A survey exhibition of Mohammed Chabaa, the pioneering artist who helped forge a new art movement in post-independence Morocco in the 1960s and 1970s, is among the three new shows that opened at Abu Dhabi’s Cultural Foundation on Sunday.
Titled Mohammed Chabaa: Visual Consciousness, the retrospective is the first to be presented outside of Morocco since the artist's death in 2013. Like his peers Mohamed Melehi – who died in October after contracting Covid-19 – Farid Belkahia and art historian Toni Maraini, Chabaa innovated artistic forms that referenced traditional Moroccan and North African crafts.
The exhibition encompasses works throughout the artist’s career from 1957 to 2012 – paintings, graphic art, sculpture, interior design models and archival material.
Born in Tangier in 1935, Chabaa studied at the Fine Arts School of Tetouan in Morocco before continuing his studies in Italy in the early 1960s. He eventually returned to his home country, where he became an educator and a key figure in an avant-garde movement that sought to democratise art, bringing it to urban spaces and to the public through festivals and workshops.
His works are also associated with the Casablanca Art School, the name for an institution and a group that included Melehi, which aimed to weave together art, artisanal craft, geometric abstraction and designs that were reflective of a new, post-colonial Morocco.
Chabaa’s paintings are often gestural and geometric, marked by angular lines and vibrant shapes. In his later works, he also experimented with minimalist works that borrowed from various calligraphic styles. During his life, the artist also worked as a muralist, graphic designer, critic and writer.
His retrospective at the Cultural Foundation coincides with the group exhibition, Murals of History, which includes works by 15 artists from the UAE. The show features murals that draw from elements of Arab art history, integrating Islamic and contemporary styles.
The artists included in the show are Abdulrahman Abdalla Al Dark, Ali Ahmed Kashwani, Aladdin Abdeen, Fatma Al Hammadi, Gary Yong, Ghanim Mubarak, Hamad Al Shamsi, Mohamed Gourashi, Mohamed Khaled Al Jneibi, Rafeea Abdulla Al Khyeli, Rafiaa Hussain Al Nassar, Reem Al Mazrouei, Simrin Mehra Agarwal, Shahul Hameed and Sultan Al Ramahi.
The third exhibition, From Cinderella to Sindbad: German and Arab Timeless Tales, focuses on the flow of knowledge and cultural exchange between Germany and the Arab world. The art of storytelling and narrative traditions are highlighted through a display of artefacts, including ancient papyri, archival material, as well as books, games and comics.
There are also rare manuscripts, including Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's handwritten notes in Arabic and rare editions of works by the German Brothers Grimm and the Arabian Nights.
As part of the exhibition, a programme for children and adults includes a marionette show, storytelling and writing workshops and readings of folktales about Sindbad, Cinderella, Sinuhe and other characters from both literary traditions.
In a statement, Reem Fadda, the director of Cultural Foundation said that the trio of exhibitions “aims to present exhibitions and programmes that build and expand upon our visitors’ existing notions of art history especially from the region and contemporary cultural practices”. She added that visitors will be able to see an “artistic vision that came to define the post-independent cultural awakening in Morocco” in Chabaa’s retrospective, as well as see the contemporary styles of UAE artists in Murals of History and “discover the ways in which disparate cultures can exchange ideas and knowledge through the medium of stories” through From Cinderella to Sindbad.
All the exhibitions, which run until September 20, are also available as virtual galleries online.
More information on the Cultural Foundation can be found on culturalfoundation.ae
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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