Dubai does not fail to display an equivalent level of inclination towards the field of art. Dubai is home to multiple beautiful art galleries, of which most provide a visual representation of the history as well as the social and cultural climate of Dubai City.
The art pieces displayed at these galleries do not fail to excite art connoisseurs. Likewise, individuals who do not understand art in depth can also have a good time at Dubai’s art galleries.
As a non-local, you are generally pressed for time and thus look forward to visiting only the best touristy locations. With this in mind, we decided to share the best art galleries in Dubai, which if you visit, you are sure to return happy and satisfied.
Irrespective of whether you understand art or not, you are sure to have a good time on your visit to these 10 galleries.
1. XVA Gallery
When we discuss art galleries in Dubai, XVA Gallery is the first name that pops up in our minds. Founded in the year 2003, this gallery is home to contemporary art pieces. XVA gallery tops the list of contemporary art galleries in the whole of the Middle East.
The art pieces displayed at this gallery bear influence from Arab countries and Iran. One standout feature of XVA Gallery is that the art displayed at this gallery brings different cultural identities to life.
XVA Gallery backs good work and supports emerging, mid-career, and established artists. Intending to develop the side of contemporary art in Dubai, XVA had conceived and hosted a fair on similar lines.
XVA Gallery aims to build Dubai’s contemporary art profile internationally, which is why it participates in fairs held in different parts of the world including Hong Kong and Istanbul.
This Gallery’s commitment towards art has helped it win accolades from art loves from across the world. So next time when you are in Dubai, make sure you visit this gorgeous art gallery.
Location: Al Fahidi Neighborhood, Bur Dubai, P.O. Box 37304, Dubai, UAE
Timings: Open all 7 days of the week from 10 am to 6 pm
Website: XVA Gallery
2. Opera Gallery
Next up on the list of jaw-dropping art galleries in Dubai comes the Opera Gallery. Conceived some 25 years ago i.e. in the year 1994, this gallery presents works across different media including paintings, drawings, sculptures, installations, photography, and videos.
At this Gallery, the agenda is to offer art enthusiasts a look into displays, designed by both emerging as well as established artists. Currently, this gallery backs artists such as Andy Denzler, Fred Eerdeckens, Lita Cabellut, Manolo Valdés, André Brasilier and Hermann Nitsch.
Opera Gallery contributes towards the works of contemporary as well as modern artists by associating with art centres, museums, and foundations.
This gallery is a treat for art lovers, who love to adore quirky artworks. At this gallery, you are likely to come across features by graffiti artists as well.
Opera Gallery opened its first two exhibition spaces in Paris and Singapore and that too around the same time. Since then, this gallery has expanded and laid the foundation of eleven more exhibition spaces in New York, Miami, Miami Bal Harbour, Aspen, London, Monaco, Geneva, Dubai, Beirut, Hong Kong, and Seoul. The idea has always been to allow emerging artists to share the art platform with masters of contemporary and modern art.
Location: Gate Village Building 3, DIFC Po Box 506737, Dubai
Timings: Sun – Wed: 10 am – 10 pm, Thu: 10 am – Midnight, Fri: 2 pm – 9 pm, Sat: 11 am – 9 pm
Website: Opera Gallery
3. The Third Line
A walk through the creative neighbourhood of Dubai is likely to lead you to this striking art gallery – The Third Line. This art gallery represents contemporary artists, locally, regionally as well as internationally.
Over the years, artists such as Abbas Akhavan, Anuar Khalifi, Farah Al Qasimi, Farhad Moshiri, Fouad Elkoury, Hassan Hajjaj, Laleh Khorramian, Lamya Gargash, Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian, Nima Nabavi, and Slavs and Tatars have been backed by this gallery.
The Third Line hosts exhibitions all through the year coupled with non-profit programmes to encourage art in the locality.
Over the years, this gallery has been striving to elevate people’s interest in art. Similarly, this art gallery works in the area of book publication. To date, The Third Line has published books of well-known artists such as Laleh Khorramian, Farah Al Qasimi, and Abbas Akhavan among others.
Location: Alserkal Avenue, Warehouse 80, Street 8, Al Quoz 1, (Exit 43 off Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE, PO Box 72036.
Timings: Friday closed, rest all days open from 10:00 am – 7:00 pm (*At present, temporarily closed for renovations.)
Website: The Third Line
4. Green Art Gallery
Dubai’s one of the most respected contemporary art galleries is the Green Art Gallery. This gallery had once, exhibited multiple talents from the region, who are today well-known artists.
The art pieces depicted at this gallery are based on contemporary art with a preliminary focus on regions such as the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. Works of renowned artists such as Turkey’s Hale Tenger and Hera Büyüktaşçıyan, Iran’s Kamrooz Aram and Nazgol Ansarinia, Palestine’s Shadi Habib Allah, Pakistan’s Seher Shah, and Venezuelan Alessandro Balteo-Yazbeck, grace the Green Art gallery.
This gallery has come a long way, from being a tiny, less-known art gallery to being one of the top-rated art galleries of Dubai today.
Location: Al Quoz 1, Street 8, Alserkal Avenue, Unit 28, P.O. Box 25711 Dubai, UAE
Timings: Sunday to Saturday from 10 am to 7 pm
Website: Green Art Gallery
5. Grey Noise
A contemporary art gallery, which is viewed as one of the best in Dubai is Grey Noise.
Umer Butt is the founder of this art gallery. Originally, from Pakistan, this art gallery has been effortlessly working towards highlighting the art of international artists in UAE since 2012.
