Of land, water and borders

Welcome back to AL-MONITOR Dubai.

As the US-Israel-Iran war enters its fourth week, life in the United Arab Emirates is adjusting to what many describe as a “new normal” — echoing the shifts seen during the coronavirus pandemic.

While many in Dubai continue to work from home, some offices have reopened with precautions in place, and major events have been rescheduled. Art Dubai, one of the region’s leading international art fairs, has postponed its 20th anniversary edition from April 17-19 to May 14-17 due to the conflict. The fair will still take place at Madinat Jumeirah, albeit in what organizers describe as “a more focused and flexible format.”

This week, we highlight a show in Kalba, in the emirate of Sharjah, exploring how national borders shape land and sea, alongside an exhibition marking Dubai-based Gallery Isabelle’s 20th anniversary, featuring artists and writers from across the Middle East.

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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: ‘Of Land and Water’

John Akomfrah, “Vertigo Sea” (still), 2015. Sharjah Art Foundation Collection. (Image courtesy of Smoking Dogs Films and Lisson Gallery)

How do national borders shape access to land and sea, and how do they affect the lives of those who inhabit them? “Of Land and Water,” an exhibition staged by the Sharjah Art Foundation, explores these questions. Marking the first presentation of works from the foundation’s collection on the emirate’s east coast, the show brings together large-scale pieces by nine international artists and collectives, examining ideas of borders and statehood, and how, despite these boundaries, waterways continue to connect lands and people.

Inspired by the coastal setting of Kalba, the exhibition features works by Babak Afrassiabi, Nasrin Tabatabai, Taloi Havini, Walid Siti, GCC, Nabil El Makhloufi, Nesrine Khodr, Marwan Rechmaoui, Jompet Kuswidananto and John Akomfrah. Together, the works juxtapose the ambitions of postcolonial nation-states with the enduring grief of those displaced from their native lands. Through their work, the artists suggest that what remains of these lands often results in fragmented identities.

Across the exhibition, water emerges as an alternative way of defining territory — a conduit through which history, culture and mythology flow across generations and beyond physical borders.

Date: Until May 31

Location: Kalba Ice Factory, Kalba

Find more information here.

2. Word on the street: Sohum Wellness Sanctuary

An exterior view of Sohum Wellness Sanctuary in Dubai. (Courtesy of Sohum Wellness Sanctuary)

At a time when many are seeking moments of calm, the newly opened Sohum Wellness Sanctuary, a luxury spa and Ayurveda center in Dubai, offers a quiet retreat from both city life and current pressures. Named after the Sanskrit mantra “sohum,” meaning “I am that,” the sanctuary features seven treatment rooms with private saunas, steam rooms and plunge pools, as well as dedicated studios for yoga and sound healing. It also houses TAAM, a homegrown dining concept rooted in nature and mindfulness, serving largely plant-based dishes. As part of its community commitment during this period, Sohum is offering complimentary group yoga and meditation classes throughout March, encouraging guests to unwind, reconnect, and calm both mind and body through movement and mindfulness.

Location: Al Quoz, Dubai 

Find more information here.

3. Dubai diary

Hassan Sharif, “Four Bright and ‘555,’ Made in China” (2007), aluminium and nylon rope. (Courtesy of Gallery Isabelle)

• Gallery Isabelle celebrates 20th anniversary 

Marking its 20th anniversary this year, Gallery Isabelle has launched a 20-day exhibition titled “Move Pause Return.” The show unfolds day by day, featuring one work unveiled daily, each accompanied by a short note from an emerging curator or writer in the Middle Eastern art scene. On the first day, the gallery presented a work by late pioneering Emirati conceptual artist Hassan Sharif titled “Four Bright and ‘555,’ Made in China,” a sculpture from his “Objects” series (begun in 1982) that critiques the rapid consumerism and mass production transforming Dubai as the oil economy shifted the nation from a nomadic society into a global metropolis. The showing of diverse artists each day aims to show how art does not remain fixed within the moment of its making but evolves over time through the significance of its various encounters.

Date: Until April 11, 2026

Location: Gallery Isabelle

Find more information here. 

• Zayed National Museum’s April Learning and Public Engagement Program

Abu Dhabi’s Zayed National Museum, which opened in early December 2025, has announced its April Learning and Public Engagement program, prompting visitors to explore the UAE's history, culture and heritage through specially devised tours, workshops, and hands-on creative and educational experiences. Between April 2 and April 6, the museum will celebrate World Autism Awareness Day with a dedicated weekend event offering experiences especially for those with autism and their families and caregivers. On April 13, Al Dhuha Hour, referring to the optional Sunnah prayer (Salat al-Duha), performed between sunrise and the midday Dhuhr prayer, will host its second session. Taking place now on a monthly basis, the April session will open with a botanical eco-printing session using traditional Emirati flowers and plants. Beyond these events, the museum will host its ongoing program of tours and workshops inviting guests to view its various collections and displays reflecting Emirati history, heritage and culture. 

Date: Throughout April

Location: Zayed National Museum, Abu Dhabi 

Find more information here.

• ‘Spectra of the Beautiful Past’

This exhibition presents works by several prominent Emirati modern artists, including Abdulrahim Salem and Najat Makki at Bait Sheikh Saeed bin Hamad Al Qasimi heritage house in the town of Kalba in Sharjha. The artworks on display reflect feelings of nostalgia and appreciation for slower times in the United Arab Emirates before the period of rapid urbanization. The exhibition’s venue was built in the early 20th century and named after the ruler of Kalba.

Date: Until May 31

Location: Bait Sheikh Saeed bin Hamad Al Qasimi, Kalba, Sharjah

Find more information here.