Summer is here & the art scene is just getting hotter! Here are lists of events happening near your doorstep or worth booking a flight to see!

Kuwaiti Group Exhibition

What Kuwait Formative Art Association will be part of a group exhibition in Saudi Arabia which reflects the beauty of the gulf heritage & traditions in a contemporary vision.

When: May 27 – June 7

Where: H. H. Faisal Bin Fahad For Formative Art Center, Riyadh. Saudi Arabia

Ayyam Gallery

 

What: The first solo exhibition by lebanese photographer who won 2nd place at the 2011 Shahbab Ayyam Photography Competition, Lara Atallah. “If Walls Could Talk” highlights the social and economical costs of the demolition, observes gentrification transforming the demography of the Lebanese capital, causing the death of a heritage and the exodus of those who can no longer afford life in the city.

When: May 22 – June 20, 2012.

Where: Ayyam Gallery, Beirut.

Contemporary Art Platform (CAP)

• “The Other Resurrection” Photography Exhibition

What: Witness the journey of six female photographers from the Middle East who look head-on at the past year of identity crises, sexual awakening, and so-called revolutions. Photograph subjects include the small joys of women in Gaza, the poignant belongings of kidnapped sons and husbands, the new life of Iranian transsexual Maria, the literacy crisis and the waves of street art in Egypt. Featured photographers are Laura Boushnak (Palestine), Myriam Abdelaziz (Egypt), Tamra Abdul Hadi (Iraq), Taniya Habjouqa (Jordan), Dalia Khamissy (Lebanon) and Newsha Tavakolian (Iran).

When: From 16 – 30 May, 2012.

Where: Contemporary Art Platform (CAP) Kuwait

Cuadro Gallery

• Discuss “Sybolism” with Roberto Lopardo

What: An education discussion on “how does art address the big issues that any given society grapples with? How do art- ists visualize information in a broad enough manner to be encompassing yet in a detailed enough manner to be understandable? Striking this gentle balance is challenging for art- ists and often comprises the difference between the perceived success or failure of a work of art.” This discussion with in-house educator Roberto Lopardo.

When: May 9 at 7 pm

Where: Cuadro Fine Art Gallery, DIFC, Dubai.

• NILOUFAR BANISADR’s “Imprints”

What: Solo exhibition by Iranian photographer NILOUFAR BANISADR.

When: May 8 – July 8, 2012

Where: Cuadro Fine Art Gallery, DIFC, Dubai.

QContemporary

What: Q Contemporary is hosting one of the most prominent contemporary art Galleries of Istanbul: Pi Artworks. Founded in 1998 Pi grew to represent and launch some of the most stellar Turkish artists on the international art scene.

When: May 10 – June 2 2012

Where: Q Contemporary Gallery, Beirut Tower, Beirut.

The Aaran Gallery

What: Photography exhibition by iranian artist Ebtehaj Ghanadzadeh – Amin Meysami titled (What If You Pause) “The fact that a photographer selects a frame through the lens of his camera is an example of how he has interfered with that particular reality. This is because only a small portion of reality has been framed and the larger remaining portion has been consciously ignored and omitted. But we cannot deny that this particular frame has been selected, it’s not reality, the only reality is that which we, as the audience, observe from the perspective of the photographer, a selected reality, free and without borders.”

When: May 11th

Where: AAran Art Gallery. Tehran

Galerie Janine Rubeiz

• Joseph Chahfé ‘s ‘Bar code’

What: Solo exhibition by Lebanese artist Joseph Chahfe “The bar code has become the icon that is most present in our world today. We see it everywhere, on merchandise, objects, and on whatever we use in our daily lives. It is there to identify each unique element. Even we, as individuals are identified with a bar code, as in our passport. We are all branded which allows the system to control our history of activities.”

When: from 9th to 31st May 2012

Where: Galerie Janine Rubeiz, Beirut

• Shafic Abboud ‘Peintures 1942 – 2001’

What: A collaboration between Galerie Janine Rubeiz & Agial Gallery, a tribue for one of Lebanese poineer late artists of the 20th century Shafic Abboud (1926 – 2004).

When: May 8 to July 8 2012

Where: The Beirut Exhibition Center, Beirut

XVA Gallery

• Hussain Al Mohasen ‘I Love You Green’

What: Graffiti solo exhibition by Saudi artist Hussein Al Mohasen “Inspired by music and poetry specifically, Al Mohasen explores these themes through the use of spray paint and stencils, creating calligraphic graffiti. The physicality of creating these works as well as the affect they have on viewers allows him a greater sense of freedom.”

When: 8th of May DON’T MISS ON OPENING NIGHT AT 7 PM LIVE PERFORMANCE BY HUSSEIN AL MOHASEN.

Where: XVA Gallery, DIFC, Dubai.