Abu Dhabi Art has announced that two exhibitions, Beyond Emerging Artists 2023 (BEA) and Gateway: Maqam, will be presented for the first time in Kochi, India, from 26 July to 18 August 2024.
The upcoming showcase of Beyond Emerging Artists 2023 at Kochi’s Durbar Hall Ground comes after its showing at Venice Biennale, where works by the BEA programme’s artists Almaha Jaralla, Samo Shalaby, and Latifa Saeed were displayed.
The Kochi event will also mark the inaugural international showing of Gateway: Maqam, a survey show of works by UAE artist Hashel Al Lamki, curated by Dr. Venetia Porter for Abu Dhabi Art’s annual Gateway exhibition.
The exhibitions will travel to Kochi in partnership with Rizq Art Initiative (RAi), an artistic space in Abu Dhabi overseen by Shafeena Yusuff Ali and Meena Vari. RAi presents artists from the Global South, providing an opportunity for both emerging and established artists from the region.
Meena Vari, Chief Curator and Creative Director at RAi, said: "At RAi, we actively enable a dialogue that intertwines the unique voices of the Global South with the UAE’s vibrant cultural tapestry. This alignment of international and local art practitioners promises to enhance the cultural conversation in Abu Dhabi and abroad, making the UAE an even more dynamic and inclusive artistic hub."
Shafeena Yusuff Ali, Founder of RAi, said: "Myself, and the team at Rizq Art Initiative are honoured to bring together this cross-cultural partnership to further solidify the deep-rooted socio-economic symbiotic relationship between our two regions. Art has a singular power to bring people, places, and stories together, and we believe in its strength to encourage dialogue and inspire.
"Together with Abu Dhabi Art, bringing each of these amazing artists and their incredible practices to Kochi, in association with the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, is a long-time dream coming to fruition. The artistic traditions of both the UAE and India are rich and vibrant, sharing values of creativity, community, and support for their artists. I am grateful to be part of both communities, witnessing the seamless blending of our artistic practices and the mutual respect we have for each other’s cultural heritage."
Since 2017, Abu Dhabi Art’s BEA programme has provided three emerging artists in the UAE with a platform from which to develop their practice and create ambitious art projects. The artists participate in a year-long programme of workshops and studio visits under the mentorship of a guest curator, before showcasing their works at the annual Art Fair in November at Manarat Al Saadiyat. The curator for the 2023 BEA programme now being exhibited internationally was art historian, publisher, and curator Morad Montazami.
Launched in 2016, Gateway is an annual art exhibition that highlights local and international artists through a unique curatorial perspective. Hosted at Manarat Al Saadiyat, each year a guest curator is invited to curate the exhibition, with the 2023 Abu Dhabi Art Gateway exhibition curated by Dr. Venetia Porter presenting Maqam, a survey show of works by pioneering UAE artist Hashel Al Lamki.
Venetia Porter, Curator of Maqam, said: "It has been a joy and a privilege working with Hashel and Abu Dhabi Art on Maqam. I am thrilled that his beautiful and thought-provoking work will be seen by new audiences in the glorious setting of Durbar Hall Art Gallery in Kochi."
Dyala Nusseibeh, Director of Abu Dhabi Art, said: "Abu Dhabi Art continually seeks to provide emerging and established artists from the UAE with opportunities to develop their practice and show their work to new audiences. We are grateful to long standing Friend of Abu Dhabi Art Shafeena Yusuff Ali for collaborating with us to take these exhibitions to Kochi, India, in what will be an important moment for the artists in their careers."
