News DeskAbu Dhabi: Under the honorary founding patronage of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF), in collaboration with the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA), is set to present Proximities — a first-of-its-kind exhibition of Emirati visual art in Seoul, South Korea. The exhibition will run from 16 December 2025 to 29 March 2026.
Showcasing more than 100 works by 47 artists, including 33 Emirati artists, the exhibition spans three generations and five decades, highlighting the evolution of Emirati visual art. Featured artists include Hassan Sharif, Abdullah Al Saadi, Shaikha Al Mazrou, Ala Younis, Rand Abduljabbar, and Jumairy.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed said: “The UAE and the Republic of Korea share a deep and enduring bond, strengthened by a flourishing partnership across diverse sectors. Culture and the arts serve as a shining example, beautifully embodied in the collaboration between ADMAF and SeMA as part of Abu Dhabi Festival. This landmark exhibition marks a significant chapter in our shared journey of artistic exploration and exchange.”
The exhibition underscores UAE-Korean relations, rooted in decades of trust, mutual respect, and cooperation. “Through this milestone collaboration, Abu Dhabi Festival reaffirms its commitment to enhancing the UAE’s cultural presence globally, building strategic partnerships with esteemed international cultural institutions, cultivating meaningful creative dialogue and advancing a sustainable cultural renaissance,” Sheikh Abdullah added.
Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo, Founder of ADMAF and Abu Dhabi Festival, said: “Proximities spans photography, video, painting, sculpture, performance and installation, tracing shifts in meaning, understanding, and cultural dialogue. The exhibition strengthens the presence of Emirati artists on the global stage and broadens understanding of the role of the arts in shaping a progressive future.”
The exhibition, co-curated by Maya El Khalil and Eunju Kim, unfolds through three thematic propositions, developed in collaboration with guest curators and artist duos, including Farah Al Qasimi, Mohammed Kazem, Cristiana de Marchi, and the trio Ramin Haerizadeh, Rokni Haerizadeh, and Hesam Rahmanian (RRH).
Maya El Khalil explained: “Proximities is an exhibition of overlapping dynamics — across geographies, generations, and creative collaborations. Each section offers distinct ways to experience the world, from the domestic everyday to fabulation, abstraction, and statecraft, encouraging audiences to reflect and engage.”
Eunju Kim added: “The exhibition delves into the contemporary resonance of artistic exchange between Korea and the UAE. It invites viewers to explore human connections through the lens of Emirati artists, fostering dialogue, imagination, and mutual understanding.”
Proximities represents the second chapter of a three-year collaboration between ADMAF and SeMA, following Layered Medium: We Are in Open Circuits, a media-based exhibition exploring Korean art from the 1960s to the present, held in Abu Dhabi earlier this year. The partnership also includes co-commissioned artworks, artist residencies, knowledge-sharing initiatives, and public programmes in both Abu Dhabi and Seoul.
