Between the Sky and the Earth: Contemporary Art from the UAE
Dec. 3, 2021 - Mar. 31, 2022
Marking the 50th anniversary of the founding of the United Arab Emirates, Between the Sky and the Earth: Contemporary Art from the UAE brings together 12 artists reflecting the diverse contemporary art ecosystem in the UAE today. With roots in the Gulf, the Levant, Southeast Asia, and the United States, the artists — all of whom now call the UAE home — challenge standard narratives about the Emirates through an intergenerational dialogue exploring their social, cultural, and natural landscapes.
Through works focusing on subjects like the environment, consumerism, and the impact of rapid urbanization, the featured artists explore themes of permanence and transience, time and memory. In the process, they offer a sample of the multi-faceted community of practitioners contributing to the UAE’s dynamic cultural output on the occasion of its Golden Jubilee — the community that shares the space Between the Sky and the Earth.
The exhibition is curated by Munira Al Sayeh and has been organized in partnership with The NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery, with special thanks to the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Washington, D.C.
We are accepting appointments to visit this exhibition in person starting from December 6.
Book appointment to visit in person
Photo: The Day We Met Thomas (Diptych), 2021, Hashel Al Lamki (courtesy of the artist)
Curator’s Tour
Watch a virtual tour of the new exhibition, “Converging Lines: Tracing the Artistic Lineage of the Arab Diaspora in the U.S.” led by curator Maymanah Farhat.
MEI Art Gallery Open for Timed Visits
The MEI Art Gallery accepts in-person appointments to view its current exhibitions. Hours are Monday to Friday, 10am - 5pm, excluding federal holidays. Please note that occupancy is currently limited to no more than eight visitors in the Gallery at a time.
Creators' Corner
An interview series featuring leading Arab and Arab-American actors, comedians, directors, writers and other ground-breaking creators highlighting their important contributions to the global cultural scene. Produced and hosted by Emmy-nominated journalist and producer Rhana Natour.
Tribe Photo Magazine
Tribe is a non-profit publication focused on documenting photography, video and new media from the Arab world. As a global platform, its core mission is to create an archive and stimulate dialogue about the artists--emerging and established--who are defining their practice.
Lebanon Then and Now: Photography from 2006 - 2020
Previous exhibition
Lebanon Then and Now was an immersive 360° exhibit at the MEI Art Gallery featuring the works of 17 of Lebanon’s most exciting art and documentary photographers. Originally planned as a physical exhibit, it was reimagined as a virtual show. The show has now ended, but you can continue to find selected images, webinar recordings, podcasts, and other related materials on the exhibition page.
Photo: "Nightshift 1-6" by Myriam Boulos, 2015 (courtesy of the artist)
Support this unique platform for the exhibition of contemporary art from the Middle East.
No events are currently scheduled for this program. Subscribe to our mailing list to receive notification of events as they are added to the calendar.
Between the Sky and the Earth: Contemporary Art from the UAE
Poetry Reading & Conversation Featuring Etel Adnan Poetry Prize Winners
Cultural Hybridity and the Art of the Diaspora
Converging Lines: Tracing the Artistic Lineage of the Arab Diaspora in the U.S.
Panel Discussion: Re-Seeding Culture: Syrian Artists in Berlin
Migration in Perpetuity: Yemeni Voices from the Diaspora
International Arts Advisory Committee
Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi
Saleh Barakat
Touria El Glaoui
Leila Heller
Rose Issa
Adila Laïdi-Hanieh
Salwa Mikdadi
Venetia Porter
