Weekly UAE museum and gallery guide: Must-see exhibitions by Sama Alshaibi and Shilpa Gupta

Plus, paintings and sculptures by Maitha Abdalla that delve into the uncanny

Duplicates by Sama Alshaibi, 2024. Photo: Ayyam Gallery

A new wave of solo exhibitions is rolling across galleries and institutions in the UAE.

Diasporic experiences represented by flowers, paintings ruminating on psychological states through fables and a project aimed at capturing the palimpsest-like nature of Baghdad, here are four exhibitions to see this weekend.

Tterss: Sama Alshaibi at Ayyam Gallery

The title of Sama Alshaibi’s solo exhibition at Ayyam Gallery is drawn from the Arabic word for palimpsest.

The Iraqi-Palestinian artist is presenting a series of mixed-media collages and video works that present Baghdad as a site of fragmented narratives and memories. Alshaibi travelled to the Iraqi capital between 2021 and 2023, using LiDar technology to document its streets, landmarks and marshlands. She captured structures and the flow of daily life. The works featured in the exhibition are drawn from data mappings, archival materials and photographs. Together, they form a thoughtful exploration of a city that is constantly adapting to new geopolitical realities.

Monday to Friday, 10am – 6pm; Saturday, 12pm – 6pm; until May 30; Ayyam Gallery, Dubai

Maitha Abdalla: Between Metamorphosis and Reality at Cultural Foundation Abu Dhabi

A work by Maitha Abdalla. Photo: Cultural Foundation Abu Dhabi

Maitha Abdalla’s works bloom from the seams between the real and the uncanny.

The Emirati artist, whose practice spans several mediums, often uses folktales and myths to explore themes such as psychology, social conditioning and gender. Her solo exhibition at Abu Dhabi’s cultural foundation reflects upon these topics through a mix of painting and sculptures that toe the line between the figurative and the abstract.

Saturday to Thursday, 9am – 8pm; Friday, 2pm – 8pm; until August 30; Cultural Foundation Abu Dhabi

I Am Soil. My Tears Are Water: Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons at Efie Gallery

I Am Soil. My Tears Are Water is Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons's first solo exhibition in the Middle East. Photo: Efie Gallery

In her first regional solo exhibition, Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons references the flora and fauna of Latin America, the Middle East and Africa to examine experiences of diaspora. The Cuban artist touches upon experiences of unity and longing in her works. Her paintings and sculptures are vibrant, brimming with hibiscus, sugarcanes and guava leaves. The works come together as an arresting exploration of the connection between landscapes and collective memories.

Monday to Saturday, 11am – 7pm; until Thursday; Efie Gallery, Dubai

Shilpa Gupta: Lines Of Flight at Ishara Art Foundation

Pieces from Shilpa Gupta's exhibition challenge the notions of border, terrestrial and political. Photo: Ishara Art Foundation

Shilpa Gupta’s first solo exhibition in the Middle East is being held at the Ishara Art Foundation. It presents a large body of work, produced since 2006. The artworks, though ranging in medium, all have a central preoccupation in that they challenge the notions of border, terrestrial and political.

Some drawings highlight works by poets from around the world who faced persecution, showing how their writings transcended demarcations. A room-filled installation, titled Listening Air, meanwhile, features songs of resistance, emanating from microphones that move across the space.

Monday to Saturday, 10am – 7pm; until May 31; Ishara Art Foundation, Dubai