Top Art Events of the Month June 2023

Top Spots Dubai shares Dubai’s top exhibition openings and cultural events for the month of June 2023.

Dubai Mall, ftNFT Phygital Space
Virtual Reality Art, Aimi Sekiguchi Solo

Until Sunday, June 11

Aimi Sekiguchi, a Japanese artist specialising in Virtual Reality (VR) spotlights her latest creations and cultural explorations at ftNFT Phygital Space in Dubai Mall. Visitors can immerse themselves in a special ‘phygital experience’ during the show. The exhibition will feature naked-eye 3D displays, and VR and AR devices that allow visitors to explore a world where physical and digital realms coexist.

Leila Heller, Alserkal Avenue
Perpetual Identities, Katya A. Traboulsi Solo

Until Friday, June 30

Beirut-based multimedia artist Katya A. Traboulsi presents Perpetual Identities an exhibition that explores the concept of identity as a force that persists even in the face of war. The inspiration for the project comes from Traboulsi’s personal experience during the Lebanese Civil War when she received an empty sleeve of a mortar shell as a birthday gift. This object, symbolising destruction, became her trophy. In 2014, reflecting on the shell, Katya embarked on an installation project that aimed to reframe the morbid nature of the mortar shell.

For the show, Traboulsi has designed 46 shells that are adorned with the arts and crafts of various countries. The shells are handmade by artisans using materials like ceramics, porcelain, resin, wood, and iron and serve as a symbol of destruction and renewal throughout history. The exhibition also features Traboulsi’s collection of painted rear doors of trucks, titled ‘Rej3a ya mama.’ This collection pays tribute to the truck drivers of Tripoli, Lebanon, who bridge regions and lives regardless of religious or political differences.

Perrotin, DIFC
Souvenir Entrelacés, Elladj Lincy Deloumeaux Solo

Until Saturday, July 1

Guadeloupean painter Elladj Lincy Deloumeaux’s solo show features a collection of new artworks that build upon the artist’s existing work. Deloumeaux lives and works between Paris and West Africa yet the memories of his homeland, Guadeloupe, are a continued presence in his artistic output. Deloumeaux has recently finished an extensive residency in Ivory Coast and Senegal, infusing his work with the cultural fusion unique to the Black Atlantic. Through his large-scale works on canvases, Deloumeaux captures a generation in motion, foregrounding both his photographer friends and local acquaintances.

Green Art Gallery, Alserkal Avenue
Strange Fruit, Dorsa Asadi Solo

Until Saturday, July 29

Dorsa Asadi’s Strange Fruit captures the emotional impact of the ongoing conflict and persecution in Iran. The artist’s three-part narrative structure is reminiscent of Dante’s Divine Comedy. Each section of the narrative corresponds to a segment of the poem, which has played an important role in the development of the Italian language. As Generation Z increasingly shapes society, the central characters in Asadi’s ceramic artworks are Elle and Belle, twins who have appeared in the artist’s previous works as recurring figures. Having grown up in Iran, Asadi was taught that obedience to gender roles would lead to paradise. However, these artworks suggest the possibility of alternative paths and perhaps even alternative languages as well.

The Third Line, Alserkal Avenue
Isthmus, Lamya Gargash Solo, Curated by Sophie Mayuko Arni

Until Friday, July 21

Lamya Gargash’s fifth solo exhibition at The Third Line, entitled Isthmus, reveals the artist’s exploration of space and human experiences across different locations, all without the direct presence of human figures. Through photographs capturing objects, furniture, windows, and wall details, Gargash conveys the essence of human qualities and the expectations associated with specific time periods, socio-economic contexts, and cultures. The exhibition features a new series of works inspired by Gargash’s travels from Dubai to Atami, where she photographed Hotel Acao Annex, juxtaposed with her previous photographs of the Queen Elizabeth II cruise ship, now a floating hotel in Dubai. The term “isthmus” serves as a metaphor, connecting disparate interiors from locations such as the Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi, Hotel Acao in Atami, and the QE2 in Dubai, highlighting their distinct yet shared qualities.
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