421 Arts Campus Announces Spring Season Featuring New Exhibitions and 20+ Public Programs Centered on Memory and Connection
Taking place from April 10 onwards, the Spring 2025 Program features two ongoing and two upcoming exhibitions, alongside a range of engaging programs exploring the interconnectedness of people, nature, and memory
Spring 2025 Program
Workshops, talks, and special events
Running from April 10 to June 21, 2025
Ongoing Exhibitions
Alla Abdunabi: Are your memories of me enough for you?
Part of the Artistic Development Program
Gallery 1
On view until May 4, 2025
Abdullah Al Saadi: Sites of Memory, Sites of Amnesia
Curated by Tarek Abou El Fetouh
Gallery 2
On view until May 4, 2025
Upcoming Exhibitions
Ana Escobar Saavedra: It Starts Where It Ends
Part of the Artistic Development Program
Gallery 1
May 18 to September 21, 2025
Unstable Grounds: 2025 MFA Graduate Exhibition
In collaboration with New York University Abu Dhabi
Gallery 2
May 18 to September 21, 2025
We are pleased to present the Spring 2025 Program. Running from April 10 to June 21, this season features two ongoing major exhibitions and two upcoming ones, and over 20 workshops and special events focused on shared collective memory — among both humans and non-humans.
This season encourages activities that prompt reflection and grounding. The exhibitions Abdullah Al Saadi: Sites of Memory, Sites of Amnesia and Alla Abdunabi: Are your memories of me enough for you? continue into the season until May 4. Opening on May 18 are the exhibitions Ana Escobar Saavedra: It Starts Where It Ends, a solo exhibition that is part of the 2025 Artistic Development Program; and Unstable Grounds: 2025 MFA Graduate Exhibition, a group show presenting works by the graduates of the Masters in Fine Arts at New York University Abu Dhabi.
This season’s program offers a range of workshops and events designed to encourage the community to access memory through unexpected entry points and reconnect with the world around them. Returning 421 favorites include Jamming Sessions, Performance Co/Lab, the Khayal Series, Messy Play, Pencil In, and another Performance Soiree. Alongside these are exciting new offerings such as film screenings, photo walks, a food soiree and more.
This season also introduces fresh, creative hands-on workshops such as “The Art of Wire” and “Sew It Your Way” for ages 11+. For the botanical enthusiasts, we have a range of nature-driven workshops including “Growing Mushrooms”, in collaboration with Below Farm, and “Plant as Time Keepers”, a unique workshop on collection and illustrating flora.
A detailed schedule of the Spring 2025 Program is outlined below:
Ongoing Exhibitions
Alla Abdunabi: Are your memories of me enough for you?
Part of the Artistic Development Program
Gallery 1
On view until May 4, 2025
Alla Abdunabi’s first solo exhibition presents a new body of work that critiques and engages with simulacra, a concept used in philosophy and cultural studies to analyze how symbols shape our perceptions of what is accepted as “real.”
Central to the exhibition is the narrative of the Barbary lion, whose physical extinction and symbolic immortality serve as the perfect illustration of this phenomenon. Once native to North Africa, the Barbary lion was hunted into extinction by imperial powers, becoming a casualty of both ecological destruction and colonial assertion of dominance over nature. Yet, even in death, the Barbary lion lives on as a potent symbol of imperial power and grandeur.
The exhibition uses the lion’s duality—its mortal extinction and its symbolic resurrection—to explore how colonial violence often outlives the physical acts of subjugation, continuing to exert influence through symbols and representations.
Alla Abdunabi is participating in the 2025 cycle of the 421 Artistic Development Program, mentored by Jolaine Frizzell. The Artistic Development Program is an annual capacity-building program that gives early-career artists in the UAE the opportunity to develop an experimental body of work in a solo exhibition for the first time.
Abdullah Al Saadi: Sites of Memory, Sites of Amnesia
Curated by Tarek Abou El Fetouh
Gallery 2
On view until May 4, 2025
Abdullah Al Saadi: Sites of Memory, Sites of Amnesia, curated by Tarek Abou El Fetouh features ten works by Abdullah Al Saadi and offers a reflection on his decades-long artistic practice. Expanding on the work initially presented in the UAE National Pavilion at the Biennale di Venezia in 2024, the exhibition is designed to show the prolific artist’s work in the UAE, giving the local arts community and the wider audiences across the country the opportunity to encounter Al Saadi’s practice more intimately.
