Exhibition at Lawrie Shabibi (12 May – 1 Sep, 2018) Each Day an Artist

'Each Day an Artist' is an exhibition conceived for the holy month of Ramadan. A new way of viewing art is proposed during a month when, for 30 days, daily life takes on a new rhythm. Ramadan, as well as being a month of fasting, is a period to slow down, reflect and reconnect with family, friends and the greater community. It is also a month when the relationship to time becomes overriding: there are strict eating and fasting times, late evening prayers and reduced working hours.

Driss Ouadahi, Reconstruction, 2017, Oil on canvas, 180 x 150 cm / Courtesy the artist and Lawrie Shabibi

The exhibition opened on May 12 with the work of one artist, and every day a new artist is added. Over the run of the exhibition, a total of 30 artists will be shown. The list of invited artists will reflect personal interests and will be decided by the directors and other members of the gallery. They will include artists from Lawrie Shabibi's roster as well as artists working with other galleries in Dubai. Many have never exhibited in the gallery or alongside the other artists being shown.

Kamrooz Aram, Untitled (Palimpsest #37), 2015, Oil, oil pastel and wax pencil on canvas, 213h x 183w cm, Courtesy the artist and Green Art Gallery

Participating artists include Farhad Ahrarnia, Kamrooz Aram, Zsolt Bodoni, Nick Devereux, Amir H. Fallah, Monika Grabuschnigg, Sherin Guirguis, Ramin Haerizadeh, Rokni Haerizadeh and Hesam Rahmanian, Pouran Jinchi, Mohammed Kazem, Amir Khojasteh, Laleh Khorramian, Philip Mueller, Driss Ouadahi, Nathaniel Rackowe, Michael Sailstorfer, plus surprises.

Sherin Guirguis, Untitled (Olla C), 2015, Wood and aluminum, 30.2 x 25.1 cm, Courtesy the artist and The Third Line

The exhibition sequence emerges intuitively, an exchange between the various parties involved – artists and other galleries. The daily additions are documented on Lawrie Shabibi's website and various social media platforms in real time, coming full circle with an exhibition where all the works will be on display.

Monika Grabuschnigg, Cloud burster, 2016, Glazed Earthenware, gold luster, 71 x 16 x 16 cm, Courtesy the artist and Carbon 12

Lawrie Shabibi is a contemporary art gallery housed Dubai's Alserkal Avenue. The gallery supports the long-term development of the careers of young international contemporary artists with a focus on those from the Middle East and North Africa. The gallery also organizes art historical exhibitions working with an older generation of artists from the region. Liaising with curators, institutions, museums and collectors the gallery has successfully introduced international artists to the region whilst at the same time presented Middle Eastern artists to the international contemporary arts community. By holding a regular programme of exhibitions, screenings and talks, publishing catalogues and participating in international art fairs, Lawrie Shabibi has been, in the space of seven years, a forerunner in the development of the contemporary art scene in Dubai.

After the month of Ramadan the exhibition will continue until September 1, 2018.