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Seeking Al Seef

Opening on Saturday 24th November.
We welcome the winter months with Seeking Al Seef by Martin Giesen an exhibition of works on paper exploring the multi facetted world of Dubai Creek.

If you travel along Al Seef the stretch of waterfront along Dubai’s creek, you could be forgiven you thought you were in a historic neighborhood. Wind tower houses, narrow alleys, restaurants and shops all seem grown organically over decades into a port community on the Arabian Gulf. In reality, Al-Seef is a typical Dubai project: brand new and unabashedly geared towards commerce. It utilizes the Venice-like appeal of a city on the water. It boldly appropriates the historical appearance of 19^th century regional architecture but constructs this nostalgic tableau with contemporary building technology. The result is a 1,8 km long neighborhood with invisible underground parking, upscale hotel and event facilities, all hidden behind the stage set of an artfully aged and romanticized market town of merchants and pearl fishers.

Memorable art always tells at least two stories: The story of content and the story of form. The content story of Dubai reflects our contemporary dilemma. We demand universality and equality but insist that identity is a treasure. We seek global integration and witness a shrinking planet but aim to safeguard cultural authenticity.

The formal story of Giesen’s watercolors reiterates modernist concerns. It plays with degrees of abstraction, explores patterns both repetitive and colorful, shifting intermittently to a representational even figurative focus.

Nestling beside Al Seef is the authentic Al Fahidi Neighbourhood which like the creek has sustained itself through the years. Years that have seen Dubai almost forsake its origins.

Martins paintings bring us back to those origins

click here to view the entire collection

Davina Dutton

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A Celebration of the Human Spirit

An Exhibition of Hot Cast Bronze Sculpture

By Karel Zijlstra opened on Saturday 17th of March

and runs until the end of April

This superb exhibition is our contribution to this years Sikka Art Fair

There is something very special about owning a “real sculpture,” especially a bronze one. They become part of you, their patina taking on the effects of being touched, their personality adding to the spirit of your home, you might even find yourself greeting them as you walk into their space.

It was our good fortune that Karel Zijlstra came across our website a couple of years ago and decided to contact us. The resulting show Black Cloth and Bronze with fellow artists Paul Wadsworth lit up the dark days in the middle of the recession. Karels work reminds one that life has more depth than the here and now and the spirit of past lives still fills the air we breathe.

Visit Karel’s Portfolio

View – Karel Zijlstra Catalogue

Rock Sand and Sea, New works by John R Harris

From Saturday 10th of February from 10am – 6pm the exhibition will run until Thursday March 8th.

John has been painting in the UAE for nearly 30 years He has an inate knowledge of and love for the landscape. His watercolours immediately transport you to the very spot from which he made his original observations and sketches.
Alison often describes John as an artist who can capture 5 Kilometres in just 5 centimetres. His work, understandably’ takes pride of place in many personal and corporate collections.

Click Here to see the full collection.

We are delighted to welcome Nick Bashall back as our January Artist in Residence

Born in England and raised in Zimbabwe, Nick returned to the UK to study law at Cambridge, where he was also a heavyweight boxing blue. A stint in London with one of the big solicitors’ firms preceded six years working in Pakistan and Dubai, saving up the money to study painting full time. He then trained under the Spanish maestro Joaquin Torrents Llado in Majorca for five years before becoming a full time artist in London in 1997 . Working mainly in oils and charcoal, Nick is renown for his ability to get beneath the skin of his sitters. Antecedents as well as descendants appear during the painting process with the finished portrait being something that goes deeper than pure likeness. Below are just a few examples of Nick’s work, more can be seen on his website www.nickbashall.com

Nick has lowered his London prices for Dubai He loves to come here and to give back to a country that helped nurture his creative spirit. His prices include VAT

Charcoals, head and shoulders

Children 8,250 AED

Adults 10,000 AED

Oil Sketches head and shoulders

Children 16,500 AED

Adults 20,000 AED

Groups are also a possibility

Two sittings of around two hours each following an initial “chat” are usually needed to complete a commission. To meet Nick in his studio at The Majlis Gallery and talk through the process please phone Alison on 050 4503853

Click Here to see Nick Bashall Portfolio

25 Squared

25 Squared

In November 2014 we celebrated our 25th anniversary. Many of our artists contributed to a wonderful installation of identical sized priced and framed artwork, obviously with very varied content. We have a few of these iconic pieces left and now all at half price so 1250 instead of the original 2500. There are some real “corkers” from some very well known artists just waiting to be snapped up.

Nick Bashall

Nick Bashall is one of England’s leading portrait painters.

