Leila Heller Gallery is pleased to announce its participation in Abu Dhabi Art’s first online fair on Thursday, November 19th - Thursday, November 26th, 2020.
Our booth this year showcases a curated selection of works by an interactive array of regional and global artists, centered around the themes of craft, tactility, and sculptural elements. This includes works by Aref Montazeri, Abdul Qader Al Rais, Grimanesa Amoros, Hashel Al Lamki, Tarik Currimbhoy, Mia Fonssagrives Solow, Ran Hwang, Reza Derakshani, Marcos Grigorian, Shahzad Hassan Ghazi, Sudarshan Shetty, and Marwan Sahmarani.
Abdul Qader Al Rais is the foremost Emirati artist of the region, whose works sit in the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the British Museum, the Shanghai Museum of Contemporary Art, and the State Museum of Poland, amongst others.Hope, one of two works exhibited in our booth this year, is the largest ever door painted in his illustrious career and a monumental mashrabia, which shows his interpretation of the region's architecture, culture and environment in the UAE.
Grimanesa Amoros is a Peruvian artist whose light installations are inspired by the lotus flower. Her works depict the contrast between the use of industrial materials and colors and the representation of her work mirrors the artist’s practice of bringing the light sculpture to life. The first monumental outdoor installation in the middle east will open this March in Riyadh, adjacent to the Zaha Hadid designed mosque.
Tarik Currimbhoy’s unique sculptures have elements of geometry and movement. His sculpture, titled Curl, has a hypnotic effect to the eye, drawing in the viewer and creating a meditative trance inspired by Sufism.
Hashel Al Lamki is an Emirati artist who recently exhibited his solo exhibition at the Sheikha Salama’s foundation, Warehouse 421. His Movie Posters is a body of work that is influenced by the Cairo film industry.
Mia Fonssagrives Solow is an American artist who creates monumental sculptures which examine a multitude of scale and movement, form and color. Three fiberglass sculptures, titled Him, Her, Them range in their architectural make-up and draw attention to the negative space at the center of each work. These can be placed in an exterior or interior space.
Ran Hwang is a Korean artist who makes her return to the fair this year. Her four panels, titled Cherry Blossoms, symbolize the transience of life in their short but illustrious blooming season.
Reza Derakshani is a Dubai-based artist. His work, titled Gold Hunt, recalls forgotten tales and symbols through ancient and classical poets throughout the middle east.
Similarly, Marcos Grigorian, who is in the collection of Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Sharjah Art Museum, the MoMa, the British Museum, and the Tate Modern, explores his roots in his Earthworks series by using natural resources from the middle east as his medium.
Spiritual Journey by Shahzad Hassan Ghazi, a Pakistani artist based in Dubai, is inspired by the artist’s interpretation of Mecca. Assembling construction through dotted lines, realizing relationships between shapes and spaces, and physically connecting to his practice as a means of meditation, Ghazi practices concentration, repetition, and mark- making, while capturing the modern world.
Sudarshan Shetty is an Indian artist who takes recycled teak wood and found ceramics and repurposes them to suggest new possibilities of meaning and perception through diverse approaches that include sculptural and architectural elements.
Lastly, for our solo booth, we have six works by Aref Montazeri. In Islam, light and mirrors have a spiritual significance as they allow for a philosophical connection with oneself and God. Montazeri delves into this realm of spirituality through his small and large-scale installations, which consist of thousands of cut mirrors per work that immerse the viewer in reflection.
About the Gallery:
Since its establishment over three decades ago in New York, Leila Heller Gallery has gained worldwide recognition as a pioneer in promoting a creative dialogue and exchange between Western artists and Middle Eastern, Central, and Southeast Asian artists. It has garnered a reputation for identifying and cultivating the careers of artists leaving a lasting impact on contemporary art and culture. Currently representing a diverse roster of Western and Middle Eastern artists, the gallery is also active in the American, European and Middle Eastern secondary art markets. In November 2015, Leila Heller Gallery opened its first international location in Dubai’s Alserkal Avenue. At 14,000 square feet, the state-of-the-art gallery features three exhibition spaces, making it the largest gallery in the UAE. Showcasing leading regional and international artists, many of whom will be presenting their work in the Middle East for the first time, the gallery is dedicated to supporting the evolving practice of established artists.
Sales Inquiries:
Shanti Vegas
E: shanti@leilahellergallery.com T: +971 50 553 9243
Leila Heller
E: leila@leilaheller.com T: +1 646 249 5000
Ella Schwartz
E: ella@leilaheller.com T: +1 305 331 2999