Dubai, UAE — Leila Heller Gallery is pleased to present Art Unmuted, a thoughtfully curated group exhibition initiated and led by young curator Jasmine Melamed. As part of the gallery’s ongoing commitment to supporting new perspectives within the cultural landscape, Leila Heller Gallery is offering its space as a platform for an emerging curatorial voice to engage with contemporary artistic practice.
Art Unmuted is an exhibition project rooted in care, connection, and the belief that art is not only meant to be seen, but also to be listened to. Bringing together diverse practices and perspectives, the exhibition invites audiences to experience visual art as a form of dialogue—one that conveys lived experience, emotion, and nuanced ways of seeing the world.
While the artists featured are established and active practitioners, the curatorial vision behind Art Unmuted reflects a distinctly young perspective—one driven by curiosity, sensitivity, and a strong belief in inclusivity and representation. Melamed’s approach emphasizes presence and visibility, offering artists the space to speak in their own voices, on their own terms.
The exhibition features works by Shiva Babaei, Mina Hamdani, Najme Kazazi, Hilda Kheirabadi, and Bardia Moradi, whose practices span painting, mixed media, and interdisciplinary approaches. Collectively, their works explore themes of memory, nature, fragmentation, resilience, and transformation. Through dynamic compositions, unexpected materials, and bold visual language, the exhibition examines the shifting relationship between image, narrative, and contemporary aesthetics.
Curatorial text by Mahta Azimi frames Art Unmuted as an exploration of the sounds and sensations embedded within visual imagery — echoes of movement, rupture, and renewal. The exhibition encourages viewers to move beyond static observation and instead engage with the processes, tensions, and emotional landscapes that shape each work.
By hosting Art Unmuted, Leila Heller Gallery reinforces its commitment to mentorship, education, and the cultivation of future voices in the arts—not only through artists, but through curatorial practice. The exhibition highlights the importance of providing space, trust, and institutional support to the next generation, shaping how art is experienced and interpreted.