Abu Dhabi Art 2025 to Feature Shaikha Al Mazrou as Visual Campaign Artist
Abu Dhabi, The Gulf Observer: The 17th edition of Abu Dhabi Art is set to take place from 19 to 23 November 2025 at Manarat Al Saadiyat, reaffirming its role as a central force in the UAE’s evolving cultural and artistic scene. Organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), the fair will spotlight Emirati artist Shaikha Al Mazrou as the Visual Campaign Artist for this year, celebrating her innovative contributions to contemporary art in the UAE.
Shaikha Al Mazrou, represented by Lawrie Shabibi Gallery in Dubai, is known for her bold geometric sculptures and conceptual use of industrial materials. Her appointment signals a significant milestone in her career, having previously participated in the 2017 edition of Abu Dhabi Art as a Beyond Emerging Artist.
Dyala Nusseibeh, Director of Abu Dhabi Art, remarked:
“Shaikha has become one of the most successful artists of her generation in the UAE. The series chosen for this year’s visual campaign explores the materiality and transformation of discarded fabrication site matter, playing with folds and unfolding as metaphors for infinite moments of becoming.”
Among the featured works will be Beyond All Measures (2024), a piece composed of oxidation on brass. The artwork uses the horizon as a metaphor for perception and transformation, inviting viewers to reconsider their relationship with their environment.
Shaikha Al Mazrou said of her artistic practice:
“Art isn’t about making things. It’s about provoking thought. It’s a language that doesn’t need borders, yet we still insist on them. My work? It’s a journey, one that raises more questions than answers, and maybe that’s the point.”
Deeply influenced by Minimalism, Conceptualism, and artists such as Paul Klee, Carl Andre, and Wassily Kandinsky, Al Mazrou fuses mass-produced materials with color, form, and conceptual weight to explore themes of space, tension, and physicality.
Her work has been acquired by prominent international collections, including Art Jameel, The Farjam Foundation, and the RMZ Foundation. She is also a recipient of the Paulo Cunha e Silva Art Prize (2020) and was shortlisted for the Louvre Abu Dhabi Richard Mille Art Prize. Beyond her practice, she contributes to the local arts ecosystem as an Assistant Arts Professor at NYU Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi Art 2025 promises to be a significant platform not only for showcasing regional and international talent but also for fostering critical dialogue and innovation within the art world.
