The UAE is set to welcome a major new addition to the country’s burgeoning artistic landscape. Rizq Art Initiative (RAi) an independent cultural institution will open its doors in Abu Dhabi on November 23 2023 with the goal of highlighting, nurturing and disseminating the exciting talent of artists from the Global South.

Led by Art Historian, Founder and Executive Director Shafeena Yusuff Ali, RAi will provide unstinting support to emerging and established artists, curators, researchers, and other creative practitioners from this region to reflect and position their practice within a global discourse. As well as hosting a range of varied contemporary art exhibitions, presentations, talks, workshops and teaching-learning modules, RAi will invite artists to embark on residencies and fellowships to foster artistic mobility and engender a sense of community.

“The richness of art from the Global South deserves a global stage, and RAi is committed to providing just that in the heart of Abu Dhabi. Our vision is to weave these diverse artistic threads into the cultural fabric of the UAE, enriching it with new textures and colours. RAi is more than an art initiative; it’s a bridge connecting Abu Dhabi to the vast, vibrant world of global artistry,” says Shafeena Yusuff Ali, multi awarded for being one of the most influential women in the Middle East

Joining Shafeena in her quest is Meena Vari, an experienced curator and sought-after speaker in the international art world who is Creative Director of RAi. “The artistic talent in the Global South is both rich and diverse, spanning a multitude of mediums,” she says. “It’s my privilege to introduce these exceptional works to Abu Dhabi’s art scene. At RAi, we’re not just curating contemporary art; we’re crafting a dialogue that intertwines the unique voices of the Global South with the UAE’s vibrant cultural tapestry. This alignment of international and local artistry promises to enhance the cultural conversation in Abu Dhabi, making it an even more dynamic and inclusive artistic hub.”

RAi begins its ambitious story with its inaugural show In the Dusky Path of a Dream: Notes from Abstracting the Real. Coinciding with the 15th edition of Abu Dhabi Art Fair at Manarat Al Saadiyat, the exhibition at RAi features 27 prestigious artists from India who will present over 60 artworks that examine the role that memory and identity plays in connecting the past and the future. Curator Meena Vari explains, “We constantly encounter situations that challenge our sense of reality, stability and familiarity. However, the resultant disorientation and confusion also open up paths for repair and growth. The artists in Abstracting the Real explore these shifting realities in understanding.”

Showing from November 23, 2023 to February 23, 2024, works encompass a diverse range of techniques and mediums including textile, teak wood, ceramic and bronze sculpture, as well as paint & ink amongst others – In the Dusky Path of a Dream: Notes from Abstracting the Real also shines a light on the concept of solastalgia, which is the sorrow and distress people feel as a result of environmental change.

Artists participating in the exhibition include Surekha who explores themes of gender, ecology and socio-political aesthetics; Shambhavi who’s interested in our relationship with nature; and Gigi Scaria whose work delves into migration and globalisation in India’s rapidly changing landscape. A renowned artist across digital and sculptural media, Vivek Vilasini has a particular interest in structures of knowledge, politics and identity; while Priti Vadakkath focuses on nature and its ability to advance harmony; and Murali Cheeroth, whose work comments on cultural structures and identities in society.

Other artists showing at In the Dusky Path of a Dream: Notes from Abstracting the Real include Ameen Khaleel, Bhagyanath Chandroth, Hasseena Hassan, George Martin, Shrimanti Saha, Binoy Varghese, Boshudhara Mukherjee, GR Iranna, Jagannath Panda, KL Leon, Lekha Narayanan, Madhu Venugopalan, Pooja Iranna, Pranati Panda, Rakhi Peswani, Roshan Chhabria, Sabin Mudappathi, Sujith SN, Sumedh Rajendran, Smitha GS and Veer Munshi.

On November 23 RAi will host its first symposium as part of its #RAIOpinions series, a ‘World Cafe’ style discussion of diverse perspectives that tackles issues affecting the art world. Launching with the theme Artist as Author: Art as Document – around 10 artists, art historians and curators from India and the UAE will engage in conversation across four themes: Broadened Concepts Within Contemporary Art; Objects to Document: Artworks as Archives; Materiality in Contemporary Art and the Notion of Proximity; Existence of the Art Object and the Notion of its Irreducible Reality.

In addition to its calendar of exhibitions and programmes, RAi also operates Labs, an experimental concept that challenges artists by immersing them in unfamiliar environments and prompting them to create in response to their time in the given space. Elsewhere, RAi is home to studios that provide a peaceful space for artists to create, learn and experiment with ideas and techniques.

Lastly, RAi will utilise its partnerships with worldwide arts and culture organisations, museums, and educational institutions to encourage trans-disciplinary collaborations, learning, and long-term networking. There will be a strong focus on engagement with private and corporate sponsors to encourage art support and philanthropy in the region in order to expose new audiences to contemporary art through a variety of year-round initiatives.

Located at Leaf Tower on Al Reem Island in Abu Dhabi, RAi is a 700sqm space that is deeply committed to promoting cultural exchange, nurturing artists, exhibiting art, and sparking a new era of creativity in the UAE.