Dubai to host its first exhibition by Israeli artists later this month

Titled Abyss of Bliss, the exhibition features photography and paintings by three artists

'Hovering' by Yinon Gal-On. Courtesy the artist and Oblong Gallery

This month, a Dubai art gallery will present the first exhibition of Israeli artists in the UAE.

Oblong Contemporary Art Gallery, which is located on Bluewaters Island, will feature Yinon Gal-On, Ariela Wertheimer and Keren Shpilsher in a show titled Abyss of Bliss, which opens on March 25.

"Art and culture knows no boundaries and Dubai has always been at the forefront of supporting creative and cultural enterprises through community building and artistic exchange," gallery founders Paola Marucci and Emanuela Venturini said.

Part of the 'Jaffa Port Surface' by Ariela Wertheimer. Courtesy the artist and Oblong Gallery

The exhibition comes after the UAE and Israel normalised relations through the Abraham Accord in August 2020. Since then, air transport agreements have been signed, allowing passenger flights from the UAE to Israel. Prospects for trade and economic agreements are also on the horizon.

The youngest artist in the show is Gal-On, 18, who describes himself as an "emotion underwater photographer". His work focuses on portraiture, with his subjects expressing various emotions and gestures underwater.

He lives in Tel Aviv, but has previously shown work at the Saatchi Gallery in London. He is set to present 14 artworks in the Dubai show.

“When the peace agreement between Israel and the UAE was signed, I was very excited about the world of opportunities that opened up for the two nations,” he said. "I didn't imagine that in a few months I would present my photographs in a gallery in Dubai."

Wertheimer's works are more abstract. Her series Jaffa Port Surface from 2014 comprises printed photography on canvas, with the artist layering colour and texture to pictures of thick ropes often used for mooring.

Born in 1957, Wertheimer studied sculpture and painting, and her practice spans 30 years.

Shpilsher's colourful and playful paintings, three of which were specifically created for the show at Oblong gallery, fuse elements from comics, graphic design and folklore. Her pop art-inspired and eye-catching works include references to consumer culture, with the artist remaking superheroes and fast food logos in her own specific style.

'Titanic' by Keren Shpilsher. Courtesy the artist and Oblong Gallery

Oblong Gallery will be donating 10 per cent of the artwork sales to Emirates Red Crescent.

Abyss of Bliss will be on view until Thursday, May 20.