“NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery Showcases *Between the Tides: A Gulf Quinquennial*”
**Between the Tides: A Gulf Quinquennial at NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery**
Highlighting the rich and dynamic creative landscape of the Arabian Gulf, *Between the Tides: A Gulf Quinquennial* is a groundbreaking exhibition featuring 21 artists and collectives from six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries: the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. On view at the NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery through April 20, 2024, this inaugural quinquennial offers a deeply reflective and interdisciplinary exploration of visual arts, architecture, and design from the region. Featuring works spanning painting, video, installation, photography, and sculpture, the exhibition delves into themes of identity, heritage, urban transformation, and ecological change.
Co-curated by Maya Allison and Duygu Demir, the project is not intended to be a comprehensive survey of Gulf art, but rather a meaningful reflection on key moments in creative production from the past five years. The curatorial process was shaped by extensive dialogue with artists and curators across the region. Four key figures—Abdullah Al Mutairi, Aseel AlYaqoub, Ali Ismail Karimi, and Ayman Zedani—served as curatorial interlocutors, providing insights that informed the structure and content of the exhibition.
### A Multilayered Metaphor: The Tide
The title, *Between the Tides*, is more than a poetic gesture; it acts as a conceptual framework for the exhibition. Referencing the cyclical nature of time and the Gulf region’s intrinsic connection to lunar and tidal rhythms, the metaphor captures the interstitial and transformative essence of the works showcased within. Tidal zones—fluid, rich in biodiversity, and vulnerable to shifts—become a poignant analogy for the creativity and resilience reflected in the artists’ practices. Themes of visibility and concealment, cyclical change, and the coexistence of fragility and strength mirror the realities of Gulf societies and ecosystems.
As tides shift, they unearth new matter while obscuring others, symbolizing how Gulf artists navigate evolving identities, traditions, and global influences. The exhibition invites viewers to consider not only what persists, but also what transforms—whether in art, society, or the natural environment.
### Themes and Points of Convergence
Despite the diversity of methods, mediums, and interests among the featured artists, *Between the Tides* surfaces recurring themes that resonate across societal and cultural contexts in the Gulf, including:
1. **Urban Transformation**: The Gulf’s rapid urbanization has reshaped its physical and social landscapes. Several artists explore the effects of this dramatic growth on heritage, community, and identity.
2. **Ecological Change**: With its delicate natural environments under threat, the Gulf is uniquely positioned to raise awareness about climate change, resource depletion, and sustainability. The exhibition challenges viewers to confront the environmental vulnerabilities faced by the region.
3. **Negotiations of Heritage**: The balance between preserving tradition and embracing modernity features prominently in Gulf creative practices. Artists interrogate how heritage is represented, commodified, and perceived in a rapidly globalizing world.
4. **Tracing Identity and Community**: Many artists delve into individual and collective identities, uncovering socio-cultural histories and questioning constructs of representation in relation to language, geography, and memory.
5. **Spatial and Political Dynamics**: Gulf cities exist at the intersection of tradition and futurism, where spatial politics and architecture reflect broader questions about nation-building, migration, and belonging.
Through these recurring motifs, the exhibition positions each artwork as not merely a localized statement but part of a broader, interconnected narrative about change, resilience, and the Gulf’s place in the wider world.
### The Artists and Collaborations
The exhibition’s roster includes a mix of emerging and established talents whose innovative practices align with the show’s overarching themes. Highlights include:
– **Alia Ahmad, Afra Al Dhaheri, and Shaima Al Tamimi**: These UAE-based artists explore personal and collective narratives through varied mediums, often drawing connections between memory, identity, and belonging.
– **Mohammad AlFaraj (Saudi Arabia)** and **Sophia Al Maria (Qatar)**: Prolific creators who explore existential questions and cultural commentary through multimedia works.
– **Abdulrahim Alkendi and Ayman Zedani**: Investigations of the natural environment and its relationship to humanity permeate their practices, aligning seamlessly with the exhibition’s ecological dimensions.
– **Collaborative Projects**: Civil Architecture (Hamed Bukhamseen and Ali Ismail Karimi) and the cohorts led by Aseel AlYaqoub demonstrate the power of collective approaches to rethinking architecture, heritage, and storytelling.
The exhibition also includes international crossovers and interdisciplinary partnerships, such as the works of Camille Zakharia, who bridges fine art photography with Gulf heritage, and Faissal El-Malak,