemporary perceptions. Running until September 20 in Sharjah.

5. Vantage Point 13 at Sharjah Art Foundation
Marking a new chapter in the foundation's dedicated photography gallery, this exhibition features newly commissioned series by Adam Rouhana, Guanyu Xu, Latifa AlBokhari, Luisa Dorr, Maheder Haileselassie, and Sathish Kumar. The showcase highlights the evolution of contemporary lens-based practices in the region. Running until November 29 in Sharjah.

6. Precarious Beings at Tashkeel
Hosted at Tashkeel Nad Al Sheba, Hamad Al Muzaini’s first solo exhibition stems from his time in the Critical Practice Programme. The Kuwaiti artist uses photography, drawing, and sculpture to investigate mundane urban behaviors and wider questions surrounding urban planning. Running until October 11 in Dubai.

7. Unseen Script at Rizq Art Initiative
Curated by Meena Vari, this exhibition features 10 artists—including Najat Makki, Nujoom Alghanem, Nasir Nasrallah, Abdulla P A, Ana Escobar Saavedra, Fadi Balhawan, Ismail Al Rifai, Joanna Barakat, Neveen Abu Samra, and Simrin Mehra Agarwal—exploring the routines, repetitions, and memories that define everyday life. Running until October 28 in Abu Dhabi.

8. The Sky Held It, The Earth Remembered at Ishara Art Foundation
This exhibition brings together works by Shahana Rajani, Rohini Devasher, and Sarker Protick. Through photography, moving image, and installation, the artists examine how land, water, and the cosmos serve as archives of memory, ecological change, and human intervention across Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. Running until December 15 in Dubai.

9. A Board Game Adventure at Louvre Abu Dhabi
Transforming the museum into an immersive playground, this family-friendly exhibition traces the journey of ancient games using rare historical artefacts and interactive displays. Visitors can explore centuries-old game pieces borrowed from international museums. Running until April 25, 2027.