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Intimaa: Belonging Now Open

Key officials and Chief Curator of NYUAD at the opening of Intimaa: Belonging with artist Sarah AlMehairi.

On display until March 28 at the Project Space, Intimaa: Belonging is the first-ever collaboration between UAE Unlimited and The NYUAD Art Gallery

Press Release

Chairman and Founder of UAE Unlimited His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan and UAE Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development Her Excellency Noura Al Kaabi, inaugurated yesterday Intimaa: Belonging, the sixth in a series of annual exhibitions organized by UAE Unlimited, in collaboration with The NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Art Gallery, and supported by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development.

In attendance at the opening were also Minister of State His Excellency Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, Minister of State for Youth Affairs Her Excellency Shamma Al Mazrui, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, and Assistant Undersecretary for Arts and Heritage at the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development His Excellency Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi, Chairman of Tamkeen Rima Al Mokarrab, and Vice Chancellor of NYU Abu Dhabi Mariët Westermann, in addition to other key officials and VIP guests.

Running until March 28 at the Gallery’s auxiliary venue, the Project Space, this exhibition features a series of works and four new commissions by UAE-based emerging artists who question their place in an era of globalization and how, through the rise of technological advancements, society has formed a unified existence that can be referred to as a ‘universal identity’.

“Through Intimaa, we attempt again to examine the manifestations of our globalisation on our identities, both the local and the global. Through the artistic and brilliant expressions of UAE-based artists, we are invited to understand and absorb the diverse and creative interpretations of the artists in the exhibition.”

His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan

“UAE Unlimited continues to inspire young UAE-based and Emirati talent to think critically and creatively from the early stages of their careers through its close mentorship and training sessions. We take pride in supporting this creative platform, which has such a meaningful mission to fulfil.”

Her Excellency Noura Al Kaabi

Curated by Emirati arts researcher Nasser Abdullah, participating artists include Saeed AlMadani, multimedia artist Sarah AlMehairi, cultural cartographer Sofiane Si Merabet, and multimedia artist Majd Alloush. Every edition features an established artist as a mentor and guest artist, this year’s guest is Dana Awartani. In addition to Awartani’s mentorship, these  artists have received guidance from artists Ramin Haerizadeh, Rokni Haerizadeh, and Hesam Rahmanian throughout the process.

In a unique development, Intimaa: Belonging features newly commissioned bilingual poems by rising Emirati poets Ahmed Al Mannai, Ali Al Mazmy, Hassan Al Najjar, and Shamma Al Bastaki, all of whom have been mentored by the award-winning poet, writer, and presenter Khalid Albudoor.

Intimaa: Belonging at the Project Space, NYU Abu Dhabi

“UAE Unlimited, supported by His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, aims to foster a new generation of talented Emirati and UAE-based artists, and this exhibition is a real embodiment of this vision. For this year’s iteration, I have decided to blend art and poetry, taking inspiration from how poetry has always been such a vital component of the UAE’s rich literary heritage. I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to The NYUAD Art Gallery for their collaboration, and the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development for their generous support.”

Executive Director of UAE Unlimited Shobha Pia Shamdsani

“The Art Gallery’s auxiliary venue, the Project Space, is a platform dedicated to emerging artists for their experimentation and exploration. Similarly, UAE Unlimited seeks to support rising Emirati and UAE-based artists. I am delighted that our first-ever collaboration will enable this mutual vision to come to life, offering these promising artists a platform to share their work and heritage with the wider community of Abu Dhabi and the UAE.”

Chief Curator at NYUAD Maya Allison

Exhibition Details

Title: Intimaa: Belonging
Exhibition dates: On display until March 28, 2020
Address: The Project Space, NYU Abu Dhabi
Opening Times: Saturday-Thursday, 3-10pm
Admission: Free
Website

About NYU Abu Dhabi

NYU Abu Dhabi is the first comprehensive liberal arts and research campus in the Middle East to be operated abroad by a major American research university. NYU Abu Dhabi has integrated a highly selective undergraduate curriculum across the disciplines with a world center for advanced research and scholarship. The university enables its students in the sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities, and arts to succeed in an increasingly interdependent world and advance cooperation and progress on humanity’s shared challenges. NYU Abu Dhabi’s high-achieving students have come from over 115 countries and speak over 115 languages. Together, NYU's campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai form the backbone of a unique global university, giving faculty and students opportunities to experience varied learning environments and immersion in other cultures at one or more of the numerous study-abroad sites NYU maintains on six continents.

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