Marking a decade of artistic exploration, the NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Art Gallery unveils its spring exhibition, "In Real Time," today, February 22. This innovative showcase is designed to evolve over the coming months, embodying the concept of art happening "in real time."
Currently, a diverse group of artists has already contributed their works, with more expected to join as the exhibition progresses. As of today, the lineup curated by Chief Curator Maya Allison features Moza Almatrooshi, Rana Begum, Chafa Ghaddar, Gözde İlkin, Sol LeWitt, Cristiana de Marchi, and Haleh Redjaian. Additionally, the artist trio Ramin Haerizadeh, Rokni Haerizadeh, and Hesam Rahmanian collaborate with Julie Becton Gillum and Kiori Kawai. As new artists and performers are integrated, updates will be shared on the Art Gallery’s Instagram, highlighting the exhibition’s dynamic and evolving nature.
Some pieces currently exist as conceptual outlines, set to be realized or performed in the future. Others will be transformed by performers, some may be ephemeral, lasting only a day, while some are already complete, inviting viewers to engage with their environment. Two artworks will be crafted entirely by community members, with additional pieces yet to be announced.
The exhibition is curated by Executive Director Maya Allison, with a special curatorial intervention by Curator and Research Assistant Professor Duygu Demir, who recently joined NYU Abu Dhabi. Demir collaborates with artist Gözde İlkin to create a scenography that will be activated by performers in the coming months.
Curatorial Vision and Artistic Inquiry
“Every time I embark on a new curatorial project, I ask the ‘why’ of art. This line of questioning is a bracing, uncomfortable process, but a very rewarding one because the answer changes depending on what is happening in the world. In Real Time emerges in response to a sense of urgency, today: perhaps art can offer something different from the news, from the scroll, and yet not distract us or make us forget. As the show evolves, history unfolds around us. What do we need from a space for art in this particular moment, in this particular part of the world, in a university, in an academic gallery? I hope this exhibition allows for any number of responses,” shares Maya Allison.
The NYUAD Art Gallery’s first decade has been marked by significant artist commissions, book publications, and historical research exhibitions from around the world, earning it international acclaim and awards. It also supports the Project Space, an exhibition laboratory for the academic and regional community, including MFA and undergraduate final projects, faculty-curated exhibitions, and works by emerging regional artists. Together, these spaces at NYUAD’s Art Gallery serve as a testing ground for curatorial strategies that foster innovation in exhibition practices in the Gulf, in dialogue with the global art world.