Reza Derakshani paints love and memory in Dubai solo show

Welcome back to Al-Monitor Dubai.

This week, we spotlight a solo exhibition by the Iranian-American artist Reza Derakshani at the Leila Heller Gallery, the fourth edition of “Tasmeem,” a graphic design and poster show at ICD Brookfield Place Arts, and a group show in Abu Dhabi of works by contemporary Syrian artists.

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Happy reading,

Rebecca

P.S. Have feedback or tips on Dubai's culture scene? Send them my way at contactus@al-monitor.com.

1. Leading the week: “I Paint Your Grace, I Paint Your Pain, I Paint Love”

Reza Derakshani, “Blue Morning Hunt,” 2024. Oil enamel and tar on canvas. (Courtesy of the artist and Leila Heller Gallery)

A selection of evocative abstract expressionist works by the Iranian-American artist Reza Derakshani is currently on view in the solo exhibition “I Paint Your Grace, I Paint Your Pain, I Paint Love.” The works on display, some of them for the first time, explore such themes as identity, memory and transformation and belong to three renowned series — "The Hunt/Riders," "Day and Night/Fig Leaf," and "Migration/Grey Zone."

Derakshani, a celebrated poet, painter, musician and performance artist, is known for dynamic brushstrokes that reflect the influence of Western abstract expressionism and coupling them with pieces grounded in Iranian artistic traditions. The Dubai show is his first solo exhibition in half a decade.

The works on display marry sociopolitical themes with the personal. Color, form and narrative come together in an exploration of the human experience. "The Hunt/Riders," inspired by Persian miniatures and poetry, reflects both medieval references and memories of his childhood in northeastern Iran. Horses, with elongated limbs extending through layers of color and symbolizing freedom, are a recurring motif in Derakshani’s work. The hunt, in his work, can be seen as a metaphor for the continuous pursuit of power and meaning by humanity.

"Day and Night/Fig Leaf" explores the light and darkness that shape human existence with references to ornamentation and ambiguity. The Persian metaphor of a lush, verdant paradise reflects on ideas of the afterlife. Derakshani’s painting creates a visual dichotomy between materiality and transcendence.

In "Migration / Grey Zone," the artist explores ideas of cultural identity, displacement and modernity. These works are inspired not just by Derakshani’s personal artistic development, but also by the rich cultural life of prerevolutionary Iran.

Personal and collective memory intertwine in these works showcasing the mystical, poetic and existential aspects of painting.

Dates: Through Sept. 15 

Location: Leila Heller Gallery, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai

Find more information here.

2. Word on the street: SIRO One Za’abeel

A view from SIRO One Za’abeel. (Courtesy of SIRO One Za’abeel)

As Dubai’s new active lifestyle and business hotel, SIRO One Za’abeel has introduced a modular dining concept that is making waves across the city. The approach allows guests to personalize meals to fit their lifestyle during their stay at the sleek, contemporary design hotel. In promoting a healthy lifestyle, SIRO One provides in-house consultations with a nutritionist, Heeral Shivnani, for visitors seeking dietary guidance. During the summer months, Shivnani advises everyone to not only apply sunscreen, but to also eat foods that support the skin’s resistance to damage from ultraviolet light. The key ingredients and some of their sources include lycopene, derived from tomatoes, and beta-carotene, from carrots; acids and enzymes in red grapefruit and papaya reduce the skin’s sensitivity to sunburn; vitamin A from sweet potatoes and mangoes support the skin’s repair; and vitamin C, from a variety of foods, is crucial for collagen synthesis and protecting against oxidative damage.

Location: Zaa’beel Street – Za’abeel – Za’abeel 1, Dubai

Find more information here.

3. Dubai diary

“Tasmeem Memory Box,” 2024, at ICD Brookfield Place in Dubai. (Courtesy of ICD Brookfield Place)

• “Tasmeem: Graphic Dissent”

“Tasmeem,” an annual graphic design and poster exhibition based in Dubai and staged by ICD Brookfield Place Arts, has returned for its fourth edition. The show’s mission is to expand the discourse related to graphic design through the medium of the poster, as well as provide a platform for upcoming and established artistic talent in the Middle East. This year’s edition, titled “Graphic Dissent,” was conceived by the Lebanese graphic designer and printmaker Farah Fayyad and features the work of 14 individual artists, four of them working collaboratively in teams of two.

“These works remind us that visual language carries power and responsibility, paving the way for future generations to continue to speak through design,” said Fayyad in the opening press release. The artists selected for “Tasmeem” 2025  are Mohamed Abdelbasit, Adam Mariod, Ranim Al Halaky, AbdulRahman Hashlamon, Rami Hoballah, Lama Kadri, Hussein Khalifa, Hala Kamonah, Gamila El Kordy, Naz Naddaf, Milad Safaa Naji, Nisrine Sarkis, Daoud Tabibzada and Farah Teima.

Dates: Through Aug. 30

Location: ICD Brookfield Place, 312 Happiness Street, Trade Center, DIFC

Find more information here.

• “Cartographies, Revised”

In Abu Dhabi, the exhibition “Cartographies, Revised” presents a thought-provoking and personal show of photographic works on the relationship between spaces, people and memory. The works stem from a four-month residency program for artists run by the Photography Studio, a project launched by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi. On view are works by seven artists from the UAE and elsewhere that explore the idea of image making through a personal lens. In creating these works, the artists, all of them early in their careers, were asked to respond to their surroundings to capture personal and collective histories. The pieces featured are by Yousif Albadi, Aman Ali, Hessa Alzaabi, Dana Al Dhaen, Reem Hamid, Anna Jopp and Fares Al Kaabi.

The show is curated by the UAE-based conceptual artist and writer Mouza Al Matroshi, a graduate of the Slade School of Fine Art, London, who has exhibited at the V&A Museum and the Lahore Biennale.

Dates: Through Sept. 1

Location: Manarat Al Saadiyat, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi

Find more information here.

• "Summer Collective: Wavering Hope"

The exhibition “Summer Collective: Wavering Hope,” at the Ayyam Gallery, showcases works by a variety of Syrian artists, among them Yasmine Al Awa, Tammam Azzam and Safwan Dahoul, exploring struggles with the political and emotional aftermath of conflict. The exhibition offers a timely look at Syria’s present and past following the toppling of the Assad dynasty in late 2024.

Dates: Through Sept. 5

Location: Ayyam Gallery, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai

Find more information here.