Catch amazing artists, singers, and dancers at Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation

Feb 9, 2023

The season’s line-up includes concerts from Jahida Webh, Mohammed Assaf and Omer Elamin.

Are you after your next culture fix? Then head down to Abu Dhabi’s Cultural Foundation. The next season’s line-up has been announced and it includes singers Mohammed Assaf and Jahida Webhe, and artist Pascale Marthine Tayou. So, whether you’re after exhibitions on climate change or tributes to an Arabic superstar, here’s how to enjoy art, dance and music in Abu Dhabi.

Art

The exhibition, LOBI LOBI: Pascale Marthine Tayou, opens on 3 May. The show celebrates the Cameroonian artist Pascale Marthine Tayou. The work highlights the lack and abundance of resources across the world, and touches on the paradox between consumer culture and climate change. One of the powerful installations includes Plastic Bags, an eight-meter-high creation with colourful plastic bags arranged like flowers.

Plus, there is a dedicated children’s exhibition, BOBO LAND: Pascale Marthine Tayou. The interactive activations explore the show’s themes through the character Bobo, who has been created by the artist.

Concerts

Coachella bought Tupac Shukar back to life, and Abu Dhabi’s Cultural Foundation is bringing Abdel Halim Hafiz back to life. On 11 February, guests can join a special cine-concert, which celebrates the famous Egyptian singer (aka The Son of the Nile). Singer Mohammed Assaf pays tribute to Abdel – he will be joined by an orchestra conducted by Maestro Hisham Gabr and filmmaker Amir Ramses.

Singer Jahida Wehbe and Brussels Jazz Orchestra will perform Night 352 on 25 February. Jahida draws inspiration from one of the Arab world’s most famous folk tales, One Thousand and One Nights. The story has been reimagined as a modern parable by writer Hazim Kamaledin, and features music by qanun player Osama Abulrasol – that’s a stringed instrument that can trace its roots back to Mesopotamia. Plus, there are poems from Badr Shakir al-Sayyab, Muzaffar al-Nawab, Al-Mutanabbi and even William Shakespeare.

Catch musician and singer Omer Elamin in concert on 29 April. The show sees him give old songs an upgrade, by adding modern beats. Hailing from Sudan, Omer is an unlikely slashie, as he is both a doctor and singer – yes, really.

Dance

The UAE is famous for its pearl diving history. Pearl Diver’s Daughter is a dance show inspired by the traditions, and tells the story of, well, a pearl diver and his daughter. The performance takes place on 19 March, and was developed by Eman Al Hashimi, Maitha AlKhayat and Paul Gordon Emerson.

Reem Fadda, Director of Cultural Foundation, explains: “We are so proud to be bringing such a diverse programme of performances and art exhibitions to Abu Dhabi as part of our upcoming season. Welcoming a show by prominent artist Tayou brings an extremely important perspective to our audiences, one that highlights, in the most colourful of ways, the issues we face today as societies around the world with resources and consumerism.”