Alserkal Avenue
Dubai
Alserkal Avenue is delighted to announce the opening of Leila Heller Gallery, New York/Dubai’s new gallery space in Dubai, with separate solo exhibitions by Ghada Amer and Wim Delvoye. The 14,000-square-foot space opened as part of Galleries Night on November 16, 2015 as community members and art world VIPs visited exhibition premieres across the Avenue.
Abdelmonem Bin Eisa Alserkal, Alserkal Avenue Founder and Patron of the Arts, said, “The launch of the Alserkal Avenue expansion is affirmation of the development of a sustainable ecosystem for arts in the region with Middle Eastern and international talents laying their foundations here.”
Leila Heller comments, “I am proud to announce the opening of our new gallery at Alserkal Avenue, Dubai. Leila Heller Gallery is the first U.S.-based gallery to open in the region, which is a dynamic new frontier within the context of the global art world. Our inaugural exhibitions by prominent international artists Ghada Amer and Wim Delvoye mark the first of many more world renowned artists the gallery will be featuring in its program, as well as exhibiting prominent artists from the region. The gallery will also engage in curatorial and educational initiatives under the direction of Dr. Shiva Balaghi.”
Ghada Amer’s inaugural show at Leila Heller Gallery, Earth. Love. Fire, marks the first solo exhibition by the artist in the Arab world in nearly two decades. Curated by Dr. Shiva Balaghi, the exhibit introduces Amer’s first foray into ceramics. The exhibition features 28 ceramics, paintings, and abstract sculptures in dialogue with new paintings and Amer’s iconic stainless steel sculptures. Accompanying the exhibit is a catalogue produced through a collaboration between Ghada Amer, Dr. Balaghi, and Adam Welch. On November 19 at 4:30pm, there will be a book launch for Ghada Amer: Earth.Love.Fire at the Leila Heller Gallery booth at Abu Dhabi Art. Balaghi and Amer will be present for an informal discussion.
On view in conjunction with Ghada Amer at Leila Heller Gallery is the first gallery exhibition in the UAE by Belgian artist Wim Delvoye. The neo-conceptual artist is known for his experimental approach to materials and a deep immersion in the techniques of craftsmanship gleaned from his global travels. Wim Delvoye: Sculpture features a series of sculptural works that encompass Delvoye’s recent body of work, including examples of suitcases embellished with detailed metalwork inspired by craftsmen in Isfahan, delicately laser-cut tires, and his iconic spiral Gothic towers.
For more on gallery exhibitions currently on view, talks, and programming on Alserkal Avenue this week, please visit www.alserkalavenue.ae.
About Alserkal Avenue
Alserkal Avenue is the region’s foremost arts and culture neighbourhood, located in Al Quoz, Dubai. 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, Alserkal Avenue began introducing its own homegrown programme as an arts organization, dedicated to encouraging new ideas, open dialogue and a more diverse and rich ecosystem for art in the region.
About Leila Heller Gallery
Leila Heller Gallery promotes a cutting-edge program of international contemporary emerging and mid-career artists. The gallery has gained worldwide recognition for being a pioneer in promoting contemporary artists from the Middle East, Central Asia, Southeast Asia and Turkey. In addition to its roster of contemporary artists, the gallery is also active in the American, European and Middle Eastern secondary art markets. The gallery presents a dynamic exhibition schedule, participating in major international exhibitions and biennials, and actively engages world-renowned curators, hosts educational panels, movie screenings, and produces catalogues and books with scholarly essays.
UAE press enquiries for Alserkal Avenue: Haniya Bhatty, Head ofCommunications, Alserkal Avenue, haniya [at] alserkalavenue.ae / T+97150 5587776
International press enquiries for Alserkal Avenue: Concetta Duncan, SUTTON, concetta [at] suttonpr.com / T +1 212 202 3402
Leila Heller Gallery press enquiries: Brooke Lynn Mcgowen, Company Agenda, brooke [at] companyagenda.com / T +646 771 3301
