The Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and the Barjeel Arts Foundation have announced the organization of the major retrospective exhibition 'Witnesses of Change', which will run until June 30, 2026, at the Union Museum. The 'Witnesses of Change' exhibition showcases the growth of the UAE's artistic identity over five decades. It features approximately 60 artworks from the Barjeel Arts Foundation's collection, bearing the signatures of a select group of pioneering and contemporary artists who lived and worked in the state since 1971. These works, through painting, photography, sculpture, and multimedia, document the journey of local art and its transformations. The exhibition offers an inspiring dialogue between different generations of Emirati artists and creators from Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, and Bahrain. The artworks range from early landscapes to abstract experiments, calligraphy, and architectural documentation, reflecting the evolution of concepts of national identity and collective memory over time. 'Dubai Culture' signed a memorandum of understanding with the Barjeel Arts Foundation to expand the horizons of cooperation and activate common communication channels, creating an integrated system that strengthens the partnership between the public and private sectors. The Executive Director of the Museums and Heritage Sector at 'Dubai Culture', Mona Faisal Al Qarqash, highlighted the importance of the art exhibition and its role in documenting the rapid social, economic, and urban transformations witnessed by the UAE over the past five decades. She stated: 'The exhibition serves as an inspiring artistic space that brings together museum experts and artists at the Union Museum, making it a symbolic event that highlights the local art scene and embodies the convergence of cultural heritage with the spirit of innovation and future vision, reflecting Dubai's leadership as a global destination for envisioning the future of the museum sector.' She also noted that the exhibition reflects 'Dubai Culture's' commitment and its targeted responsibilities to enhance public engagement with the arts, make culture accessible to all, and solidify Dubai's status as a global cultural hub, a cradle of creativity, and a meeting point for talents. The founder of the Barjeel Arts Foundation, Sultan Saud Al Qasimi, said: 'We are delighted to collaborate with 'Dubai Culture' to celebrate five decades of art in the UAE through the 'Witnesses of Change' exhibition. It is an invitation to pause and reflect on our rich cultural heritage, shaped by a select group of pioneering and emerging artists from across the country. This collaboration also provides the public with the opportunity to discover a wide range of works from the Barjeel Arts Foundation's collection, some of which are being displayed to the public for the first time.' The Art Curator at the Barjeel Arts Foundation and the curator of the 'Witnesses of Change' exhibition, Rami Hammous, said: 'We are pleased to present an exhibition based on our methodology, which is based on gender balance, confirming our commitment to highlighting the contributions of women creators in enriching the local art scene.'
