NYU Abu Dhabi Unveils Inaugural GCC Art Quinquennial, Celebrating Regional Creativity

A significant exhibition titled "Between the Tides: A Gulf Quinquennial" will open at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Art Gallery on 1st October. This event will feature 21 artists and collectives from the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. The quinquennial, occurring every five years, highlights key moments in the GCC’s arts scene since 2019 through various forms of visual art.

Running until 8th December, this exhibition also marks the Art Gallery’s 10th anniversary. Since its inception in 2014, the gallery has established NYUAD as a cultural hub on Saadiyat Island. It has showcased both emerging and established voices from the region and beyond, fostering a rich cultural dialogue across the Gulf and internationally.

The exhibition is co-curated by Maya Allison, Executive Director of the NYUAD Art Gallery, and Duygu Demir, Curator and Research Assistant Professor at the Art Gallery. Their work evolved through discussions with artists and curators from across the region. Four curatorial interlocutors—Abdullah Al Mutairi, Ali Ismail Karimi, Aseel AlYaqoub, and Ayman Zedani—also contributed to this project.

Rather than serving as a comprehensive survey, this exhibition reflects significant moments in the region’s visual production over the past five years. The works include paintings, videos, installations, and sculptures that mirror the unique cultural and environmental landscapes of the Gulf.

The exhibition will showcase works by artists such as Alia Ahmad, Abdulrahim Alkendi, Mohammad AlFaraj, Noor Al-Fayez, Afra Al Dhaheri, Mohamed Almubarak, Sophia Al Maria, Mariam M. Alnoaimi, Christopher Joshua Benton, Sarah Brahim, Vikram Divecha, Faissal El-Malak, Hazem Harb, Aziz Motawa, Mohammad Sharaf, Shaima Al Tamimi, and Ayman Zedani. Collaborative works by Civil Architecture (Hamed Bukhamseen and Ali Ismail Karimi), Aseel AlYaqoub with Asaiel Al Saeed and Saphiya Abu Al-Maati with Yousef Awaad Hussein will also be featured.

Commenting on this milestone event and anniversary celebration of the gallery's establishment Maya Allison said: "In the first decade of the NYUAD Art Gallery and Project Space alongside our own development as a cultural institution we have seen a proliferation of artists – thanks in part to new initiatives across the Gulf."

The launch of this quinquennial not only celebrates artistic achievements but also underscores NYUAD Art Gallery’s role in promoting diverse cultural dialogues within the region. By highlighting both emerging talents and established figures in art from around the world it continues to enrich cultural exchanges in the Gulf.

This exhibition is set to offer an insightful look into how art has evolved in this dynamic region over recent years. It promises to be a significant event for both local audiences and international visitors interested in contemporary Middle Eastern art.

The NYUAD Art Gallery remains committed to showcasing diverse artistic expressions that reflect regional identities while engaging with global perspectives. This quinquennial serves as a testament to their ongoing efforts to support and promote artistic innovation within the GCC.

With inputs from WAM