Exploring the UAE Art Scene: 12 Must-See Exhibitions This Summer

Art events are continuing across the UAE this summer, with galleries and institutions in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah presenting a range of exhibitions. Current highlights include A Board Game Adventure at Louvre Abu Dhabi, an exhibition that traces the journey of games including chess, Mancala, Ludo and Carrom as they travelled between ancient civilisations and evolved into those still played today; Khali Balak Men RISO which celebrates risograph printing as a medium shaped by experimentation, collaboration and creative exchange; and Body Quotidian at Sharjah Art Foundation, which places recent works by Laila Majid and Inaam Zafar in dialogue. Together, the exhibitions reflect a wide range of practices across the country, from photography and works on paper to sculpture, design, craft and painting.

Here are 12 exhibitions to see across the UAE:

1. Khali Balak Men RISO at Tashkeel
   Khali Balak Men RISO celebrates risograph printing as a medium shaped by experimentation, collaboration and creative exchange. Curated by Ibrahim Zaki, the group exhibition brings together artists and designers who have explored the process through workshops, personal practice and collective learning. Participating artists include Ahmed Mansour, Aysha Saif Al Hemrani Al Shamsi, Bassem Boules, Dina Saadi, Ibrahim Zaki, Mariam Abbas, Mohannad Orabi, Nasir Nasrallah, Sara Baali and Weam Ali. Until August 21; Dubai
2. Seeing Ourselves at Bassam Freiha Art Foundation
   Seeing Ourselves is a student-led photography exhibition developed through a year-long collaboration between Bassam Freiha Art Foundation and the College of Arts and Creative Enterprises at Zayed University. The exhibition positions Emirati students as image-makers documenting their own experiences of the UAE through architectural, portrait and landscape photography. Until August 31; Abu Dhabi
3. Spectrum: Becoming Visible, Becoming Image at Manarat Al Saadiyat
   Spectrum showcases the work of the fourth cohort of Manarat Al Saadiyat's Photographer-in-Residence Programme, bringing together 10 UAE-based photographers and visual artists whose practices expand the possibilities of image-making. Developed under the mentorship of photography expert Jassem Rabee Al Awadi, the exhibition features work by Emirati, regional and international artists based in the UAE. Until September 1; Abu Dhabi
4. The Two Walks: Works on Paper Selected by Judy Karkour at Carbon 12
   The Two Walks brings together new and archival works on paper by 14 artists at Carbon 12 in Alserkal Avenue. Selected by artist Judy Karkour, the exhibition considers paper not as a preparatory material, but as a complete and expressive medium in its own right. Participating artists include Sarah Almehairi, Amir Khojasteh, Bernhard Buhmann, Faris Alshafar, Nour Malas, Solimar Miller, Amba Sayal-Bennett, Andre Butzer, Monika Grabuschnigg, Mayar Obedo, Nadine Ghandour, Edgar Orlaineta, Olaf Breuning and Philip Mueller. Until September 5; Dubai
5. Human in the Loop at 421 Arts Campus
   Human in the Loop is the first institutional solo exhibition by artist and engineer Ahmad AlAttar, transforming a concept from robotics and artificial intelligence into an interactive game of sound, touch and discovery. Developed through 421’s Artistic Development Programme, the work combines physical interaction with digital systems. Until September 13; Abu Dhabi
6. Time That Grows Slowly at Dom Art Projects
   Curated by Alexander Burenkov, Time That Grows Slowly brings together 12 artists in an exhibition that considers time through the rhythms of plant life. Participating artists include Maha Alasaker, Srijon Chowdhury, Odonchimeg Davaadorj, Patricia Dominguez, Kwama Frigaux, Mevlana Lipp, Sulafa Mohammed, Tabita Rezaire, Shaima Shamsi, Farah Soltani, Antoine Renard and Nadia Waheed. Until September 13; Dubai
7. In Plain Sight at Gallery Isabelle
   Alia Zaal’s latest solo exhibition offers an intimate exploration of the UAE landscape through paintings, works on paper and ceramic pieces that focus on fragments rather than sweeping vistas. Drawing inspiration from locations including Al Khawaneej in Dubai and the mangroves and mudflats of Abu Dhabi, the exhibition is informed by the ideas of the 11th-century scholar Ibn Al Haytham. Until September 15; Dubai
8. In Abstracto, In Concreto: On Memory and Presence at Efie Gallery
   In Abstracto, In Concreto: On Memory and Presence brings together four artists of African descent whose works move between figuration and abstraction to explore identity, memory and diasporic experience. Curated by Brice Arsene Yonkeu, the exhibition features Luke Agada, Ludovic Nkoth, Naila Opiangah and Tunji Adeniyi-Jones. Until September 17; Dubai
9. Tangerine Dreams at Ayyam Gallery
   Tangerine Dreams brings together artists from different generations around the simple subject of the colour orange. Works by artists including Sama Alshaibi, Abdalla Al Omari, Tammam Azzam, Thaier Helal, Leila Nseir, Faisal Samra, Khaled Takreti and Kais Salman use orange as a starting point to explore memory, landscape, identity and transformation, accompanied by Irish poet Roisin Kelly's Oranges. Until September 18; Dubai
10. Body Quotidian at Sharjah Art Foundation
    Body Quotidian brings together recent works by Laila Majid and Inaam Zafar in an exhibition exploring the human body through metaphor, material and everyday experience. Curated by Raja’a Khalid, assistant curator at Sharjah Art Foundation, the exhibition places Majid and Zafar’s sculptures, photographs and paintings in dialogue. Until September 20; Sharjah
11. Vantage Point 13 at Sharjah Art Foundation
    Vantage Point 13 marks a new chapter for Sharjah Art Foundation's long-running photography platform as it moves into the institution's dedicated photography gallery. Selected through an international open call, the exhibition features work by Adam Rouhana, Guanyu Xu, Latifa AlBokhari, Luisa Dorr, Maheder Haileselassie and Sathish Kumar. Opens August 8, until November 29; Sharjah
12. A Board Game Adventure at Louvre Abu Dhabi
    A Board Game Adventure transforms Louvre Abu Dhabi into a giant playground, using some of the world's oldest games to explore how people have connected across cultures for thousands of years. The exhibition combines immersive installations with rare artefacts borrowed from international museums. Until April 25, 2027