The NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Art Gallery’s auxiliary venue, The Project Space, has reopened its doors to the public with an exciting series of exhibitions.
Associate Manager of Curatorial Projects at The NYUAD Art Gallery Tala Nassar commented: “Our intimate Project Space has always been critical to our mission, as part of The NYUAD Art Gallery department, nurturing regional talents, and making a place for experimentation and new ideas. We open this year with a great lineup of exhibitions featuring emerging artists from both our UAE and NYUAD communities. We are very excited to welcome everyone back in person after two years, further broadening and deepening our engagement with the UAE audiences and beyond.”
The Project Space’s upcoming exhibition, Almaha Jaralla: Shadia, will open to the public tomorrow, Thursday, September 29, followed by three more exhibitions this Fall. Curated by Emirati artist and curator Hashel Al Lamki, Shadia is the latest body of work by Emirati artist Almaha Jaralla. It recounts the artist’s recent family history of migration in the Arabian Peninsula and documents collective memories of the artist’s maternal family members and their relocation within the region.
Then, opening October 20, Mahmood Al Daoud: The Flow of Stillness is a solo exhibition by Mahmood Al Daoud, a Syrian artist based in Abu Dhabi. This exhibition features mixed-media works, including some where the artist utilizes sand and other materials from nature. Artworks include a light-reflecting resin installation with sand from across UAE, sketches of boats, mixed media works on canvas, and a dark room installation, a short film immersing audiences in a feeling of sandy environments.
The exhibition, Noura Ali-Ramahi: Allow Me Not to Explain, grew out of the Lebanese-born Emirati artist Noura Ali-Ramahi’s struggle to explain her work. Running from November 10–23, Ali-Ramahi invites audiences to experience her work, to meditate on the objects, and to derive their own meaning out of them. Her artistic practice is one of repetitive meditation. She is largely inspired by her daily walks, an act of repetitive movement in and of itself. In her works, Ali-Ramahi portrays the nature that she encounters on her strolls, be it the sunrise, the sunset, the shape of the sun, the earth, or the sea. She recycles found material to create her work: wax paper that came with a cheese order; a piece of cardboard that wrapped an Amazon package; or even a paper-bag from a retail brand.
Finally, opening December 6 is Coin-Op: Exploring the Spirit of ‘80s and ‘90s Arcade Games by artists Jonathan Bonner, Steven Doughty, and Eric Martin. Coin-Op is an interactive installation looking at the retro arcade experience and explores the community and spirit that lived in these spaces. From multiple-player cabinets to single-player experiences, the Coin-Op arcade will give the audience a feel of 80’s nostalgia. Participants will have the opportunity to play many classic 1980s 8 and 16-bit games with a modern twist (designed by Jonathan Bonner). Cabinets designed by Bonner are made mostly of recycled and reused materials and will reflect the interactivity and community aspects of gaming. Participants will also take in uniquely created sights and sounds of the 1980s arcade era while exploring the Coin-Op Arcade (designed by Steve Doughty and Eric Martin).
Located in the The Arts Center and supported by the museum staff of The NYUAD Art Gallery, The Project Space is a non-commercial gallery dedicated to Abu Dhabi community projects. The Project Space gives priority to exhibitions from within the academic and regional community, including the annual Senior Capstone Festival, faculty-curated exhibitions, experimental projects, and the work of regional emerging artists.
Exhibition Title: Shadia by Almaha Jaralla
Exhibition Dates: September 29 – October 12, 2022
Admission: Free
Exhibition Title: The Flow of Stillness by Mahmood Al Daoud
Exhibition Dates: October 20 – November 2, 2022
Admission: Free
Exhibition Title: Allow Me Not to Explain by Noura Ali-Ramahi
Exhibition Dates: November 10 – 23, 2022
Admission: Free
Exhibition Title: Coin-Op: Exploring the Spirit of ‘80s and ‘90s Arcade Games by Jonathan Bonner, Steven Doughty and Eric Martin.
Exhibition Dates: December 6 – 19, 2022
Admission: Free
