Miramar Al Nayyar, Indicative, 2024, Installation

Courtesy: Tabari Artspace

Tabari Artspace was founded in 2003 by Maliha Tabari in Dubai, at a time when the UAE’s art scene was still in its infancy. The gallery was established with a dual mission: to preserve the histories of craft emerging from the MENA region, and to elevate young Gulf artists on the global stage. Tabari Artspace’s forward-thinking vision places it at the forefront of contemporary art, bridging the region’s rich heritage with its dynamic future.

Since 2017, Tabari, who is trained as an artist herself, has re-envisioned the gallery to create a platform that reflects both the storied past and the ever-evolving present. The gallery’s programme combines the depth of Arab heritage with the promise of emerging artists. This international outlook began with Tabari’s recognition that artists from the Arab world were largely absent from Western art circuits. She made it her mission to represent artists creating unique visual languages in their own contexts. In Egypt, this included the late Adam Henein, known for his sculpture, and Omar El-Nagdi, renowned for his abstract expressionism. In Lebanon, she worked with Hussein Madi, who gained recognition for blending Cubism with Islamic abstraction. Tabari also launched the careers of influential artists such as Saudi Arabian Ahmed Mater, Iranian Farhad Moshiri, Syrian Louay Kayyali, and Egyptian Mohamed Abla and Adel Siwi.

By connecting mid-career artists with emerging talent, Tabari Artspace has built a robust international collector base, interested in the evolving artistic production from the region across generations. The gallery has also become a platform for exhibition-making and artist mentorship, with a growing focus on female-centred narratives, particularly from the Gulf. Tabari has worked with Kuwaiti, Emirati, and Saudi artists such as Alymamah Rashed, Maitha Abdalla, Maha Aljarallah, and Lulwah Al Homoud, highlighting the importance of regional women’s voices in contemporary art.

The gallery’s all-women team plays an integral role in nurturing overlooked artists and placing their work within a broader historical context. As Tabari Artspace enters its second decade, its artists form a living visual archive of social change, contested borders, and evolving aesthetic movements in the MENA region. With its base in Dubai and a branch at Cromwell Place in London since 2015, the gallery provides visibility for its artists through international exhibitions, residencies, and creative collaborations with other institutions.

In line with its research-driven approach, Tabari Artspace functions as an incubator for artists’ growth. Recently, the gallery partnered with the renovated boutique hotel La Serena in Forte Dei Marmi to launch an artist residency programme. This space, part creative sanctuary and part maker’s studio, is located near marble and stone foundries, offering opportunities for material exploration that align with the gallery’s emphasis on contemporary craft.

Committed to embracing new discourses and amplifying the voices of women and youth, Tabari Artspace is dedicated to documenting and showcasing the art practices of MENA, positioning them alongside the international art scene. Its roster of artists has been featured in major institutions and biennials, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Institut du Monde Arabe, Sharjah Art Museum, Venice Biennale, São Paulo Biennial, Sharjah Biennial, and more. Their work is held in collections such as the Barjeel Art Foundation, British Museum, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, The Khalid Shoman Collection, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, and Yale University Art Gallery.