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urbanist art gallery
January 22, 2023

‘Spring in January’ at Urbanist Art Gallery in Dubai blooms with Fine Art

Urbanist Art Gallery launches the spring season with a refreshing collection of fine art paintings and ceramics in their latest group show ‘Spring in January’.

A contemporary art space situated in the Dubai Hills Mall, Urbanist Art gallery showcases local and international artists for the Dubai arts community. The group show ‘Spring in January’ opened on January 16, 2023 to a busy afternoon crowd, and I was delighted to see the collection in person. Artists from Tunis, Syria and Lebanon were amongst the participants, and the themes fluctuated from the floral to the abstract.

interior view of gallery

Interior view of Urbanist Art Gallery in Dubai (photo courtesy of the gallery)

Maie at Urbanist Art

The author Maie El-Hage at Urbanist Art Gallery show ‘Spring in January’ in front of a Maria Arida painting

(photo by the author)

Maria Arida’s paintings are large-scale depictions of flowers and floral patterns, each with its own range of color palette. Of the paintings’ colors, some are bold while others mellow. The variety in the approach is refreshing, and each work defines a world of its own. I personally appreciated the still lifes oil on canvases, but there were also works on paper. Truly, there was much to explore.

The ceramicist Asma Laraiedh from Tunis was present at the opening, and I had the chance to catch up with the artist. I myself have an appreciation for ceramics, so it was a happy moment. The collection is simple yet elegant, the surfaces of the art objects appear malleable and playful.

Maria Arida painting

A visitor examining a Maria Arida painting

(photo courtesy of the gallery)

asma ceramics

A ceramics artwork by Asma Laraiedh

(photo courtesy of the gallery)

Omar Hamdi’s bouquet of roses in a vase with some fruit stands out with the mastery of the technique. Painted with an Impressionist brush, the artist’s oeuvre is impressive; he was a member of the General Union of Austrian Artists and the Constellar House in Vienna until his passing in 2015. His legacy lives on in his paintings.

Essam Hamdi’s large-scale landscapes offer an escape with their strong design qualities and bold colors. They depict trees in a forest, the boundaries of the canvases cropping the roots and the branches; we only see the trunks. The viewer experiences being surrounded by trees and within a forest grove.

omar hamdi

Omar Hamdi’s bouquet of roses 

(photo courtesy of the gallery)

ammar al shawa

Ammar Al-Shawa’s solitary tree

(photo by the author)

Ammar Al-Shawa paints nature in a fantastical style. The colors are bright, exaggerated even. We see trees with purple leaves and flowers with purple stems. The canvases almost glitter with brightness. One painting depicts a solitary tree, with a very believable cast shadow in the space below the branches. A still life work by Reem Tarraf is also part of the collection. The artist paints cherries on a plate that appear whimsical. The colors are bright and the brushstrokes are visible.

essam hamdi

Essam Hamdi’s forest of trees (photo courtesy of the gallery)

asma ceramics

Ceramics artwork by Asma Laraiedh (photo courtesy of the gallery)

maria arida works on paper

Works on paper by Maria Arida (photo courtesy of the gallery)

reem tarraf

Painting by Reem Tarraf (photo by the author)

The exhibition offers a celebration of nature that is showcased through a mastery of techniques of a wide range. The pieces are each unique and particular in style; the general ambience of the show is that of harmony and good cheer. If you are in Dubai, make sure to pass by and see the exhibition.

‘Spring in January’ at Urbanist Art Gallery will remain on display until February 10, 2023.

Follow Urbanist Art Gallery on Instagram here

To see more photos and stories, check the author Maie El-Hage’s account on Instagram here.

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