Latifa bint Mohammed: The exhibition provides a rich account of Arab art in the twentieth century

Mohammed bin Rashid's art collection tops the exhibition "When Pictures Speak" at the Etihad Museum

Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the Culture and Arts Authority

The "Dubai Collectibles" initiative announced the details of its first in attendance art exhibition entitled "When Pictures Talk", which will include a collection of the collections of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in addition to the most prominent artworks selected from the collection. "Dubai Holdings" is the newly joined party to this initiative, which was established through a new and innovative partnership model that combines exceptional artworks submitted by the holdings of individuals and institutions to be available to the public, as well as to benefit from them for educational and educational purposes.

The exhibition, which will be held under the supervision of the curator, Dr. Nada Shabout, will present a collection of works of modern and contemporary art from all over the region, tracing the historical path of the development of the Arab arts movement from modernity towards contemporary trends, while highlighting the role of the Arab Gulf region in documenting the reality of art history in the region. through its various stages.

Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and Chairperson of the Higher Committee for Dubai Collections, said: "The opening of the 'When Pictures Speak' exhibition is an important event in the course of the 'Dubai Collectibles' initiative, as it contributes to activating and achieving this innovative initiative. On the ground to be part of the cultural movement in our city, and this achievement would not have been achieved without the sponsors’ trust and belief in the ambition and message of this project, which seeks to present art in public places to all audiences in the UAE and abroad; forming a link between local sponsors and artists; And building a distinguished international art group from Dubai to the world, supporting the cultural sector in the emirate.”

Her Highness added: "We are pleased to present, through our first exhibition, distinguished works of art, while the exhibition will enrich a collection of collections of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, which confirms His Highness' support for the cultural and artistic sector in Dubai. The exhibition will feature a rich narrative of Arab art in the twentieth century, highlighting the vital role played by the Arab Gulf states in documenting this artistic period, and we look forward to welcoming everyone to our inaugural exhibition at the Etihad Museum next November.”

Three Sections

The exhibition comprises three sections, revolving around three central themes, where the artworks serve as archival records of the era in which they were produced, and chronicle the history of art in the region over the past decades, while the many art collections on display overlap and intersect in their themes.

Under the title "Abstract Variety", the story of the first chapter of the exhibition reviews the topic of abstraction in modern Arab art, and the section includes works by a group of prominent artists in the region, including Dia Al-Azzawi and Omar Al-Najdi.

Abstraction was the subject of an important debate with political theses among Arab artists in the mid-twentieth century.

The second chapter of the exhibition, titled “Societies in Transition,” presents the artists’ visions of society, history, family, myths and culture.

The works presented in this section by the artists Baya Mohieldin and Naziha Selim, and the artist Asaad Orabi reflect the artists' concepts and dialogues about the self through community relations, as well as local struggles for independence and the formation of states in a global context.

Through the third and final chapter of the exhibition under the title “Evoking the Environment”, he explores the viewer through the works of high artistic figures, such as Fateh Al Mudarres, Abdel Qader Al Rayes, Najib Belkhouja, and other artists. the nation” in some works;

Other works record the transformation of small towns and villages into larger urban spaces, as each country develops its modern identity.

The exhibition aims mainly to focus on the role of the UAE in documenting the lively academic and intellectual exchange between the many artists whose works are displayed in the exhibition, as well as highlighting the active role of the UAE, not only as a creative center for artists, but also in documenting the history of art in the region.

The digital catalog, which will be published in conjunction with the exhibition, and includes research by Dr. Nada Shabout, will contribute to clarifying the contexts in which the presented works were presented.

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