Exploring what lies beyond sight with Mohamed Mazrouei
Fine dining, frozen frontiers and fresh perspectives in art and literature
Welcome back to Al-Monitor Dubai.
This week we highlight an upcoming solo exhibition of works by the Emirati artist Mohamed Al Mazrouei, a lecture at NYU Abu Dhabi Institute on the first Emirati scientific mission to Antarctica, the Dubai debut exhibition by the photographer and musician Bryan Adams, and the influx of new millionaires to the United Arab Emirates.
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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: “The Blind Man,” by Mohamed Al Mazrouei
Mohamed Al Mazrouei, “Stoicism,” acrylic on canvas, 2015. (Courtesy of the artist)
The emotionally charged, expressionistic figurative paintings of the Emirati artist Mohamed Al Mazrouei come to Abu Dhabi this month in a solo exhibition at the Iyad Qanazea Gallery.
Born in Tanta, Egypt, in 1962 and based in the UAE since the mid-1980s, the multidisciplinary artist often focuses on the human face and body through expressive brushstrokes and the recurring motif of large, piercing eyes in his figurative work.
A poet and writer as well, Al Mazrouei has over the last four decades painted canvases laden with archetypal symbols, color, and expressive figures inspired by myth and memory. He also champions creative freedom through his work, inviting viewers to confront uncomfortable emotions and the depths of human experience.
“Blindness denies vision,” wrote Al Mazrouei in his artist statement. “Thus we become controls over a meaning that imposed its physicality on societies and human issues, breaking them up into two divisions that only respond to the need to be rid of pains that do not belong to us.”
Titled the “The Blind Man,” Al Mazrouei’s exhibition continues his exploration of ideas related to human perception, instinct, and the unseen forces that shape our understanding of daily life and the world we inhabit.
Date: Sept. 11–Oct. 25
Location: Iyad Qanazea Gallery, Abu Dhabi
Find more information here.
2. Word on the street: Mayg
An interior view of Mayg in Dubai. (Courtesy of Mayg)
Delicious dishes creatively unite Japanese and French gastronomy at Mayg. Executive chef Aadel Ouaoua brings two decades of experience, working in the kitchens of Paris, Barcelona, Rome, and London. Amid an upscale setting of copper accents, arabesque-style chandeliers nodding to a French aesthetic and touches of red reminiscent of the Japanese flag, every plate offers an explosion of decadent succulence presented with aesthetic beauty and precision. Be sure to try the salmon ceviche with sashimi, mango, avocado, and shiitake and the Wagyu striploin grilled over oak. To round off the meal with a sweet ending, try the Carrement tous chocolat, made with Gianduja, roasted hazelnuts, and tanka bean praline sauce. Mayg plans to open a sushi bar and terrace in the upcoming months.
Location: Building 11, Dubai Design District
Find more information here.
3. Dubai diary
Bryan Adams attends the Charity Dinner "Wiesn Wiesn - Art Against Depression" at Hotel The Wellem on March 13, 2022 in Duesseldorf, Germany. (Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)
- To the Edge of the Earth: The First Emirati Scientific Mission to Antarctica
The NYU Abu Dhabi Institute will present a fascinating lecture in mid-September charting the Antarctic journey of two Emiratis — Ahmed Alkaabi, head of the Meteorological and Geophysical Studies Section, National Center of Meteorology (NCM), and Badr Al Ameri, senior application engineer at NCM — as part of the UAE’s first official scientific mission to the South Pole.
Alkaabi and Al Ameri will discuss the challenges and developments during their trip, including how to survive in one of the most extreme environments on Earth. The talk will also cover the scientific objectives of the mission, among them the installation of an automated weather station and seismic station, and reveal the personal and logistical challenges the men faced.
Date: Sept. 16
Location: NYU Abu Dhabi Institute
Find more information here.
- #SHOTBYADAMS, by Bryan Adams
You may be familiar with Bryan Adams, the Canadian musician and songwriter, but many do not know that he is also an accomplished portrait photographer whose sitters include Kate Moss, Mick Jagger, and the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. Adams will stage his first exhibition in the Middle East at the JD Malat Gallery, presenting a new direction in his artistic practice marked by colored portraits in plexiglass that explore ideas of fame, perception, and contemporary identity.
Date: Through Sept. 30
Location: JD Malat Gallery, Dubai
Find more information here.
- Shahzad Hassan Ghazi: Grace versus Strength
The dreamy works of the Dubai-based Pakistani artist Shahzad Hassan Ghazi are on view at the Leila Heller Gallery in Dubai. Although known for minimalist abstract paintings merging references and inspiration from Persian and Mughal miniature paintings, Ghazi at the same time explores contemporary aesthetics in his pieces. Some of his work is filled with elaborate patterns and vibrant colors, but others feature more abstract, minimalist forms. He often incorporates ornaments, another reference to traditional Asian art practices, and the idea of how ornaments are intended to give heightened visual pleasure.
Date: Through Sept. 15
Location: Leila Gallery, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai
Find more information here.
4. Book of the week: “Empty Cages,” by Fatma Qandil
This English translation of Fatma Qandil, the 2022 winner of the Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature, is a recommended read for anyone wanting to delve into contemporary Arab literature. Set in Egypt, the novel revisits the author’s childhood as the youngest child in a middle-class family, marked by hardship: her father’s addiction, her mother’s illness and her older brothers’ selfishness. Translated by Adam Talub, the book explores human grief and survival.
5. View from Dubai
A train runs over a section of Dubai's Palm Monorail, with a backdrop of the city's high rise buildings on August 28, 2025. (FADEL SENNA/AFP via Getty Images)
6. By the numbers
- The UAE is expected to attract a record 9,800 millionaires this year, largely due to its regulatory reforms and tax-free lifestyle, according to the Wealth Migration Report 2025, published by the migration advisor Henley & Partners and the wealth intelligence firm New World Wealth
- Although the UAE is first on the list of estimated wealth of migrating millionaires in US dollars, followed by the United States, with 7,500 new wealthy migrants expected to make it their home by the end of 2025, Saudi Arabia saw the largest growth rate, with an expected 2,400 new millionaires moving to the Gulf nation, up about 700% compared to last year.