On 11 May, Spain began tentatively easing out of its COVID-19 lockdown and around half the country entered phase one of the four-stage desescalada (de-escalation), which meant many hotels were officially allowed to reopen. Most, however, have remained closed, movement between Spanish provinces is not permitted until at least 22 June and there is enormous uncertainty about air travel. Nonetheless, some Spanish hotels are cautiously hopeful that Spaniards will be keen to explore their own country once the lockdown eases, and domestic travellers will undoubtedly be first back through the door.
Much of everyday life unfolds through patterns we rarely stop to notice — familiar roads, objects kept close, changing cityscapes and small gestures repeated until they become almost instinctive. These quiet rhythms take centre stage in Unseen Script, the latest group exhibition at Rizq Art Initiative on Reem Island, Abu Dhabi. Bringing together 10 artists from different backgrounds, the exhibition explores repetition, memory, nature and the ways people observe and interpret the world around them.