From immersive installations and contemporary photography to African contemporary art and centuries-old board games, galleries across the UAE are presenting a vibrant programme of exhibitions that celebrate creativity, culture and innovation. Spread across Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, these exhibitions offer visitors the chance to explore themes ranging from identity and memory to technology, craftsmanship and cultural exchange.
Spectrum: Becoming Visible, Becoming Image
One of the season's standout exhibitions is Spectrum: Becoming Visible, Becoming Image at Manarat Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi. Showcasing the work of ten UAE-based photographers and visual artists, the exhibition marks the culmination of the institution's fourth Photographer-in-Residence Programme.
Developed over a four-month residency under the mentorship of photography expert Jassem Rabee Al Awadi, the exhibition presents photography as more than a documentary medium. Through photography, sculpture, textiles, video and mixed-media installations, participating artists explore themes of identity, memory, landscape and everyday life while reflecting Abu Dhabi's growing role as a centre for artistic and cultural exchange.
Where: Manarat Al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi
Until: September 1, 2026
Human in the Loop
At 421 Arts Campus in Abu Dhabi, artist and engineer Ahmad AlAttar blurs the boundaries between art and artificial intelligence in Human in the Loop. Visitors become active participants as they search for an invisible algorithm hidden within the gallery by pulling ropes and following changes in an evolving soundscape.
The interactive installation examines the relationship between humans and technology, asking whether people truly control digital systems or whether algorithms increasingly shape human behaviour. Combining robotics, sound and physical interaction, the exhibition encourages audiences to rethink how technology influences everyday life.
Where: 421 Arts Campus, Abu Dhabi
Until: September 13, 2026.
In Abstracto, In Concreto: On Memory and Presence
Dubai's Efie Gallery presents In Abstracto, In Concreto: On Memory and Presence, bringing together four artists of African descent whose works move between abstraction and figuration to explore identity, memory and diasporic experience.
Curated by Brice Arsene Yonkeu, the exhibition features paintings and charcoal drawings by Luke Agada, Ludovic Nkoth, Naila Opiangah and Tunji Adeniyi-Jones. Using the human body as a central motif, the artists examine cultural inheritance, migration and belonging while challenging conventional approaches to figurative painting.
Where: Efie Gallery, Dubai
Until: September 17, 2026.
Body Quotidian
The Sharjah Art Foundation explores the human experience through Body Quotidian, an exhibition bringing together recent works by artists Laila Majid and Inaam Zafar.
Curated by Raja'a Khalid, the exhibition features sculpture, photography and painting that investigate ideas of intimacy, beauty, ageing and mortality. Rather than depicting the body directly, the artists evoke it through materials, silhouettes and domestic spaces, encouraging visitors to reflect on how technology and contemporary culture continue to reshape perceptions of the human body.
Where: Sharjah Art Foundation, Sharjah
Until: September 20, 2026.
A Board Game Adventure
Families and history enthusiasts alike will enjoy A Board Game Adventure at Louvre Abu Dhabi, where thousands of years of history unfold through some of the world's oldest games.
Designed as an immersive experience for visitors of all ages, the exhibition traces the evolution of games such as chess, Mancala, Ludo and Carrom across ancient civilizations. Rare artefacts from Egypt, Mesopotamia, Iran and India are displayed alongside interactive installations that invite visitors to solve puzzles, challenge artificial intelligence and play on oversized game boards, revealing how games have connected cultures for millennia.
Where: Louvre Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi
Until: April 25, 2027.
Together, these exhibitions demonstrate the diversity of the UAE's cultural landscape, offering experiences that range from immersive technology and contemporary photography to historical artefacts and thought-provoking installations. Whether exploring questions of identity, celebrating artistic experimentation or uncovering the cultural history of play, each exhibition provides a unique perspective on the evolving art scene across the Emirates.