Grey Noise houses works of artists such as Caline Aoun, Fahd Burki, Joana Escoval, and Lala Rukh. This art gallery has been successful in taking its work to different parts of the world including New York, Madrid, Basel, and Sydney.
Location: Unit 24, Alserkal Avenue, Street 8, Al Quoz 1, Dubai, UAE.
Timings: Monday-Thursday and Saturday 11 am to 7 pm, Closed on Friday and Sunday
Website: Grey Noise
6. Lawrie Shabibi
An art gallery in Dubai, which has more to it than just art is Lawrie Shabibi. This gallery is a prominent name at the Art Dubai event, which takes place every year. The popularity of this art gallery is a result of its ongoing efforts to assist with the long-term development of artists particularly from the Middle East and North Africa.
Headed by co-founder and director, Asmaa Al-Shabibi, this gallery has sold works of artists such as Nadia Kaabi-Linke, Adel Abidin, Mounir Fatmi, and Nick Devereux. The working of Lawrie Shabibi is such that it aims to help artists make a decent earning while connecting art lovers with pieces that might be of interest to them.
Additionally, this art gallery hosts talks and screenings, which act as another effective medium of bringing together artists and the public.
It is certainly not worth missing out on this rounded art gallery.
Location: Lawrie Shabibi, Unit 21, Alserkal Avenue, Al-Quoz 1, Dubai, UAE
Timings: Saturday to Thursday – 10 am to 6 pm, Closed on Friday
Website: Lawrie Shabibi
7. Ayyam Gallery
The contemporary art lover in you is most definite to fall for Ayyam Gallery. Over the years, this art gallery has been successful in taking art to an all-new level.
Ayyam Gallery believes in working closely with both emerging as well as established artists. This art gallery has taken the works of its artists all around the world including countries such as Europe, Asia, and the United States of America.
Operating around the non-profit scheme, this gallery strives to offer its artists an equal representation in the industry. Apart from this, this art gallery has an independent multilingual publishing division and custodian programme that manages estates of fresh and innovative artists.
Ayyam Gallery is home to works of prolific artists such as Sadik Kwaish Alfraji, Safwan Dahoul, Elias Izoli Sama Alshaibi, and Samia Halaby.
Location: B11, Alserkal Avenue, Exit 43 of SZR, Street 8, Al Quoz 1, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Timings: Monday to Thursday – 10 am to 6 pm
Website: Ayyam Gallery
8. Elmarsa Gallery
Get ready to be impressed with awe-striking work on your visit to Elmarsa Gallery. Founded in 1994 in Tunisia, this beautiful art gallery opened its doors to art lovers in Dubai in 2015.
Over the years, this art gallery has taken the works of its artists to events held in different regions including Paris, Miami, and Marrakech. The primary objective of this gallery has been to encourage artists to give contemporary art a touch of innovation.
Likewise, Elmarsa Gallery has always been trying to provide a platform to artists belonging to the Middle East to display their works at an international level.
Art pieces displayed at this gallery deal with intense and thought-provoking subjects such as the impact of Mediterranean, African and Arab Heritage on global issues. Artists whose works are presented by this gallery include Abdulaziz Ashour, Emna Masmoudi, and Omar Bey.
Location: Unit 23, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz 1, Dubai, UAE
Timings: Monday to Thursday: 10 am to 7 pm and Saturday: 10 am to 6 pm
Website: Elmarsa Gallery
9. Tashkeel
An art gallery in Dubai, which aims to back and support contemporary art, is Tashkeel. This gallery was first unveiled in 2008. Many artworks displayed at this gallery are that by alumni, who have their roots in the UAE.
This is more than just an art gallery as it holds a deep interest in nurturing the skills of upcoming artists. Tashkeel does this through its Critical Practice Programme.
This art gallery hosts workshops in different areas including calligraphy, etching, and embroidery. Likewise, discussions based on the review of art pieces as well as the meaning that different art pieces hold are encouraged by Tashkeel.
Since its inception, this art gallery has been an active part of multiple art-based initiatives across the country. Similarly, Tashkeel participates in art events, one of the known events being the Dubai Design District.
Location: PO Box 122255, Nad Al Sheba 1, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Timings: Saturday to Sunday – 10 am to 10 pm, Closed on Friday
Website: Tashkeel
10. Carbon 12
A gorgeous art gallery that persuades you to view contemporary art from different angles is Carbon 12. To showcase artworks from across the globe, Carbon 12 backs artists from different parts of the world.
This art gallery displays works of artists from countries such as Austria, Germany, the US, the UK, and Iran. At Carbon 12, you are likely to come across artworks of artists such as André Butzer, Sara Rahbar, and Monika Grabuschnigg. The works of these artists are put up at exhibitions as either a solo effort or a collaborative series.
Under the direction of founding director, Kourosh Nouri, Carbon 12 hosts exhibitions from a different set of artists altogether as well.
Location: Unit 37, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz 1, P.O.Box 214437, Dubai, UAE
Timings: Saturday to Thursday – 11.30 am to 7 pm
Website: CARBON 12
Conclusion
Art is something which helps you to look at the deeper gist of things. At times, it is at these art galleries that you may find answers to your unanswered questions and meaning to your life.
On a lighter note, you can visit an art gallery to spend some quality time with your near and dear ones. All this and more is what you will get to explore on your visit to the above-mentioned art galleries based in Dubai.
When you are done shopping and trying the delectable local cuisines of Dubai, you might want to do something different, creative, and peaceful. That is what you get to engage in, at Dubai’s art galleries.
Have plans to head to Dubai anytime soon? Make sure to include one or more of the above art galleries in your itinerary.
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