Weekly UAE museum and gallery guide: Major South Korean art show comes to Abu Dhabi

The National

16-05-2025

This weekend, art lovers can enjoy works from South Korea, France and Cuba. In his first Dubai solo exhibition, Thomas Lelu uses white canvasses to display important and inspirational messages. A collaboration between Abu Dhabi and Seoul brings avant-garde contemporary art movement to the UAE capital. Plus, the last weekend to enjoy a floral art show by a Cuban artist. French contemporary artist Thomas Lelu uses words to communicate his art. His latest exhibition, Calm Down It's Just Art, is currently at the Zidoun-Bossuyt Gallery in Dubai and features canvasses on which he has spray-painted phrases. He says his show in Dubai represents a natural progression, after having his works published in a book. He believes the use of spray paint on large canvasses sends a big message. In an interview with The National, Lelu said the most important thing about his art is talking to people, adding: 'That's what my work is about. It's about language, yes, but also about meeting people, having conversations and changing – both myself and others. It's not just about the medium, it's about a social connection.' Tuesday to Saturday, 11am – 6pm, until June 14; Zidoun-Bossuyt Gallery, Dubai Layered Medium: We are in Open Circuits showcases the avant-garde contemporary art movement in Korea from the 1960s onwards. The exhibition, taking place until June 30 at Manarat Al Saadiyat, comes as a collaboration between the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (Admaf) and the Seoul Museum of Art (Sema). It brings together works by more than two dozen Korean artists, from pioneers including Nam June Paik and Park Hyunki to renowned contemporary figures such as Lee Bul, Haegue Yang and Moka Lee. The exhibition is the first major showcase of Korean contemporary art in the region and marks the inaugural project in a major three-year collaboration between Admaf and Sema. Monday to Saturday, 10am – 8pm, until June 30; Manarat Al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons's first regional solo exhibition references the flora and fauna of Latin America, the Middle East and Africa to examine experiences of diaspora. In her exhibition, which ends on May 24, the Cuban artist touches upon experiences of unity and longing in her works. Her paintings and sculptures are vibrant, brimming with hibiscus, sugarcanes and guava leaves. The works come together as an arresting exploration of the connection between landscapes and collective memories. Monday to Saturday, 11am – 7pm; until May 24; Efie Gallery, Dubai