Check out the exhibition Code and Portraits of the Middle-Way

Our daily round-up of things to do: See the exhibition Code, explore portraits of the Middle-Way, the exhibition by artist Olivia Pendergast; sing up for the Island Landscape Painting course and learn how to compose and create oil paintings; get active and join #WalkWithMeUAE, a series of mini-walks hosted by Imperial College London Diabetes Centre; get your tickets to see Al Murray, the British comedian returns to Dubai for a live stand-up show, One Man, One Guvnor.

A portrait of Girl Sitting by Olivia Pendergast for Portraits of the Middle Way. Courtesy Showcase Gallery

See the exhibition Code, in which Iraqi artist Serwan Baran, and Cheikhou Ba, from Senegal, use creatures, figures, shapes and numbers to create two and three-dimensional artworks infused with coded messages. The artists challenge the viewer to decipher their overt and obscured messages, which are embedded in fantastical scenes. From 10am to 7pm, The Mojo Gallery, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai, 04 347 7388, www.themojogallery.com.

Explore Portraits of the Middle-Way. The exhibition, by artist Olivia Pendergast, presents work painted in two African countries – Malawi and Kenya – and focuses on portraits of people from Kawangware slum and a rural village in Malawi. Pictured above is the work, Mother with Child. From 10am to 6pm, Showcase Gallery, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai, 04 379 0940, www.showcaseuae.com.

Sign up for the Island Landscape Painting course and learn how to compose and create oil paintings. The four-week course on Mondays, will be at Dolphin Island. The fee includes all art materials and transport from Yas Marina to the island by boat. Open to all skill levels. Starts September 28 and runs every Monday until October 19, 9am to 1pm, Dh3,500, 055 145 4595 or email [e-mail].

Get active and join #WalkWithMeUAE, a series of mini-walks hosted by Imperial College London Diabetes Centre, in the lead up to the annual diabetes awareness walkathon – Walk 2015 – at Yas Marina Circuit on November 13. Walks held on Mondays (7pm, Al Jaheli Park, Al Ain); Tuesdays (TrainYAS, 6:30pm, Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi); Wednesdays (women only – GoYAS, 6:30pm, Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi); for all (7pm, Al Gharbiya Public Park, Madinat Zayed); and Saturdays (8am, Abu Dhabi Mall; 7pm, Mushrif Park, Abu Dhabi), www.walk2015.com.

Get your tickets to see Al Murray. Best known as The Pub Landlord, the British comedian returns to Dubai for a live stand-up show, One Man, One Guvnor. October 2, doors open at 6pm, show starts at 8pm, from Dh300, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, www.platinumlist.net.