Celebrating 50 years of the United Arab Emirates, Portrait of a Nation II presents an unprecedented collection of artworks never before displayed together, creating the exhibition’s centrepiece, around which a cultural experience traces the UAE’s visual art history as it has unfolded over a half-century of the nation’s transformative development.
More than 100 key artworks, including 15 special commissions, anchor the programme, exploring the work of over 60 pivotal artists, from the founders of the UAE art scene to today’s emerging generation, through painting, photography, 3D installations and audio-visual works. Interwoven with these works, video interviews, manifestos, archival images and memorabilia paint an intimate picture of the nation’s emergent art scene and those who have given it life. A rich series of talks, workshops and performances centred around the exhibition will take place throughout its three-month run.