Born in England and raised in Zimbabwe, Nick returned to the UK to study law at Cambridge – where he was also the heavyweight boxing blue. A stint in London with one of the big solicitors’ firms preceded six years working in Pakistan and Dubai, saving up the money to study painting full time. He then trained under the Spanish maestro Joaquin Torrents Llado in Majorca for five years before becoming a full time artist in London in 1997.

Now, nearly twenty five years later he has earned a reputation as a prolific portrait artist. His many illustrious commissions include: HRH Princess Anne, Bill Powers President of the University of Texas, HRH Princess Michael of Kent and the former head of the British army General Sir Michael Jackson. He is also renowned for his portraits of children, in both oil and charcoal. In addition Nick has a couple of intriguing side shows. As a war artist, he’s painted on the streets of Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq in front of hundreds of locals – guarded by the British Army.

He regularly performs as a painter at Glastonbury, Secret Garden Party and Wilderness. These festivals provide him with a large tent where he and some of his former students paint festival goers from life accompanied by DJs.

Nick works from life to commission. For details contact the gallery.

View Nick Bashall Portfolio

Welcome to the New Season at The Majlis Gallery

A very full season that promises lots of great exhibitions from our established artists as well as work from new talents and some great artifacts that we have sourced for you from all over the world.

Here is just a taster

On a trip to Sicily Alison found a wonderful family run company that produces hand made glass plates, bowls, serving dishes and platters, every piece is unique.

We also have a new selection of highly use able ash glazed ceramic table ware from ceramicist Peter Swanson who works very much in the tradition of Bernard Leach, Hennie Meyers funky jugs that come all the way from South Africa; and iconic Carol Boyes cutlery. What better way to start your day than breakfast out of a hand-made bowl with a beautiful spoon! And so that your table can feel some of the love, why not check-out our wonderful indigo table cloths from Jaipur.

You’ll also find a great selection of hand painted mirror frames, some beautiful locally made wooden boxes, candle holders and many more “lovely things”.

Our exhibition and workshop programme until the early New Year

For details on workshops contact: Alison on 0504503853

Paul Wadsworth “Arabian Festival” opens on Saturday 9th of December
We are delighted to welcome Paul back with us. He has spent the last couple of years traveling and developing his work in a new direction. This new collection focuses on all that is colourful and lively in Arabia. From Global Village to Dubai Opera from Camel Racing to Cafe Society Paul captures the vivacity of this fast paced city.

Nick Bashall

Nick is with us again this December, running his acclaimed “Portraiture in Oils” Workshops and working on commissions in Charcoal and in Oils, more details will be on the website in a few weeks but in the meantime if you are interested in knowing more please call us.

John R Harris “Rock Sand and Sea” Saturday 10th of February

An absolute master in the art of watercolour Johns love for and knowledge of the Middle Eastern landscape knows no bounds

The Summer Collection

There is a lot to see at The Majlis Gallery throughout the summer months.

As the weather heats up and the pace cools down we invite you to enjoy the ambiance and tranquility of our traditional house, a house built to withstand the rigors of the summer months, though of course we do have air-conditioning!

Glorious abstract calligraphy by Khaled Al Saai, Abdul Qader al Rais and Jamal Abdul Rahim, an extensive collection from our New Orientalists painters John R Harris, Trevor Waugh, Spencer Tart and Faramarz Mohktapour, sculpture by Lloyd Le Blanc, Karel Zijlstra, Mustafa Ali and Micheal Chaikin and our half price Art Shack form our Summer Collection. We look forward to welcoming you.

Our Summer timings from 1^st of June will be 10am -2pm

The Surface and Beneath by Khaled Al Saai – Saturday March 4th – Thursday 6th April 2017

Khaled is a man wise beyond his years. Deeply contemplative and quietly confidant he is not only a driving force behind modern Arabic calligraphic practice but also a passionate advocate of a wider understanding of this formidable art.
Recognition of his rightful place in the genre comes not only from art houses, museums, universities and collectors worldwide but also from fellow calligraphers who on numerous occasions have awarded him the title of Master of Calligraphy in both modern and traditional categories. Initially this ability to stride the role of being a painter and a calligrapher was a dilemma until with maturity he accepted that the two exist along side, no decision had to be taken, in fact the discipline of conforming to the edicts of the seven “pillars” of Arabic Calligraphy, Thuluth, Naskh, Tualeeq, Kufic, Diwani, Diwani Jali Jali and Regga feeds his abstract spirit allowing his painterly being to soar.

Khaled’s fascination with the written word was kindled and nurtured through growing up in Syria, in a family to whom creativity, visual, musical, poetic and edible! was part of daily life. His work is often a reflection on the emotions of freedom and discovery associated with his childhood though recently it has become more reflective on the bigger issues facing the world in general
Khaled travels extensively
Universities and pretigous galleries in Morocco, Europe, The States, South America all regularly host lectures, workshops and exhibitions.

Click below to download the complete Catalogue.

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