AL-Monitor Dubai: Efie Gallery expands to new Alserkal Avenue space
With the final week of Ramadan approaching, we highlight exciting April openings, including Efie Gallery’s new Alserkal Avenue space, a champion of African art in the United Arab Emirates. Additionally, we highlight a must-visit spot for a delicious iftar, exhibitions to catch before March ends and Cinema Akil’s compelling lineup featuring films by international female directors, in celebration of International Women’s Day earlier this month.
Leading the week: Efie Gallery
An interior view of Efie Gallery’s new space in Alserkal Avenue. (Courtesy Efie Gallery)
Efie Gallery, which first opened in Al Khayat Avenue, Dubai, in March 2022, is set to unveil a new 4,400-square-foot space in Alserkal Avenue this April. The gallery’s launch will feature a monumental solo exhibition titled “I Am Soil. My Tears Are Water” by internationally acclaimed Cuban artist Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons, known for her multimedia works exploring history, gender, memory and religion. The exhibition coincides with Campos-Pons' ongoing show at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, which runs until May 4.
A highlight of the exhibition is “Sugar/Bittersweet,” a renowned sculptural work presented as a new site-specific installation. The show will also feature African spears sourced from Emirati collections, traditional West African stools adorned with glass rings inspired by Cuban panela (unrefined cane sugar), and 10 new paintings on paper. These works depict flora and fauna native to Latin America, the Middle East and Africa — such as hibiscus — examining themes of diaspora and interconnectedness among living organisms.
The new gallery space, opening after an extensive renovation led by the Mintah family in collaboration with Dubai-based architect Suhaira Yousif, will expand its capacity to showcase immersive and large-scale art installations.
“We’ve steadily been growing since our inception in 2021. This relocation underscores our commitment to representing and advancing artists of African origin — both from the continent and its global diaspora — while fostering cross-cultural artistic dialogue in the Middle East and beyond,” Efie Gallery co-founder Kwame Mintah told Al-Monitor.
The opening exhibition coincides with Art Dubai, in which Efie Gallery will participate as an exhibitor.
Date: April 14 - May 24
Location: Alserkal Avenue
Find more information here.
Word on the street: Alizée
A spread of zesty Mediterranean dishes at Alizée. (Courtesy of Alizée)
As the final week of Ramadan approaches, take the opportunity to enjoy iftars you may have missed. One standout option is Alizée, a Mediterranean restaurant and beach club nestled along the serene shores of Bluewaters Island. Offering a southern French ambiance with Arabian influences, Alizée presents a rich selection of Middle Eastern favorites.
Indulge in creamy hummus Beiruti, baba ghanoush, a flavorful mixed grill platter, vegetable tagine, smoked eggplant moutabal, oriental roasted chicken, spinach fatayer and spiced lamb kibbeh, accompanied by refreshing Ramadan juices. End your meal on a sweet note with Umm Ali and other delightful desserts.
What makes this experience even more special is the breathtaking view. While enjoying your iftar, you can take in the stunning sight of a 500-meter stretch of pristine, private beachfront overlooking the Arabian Gulf and Ain Dubai.
Location: Banyan Tree, Bluewaters
Find more information here.
Dubai diary
An exterior view of Cinema Akil. (Courtesy of Cinema Akil)
• In support of women: International female film directors at Cinema Akil
March is widely recognized as Women's History Month, highlighted by International Women’s Day on March 8. To celebrate, Cinema Akil — Dubai’s homegrown film theater — is showcasing films by international female directors throughout the year. The lineup features acclaimed names like Greta Gerwig, Payal Kapadia and Carol Mansour. Also showing this month is a documentary on renowned Palestinian British doctor Ghassan Abu-Sittah, who talks about treating Palestinian civilians injured by Israeli bombardment.
Dates: March 1-29
Location: Cinema Akil, Alserkal Avenue
• “The Art Behind the Stars”
This exhibition reveals the paintings of Bahraini artist Jamal A. Rahim. Lively and vibrantly colored, the artist pays tribute to both Hollywood and Arab glamour through 22 striking artworks, including Marilyn Monroe, Umm Kulthum, Fairouz, Marlon Brando and Abdel Halim Hafez, among others. The exhibition is in Kutubna, a multifunctional literary space, so guests can browse books while also enjoying the art on display.
Dates: Until March 23
Location: Kutubna Cultural Center
Find more information here.
• Karim Jabbari: “Vertical Horizon / 361 Degrees”
A fitting exhibition to view during the holy month is Tunisian artist and calligrapher Karim Jabbari’s work that delves into the world of centuries-old Arabic script. If you are looking for a contemplative moment and intricate works of art, his work offers just that. Jabbari experiments with Arabic calligraphy using ink, water, light and tapestry, pushing the boundaries of the traditional form. The exhibition also features images of his large-scale public installations in the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Lebanon, including mesmerizing light calligraphy captured through long-exposure photography.
Dates: Until May 30
Location: Inloco Gallery, Al Khayat Avenue
Find more information here.
Book of the week: “Arts of the East”
This elegant hardcover tome is the perfect Ramadan gift. It features exquisite reproductions from the Bruschettini Foundation, renowned for its Islamic and Asian art collection. Flip the pages to see a fascinating array of textiles, carpets, paintings and precious inlaid metalwork spanning the 13th to the 17th century. Each piece has been handpicked by Alessandro Bruschettini in collaboration with Aga Khan Museum curator Filiz Cakir Phillip.
View from Dubai
For over a decade, Greg Adamski has been capturing the UAE with a particular focus on fashion photography. Born in Poland in 1983, Adamski studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Wroclaw and Film School in Lodz, Poland. Since he began working in Dubai, his alluring images, defined by their haunting and mystical quality, simplicity in colors and forms, have led him to collaborate with leading publications and luxury brands. In his latest book — “No Locations. Dubai.” — Adamski documents the UAE at a pivotal moment in its history, capturing the country during more than a decade of rapid urbanization and social transformation.
By the numbers
• The UAE is home to the world’s largest population of Arabian oryx, with over 10,000 animals living mostly around Abu Dhabi’s protected areas.
• In 2007, UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Arabian Oryx Reintroduction Program, making the Arabian oryx the first animal to move from being extinct in the wild to a vulnerable status on the conservation scale.
• Another endangered wild animal in the Arab Gulf states is the Arabian leopard. The United Nations says there may be fewer than 200 Arabian leopards left in the wild.
