Proximities

Overview

Contemporary Art from the United Arab Emirates

Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF) and Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) present Proximities as part of Abu Dhabi Festival, a landmark exhibition concluding 2025 and ushering in 2026.

Following the resounding success of Layered Medium: We Are in Open Circuits, which brought Korean new media artists to Abu Dhabi and garnered significant attention in Spring 2025, open until 29 March 2026 at Seoul Museum of Art, Proximities features more than 110 artworks by 47 UAE-based artists, including 33 Emiratis. It marks the largest presentation to date in Korea highlighting contemporary art from the United Arab Emirates.

Curated by Maya El Khalil and Eunju Kim, the milestone exhibition explores how artistic perspectives become forms of proximity – ways of sensing and processing transformation across domestic, social and geopolitical scales. The exhibition presents ways of encountering the world that emerge from contexts shaped by compressed modernisation and accelerated development. Meeting Seoul’s cultural landscape, Proximities reveals shared experiences between the UAE and Korea – tracing parallel negotiations of the local and the global and between tradition and futurity.
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Programme

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Artists

Abdul Qader Al Rais
Abdullah Al Saadi
Alaa Edris
Ala Younis
Aliyah Al Awadhi
Almaha Jaralla
Ammar Al Attar
Afra Al Dhaheri
Ayesha Hadhir
Ayman Zedani
Cristiana De Marchi
Ebtisam Abdulaziz
Farah Al Qasimi
Fatma Al Ali
Hazem Harb
Hassan Sharif
Hussein Sharif
Jumairy
Khalid Seddiq
Kholoud Sharafi
Layan Attari
Maitha Abdalla
Maitha Al Omaira
Maitha Ali
Mohamed Al Mazrouei
Mohammed Ahmed Ibrahim
Mohammed Kazem
Moza Almatrooshi
Najat Makki
Nujoom Al Ghanem
Rajaa Khalid
Ramin Haerizadeh, Rokni Haerizadeh, Hesam Rahmanian
Rand Abdul Jabbar
Rashed Qurwash
Rawdha Al Ketbi
Rayan Al Jneibi
Sara Al Haddad
Shaikha Al Ketbi
Shaikha Al Mazrou
Shamma Al Amri
Shamma Al Bastaki
Tarek Al-Ghoussein
Tarek ElKassouf
Vikram Divecha
Vivek Vilasini

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December 16, 2025

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March 29, 2026

10:00 AM - 8:00 PM

SEOUL MUSEUM OF ART

Doors open at

Reviews (157)

James Anderson

5

Excellent

Absolutely breathtaking! The performances were an extraordinary blend of power and emotion, leaving the audience completely captivated. It felt like a true celebration of artistry, where every detail was executed with such passion and precision.

Sarah Mitchell

5

Excellent

An unforgettable experience! The energy, the passion, and the sheer talent on display were incredible. It’s an event that stays with you long after it’s over.

Michael Johnson

5

Excellent

Such an extraordinary evening! The atmosphere was alive with anticipation, and the performances exceeded every expectation. Each moment was filled with beauty, elegance, and emotion that drew the audience into the world unfolding on stage. It was a magical experience, one that left me feeling inspired and deeply connected to the universal language of art.