March 9–18, 2017
Alserkal Avenue
1 Street 8
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
alserkalavenue.ae
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Alserkal Avenue announces highlights of its programme for Dubai Art Week, to take place March 10–18, 2017, including the opening of 27 exhibitions; four Alserkal Programming artist commissions and six pop-up projects; a programme of public talks and workshops; and the eagerly anticipated inauguration of Concrete with Syria: Into the Light.
Inauguration of Concrete: March 10
Marking the Office for Metropolitan Architecture’s (OMA) first project in the United Arab Emirates, Concrete opens with the exhibition Syria: Into the Light, a selection of works from the Atassi Foundation’s singular collection. Located in the heart of Alserkal Avenue, Concrete is a multidisciplinary space, designed to bring inspired experiences to life, from museum-quality exhibitions to bespoke arts and cultural events.
Lecture by Rem Koolhaas: March 16
The founder of Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) will present a lecture on “Current Preoccupations” at Alserkal Avenue.
Galleries Night: March 13
Between 6–10pm, collectors and enthusiasts are invited to explore exhibition openings across ten contemporary art galleries participating in Art Dubai, in addition to other galleries and creative organisations across the Avenue.
Majlis Talks
Public talks will take place daily at Alserkal Avenue between 4–6pm. Highlights of the series include:
–eL Seed in conversation with Glenn Lowry, Director, MoMA
–Talk by Farrokh Derakhshani, Director, Aga Khan Award for Architecture
–Launch of Vikram Divecha’s newest book, Warehouse Project
Alserkal Programming Commissions
Alserkal Programming has commissioned four UAE-based artists to present new and developing projects inspired by the theme of work:
–Ammar Al Attar: Plaza Cinema
–Farah Al Qasimi: It’s Not Easy Being Seen
–Karim Sultan: Different Air
–Raja’a Khalid: Change Your Life
Art Dubai Modern Symposium
The inaugural Art Dubai Modern Symposium, with the support of Alserkal Avenue, will take place on March 13 and 17 at Art Dubai Modern and on March 18 at Concrete, Alserkal Avenue. The symposium comprises a series of talks and presentations focused on the life, work and cultural impact of 20th century masters from the Middle East, South Asia and Africa.
Pop-Up Projects
Alserkal Avenue’s pop-up projects include:
–An exhibition of the six winners of the 2016 Aga Khan Award for Architecture
–The art book fair Fully Booked
–The launch of Ahmed Mater’s book Desert of Pharan: Unofficial Histories of the Mass Expansion of Mecca
–Shoonya Ghar, a multimedia presentation by Sudarshan Shetty
–Woven Heritage, an exhibition of fine-art printmaking
–Future Perfect Future, an exhibition of works by female Emirati artists, presented by the Zayed University College of Arts and Creative Enterprises
Art Jameel Project Space
The not-for-profit initiative Art Jameel will open its new Project Space on Alserkal Avenue. The space will feature a year-round programme of exhibitions, workshops and events.
Exhibitions
Contemporary art galleries on Alserkal Avenue will open their latest exhibitions:
1×1 Gallery: Group exhibition, Sleepless Constellation / Art Jameel: Basel Abbas and Ruanne Abou-Rahme, And yet my mask is powerful / Ayyam Gallery / Samia Halaby, Illuminated Space / Samia Halaby, Documentary Drawings of the Kafr Qasem Massacre / Carbon 12: Sara Rahbar, Salvation / Custot Gallery Dubai: Group exhibition, First Anniversary Group Show / Elmarsa Gallery: Khaled Ben Slimane, Ya Latif / Gallery Isabelle Van Den Eynde: Vikram Divecha, Minor Work / Green Art Gallery: Hera Büyüktaşçıyan, Write Injuries on Sand and Kindness in Marble / Grey Noise: Lala Rukh, sagar / Jean-Paul Najar Foundation: Group exhibition, Artist Run New York: The Seventies / La Galerie Nationale: Fred Kleinberg, Face to Face 2 / Lawrie Shabibi: Mounir Fatmi, Inside the Fire Circle / Leila Heller Gallery / Bill Viola, The Vast: Mirrors of the Mind / Rashid Rana, Untitled /Hadieh Shafie, Untitled / Salsali Private Museum: Group exhibition, Sculpture / Satellite: Group exhibition, Morphè Presence / The Third Line: Sophia Al Maria, EVERYTHING MUST GO
About Alserkal Avenue
Located in Al Quoz, Dubai, Alserkal Avenue is the region’s foremost arts and culture neighbourhood. Since it was established in 2007, Alserkal Avenue has grown to become an essential platform for the development of homegrown artistic and cultural initiatives, supporting a vibrant community of contemporary art galleries and alternative art spaces, together with design, media and industrial studios. In 2015, in addition to its commitment to the community, Alserkal Avenue affirmed its position as an arts organisation with the launch of Alserkal Programming. The programming arm produces an annual homegrown programme for local, regional and international audiences, working primarily with artists living and working in the MENASA region. An Artists’ Residency is scheduled to launch in 2017, further enhancing the organisation’s breadth and scope.
UAE press enquiries:
Ambika Rajgopal, Alserkal Avenue, T +971 50 558 7776, ambika [at] alserkalavenue.ae
Yasmeen Abughaida, The Portsmouth Group, T +971 55 419 6011, yasmeen.abughaida [at] theportsmouthgroup.com
International press enquiries:
Julia Lukacher, Sutton PR, T +1 845 416 8531, julia [at] suttonpr.com