The exhibition is an invitation to enter Abdullah Al Saadi’s singular world and to wander among its unique and rich features. This is a journey where visitors move along a path, discovering both the displayed artworks and hidden art pieces in metal chests. In a re-enactment of the artist’s ritual with visitors in his studio, the concealed works are revealed by performers, who are constantly present in the space. They interact with visitors, telling them stories and giving them clues about the artist’s journeys and the collective memory that Al Saadi summons into the present, and meticulously preserves for the future.
Upcoming Exhibitions
Ana Escobar Saavedra: It Starts Where It Ends
Part of the Artistic Development Program
Gallery 1
May 18 to September 21, 2025
Ana Escobar Saavedra’s first solo exhibition, It Starts Where It Ends, explores the nuances of identity, identification, and representation.
Ana Escobar Saavedra is participating in the 2025 cycle of the 421 Artistic Development Program (ADP), mentored by Jolaine Frizzell. ADP is an annual capacity-building initiative that provides early-career artists in the UAE with the opportunity to explore new techniques, test ideas, and create a cohesive body of work for their first solo exhibition.
Unstable Grounds: 2025 MFA Graduate Exhibition
In collaboration with New York University Abu Dhabi
Gallery 2
May 18 to September 21, 2025
Unstable Grounds: 2025 MFA Graduate Exhibition presents the work of graduate students completing the two-year Master of Fine Arts in Art and Media at New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD). Marking the fourth year of collaboration between 421 Arts Campus and NYUAD, this exhibition highlights the research and experimentation of the 2025 MFA cohort, whose work explores the environment, displacement, migration, memory, and human connection.
The artists in this exhibition, Dima Abou Zannad, Bao, Adele Bea Cipste, Hala El Abora, Mowen Li (Amira), Jude Maharmeh, Safeya Sharif, and Danutė Vaitekūnaitė, engage with themes of the origin stories of flora, fauna, and water as metaphors for environmental and economic cycles; memory and its role in shaping contemporary perceptions; and communion as a site of vulnerability and celebration, reflecting on displacement, community, and belonging.
Through this collaboration, 421 Arts Campus and NYUAD support the development of emerging contemporary practices in the region, providing MFA graduates with a platform to share their artistic research and growth. The program continues to evolve, attracting artists from around the world at different stages in their careers, expanding through increased student enrollment, visiting artist engagements, and post-MFA opportunities such as residencies with 421 and Yale School of Art.
Spring 2025 Program
April 10 to June 21, 2025
Returning This Season
Writing Circle
Pencil In: A Writers’ Group
Date: April 10, May 22 and 29, June 19
Pencil In is a writers’ group created to provide a supportive environment for writers to write alone, together! We at 421 love the idea of body-doubling (working near or around someone to help stay focused and engaged) when we are working, writing, and creating.
These sessions are designed for writers to practice their craft without the pressures of producing a final outcome. Drop-ins are welcome. Each session includes a free cup of coffee from Auro cafe for participating writers.
Open to ages 18 and above. No prior experience is required, just a love for the written word!
Workshop
Jamming Session: Syrian Kitchen Flavors
Date: April 13
Discover the secrets behind one of Syria’s most beloved street foods! In this hands-on cooking class, you’ll learn how to prepare traditional Syrian shawarma from scratch—including marinating techniques, grilling methods, and assembling the perfect wrap. Along the way, explore the rich history and cultural significance of shawarma in Syrian cuisine and daily life. Perfect for food lovers and home chefs eager to expand their skills, this workshop offers an immersive culinary experience you won’t want to miss.
“Jamming Sessions: Home Cooking Series” is a workshop series led by UAE’s home chefs. Each session features a family duo who teach participants their traditional recipes as handed down through their relatives. The sessions are accompanied by a playlist that sets the scene of a home kitchen.
Workshop
Jamming Session: Maamoul Making
Date: June 1
Soft, delicately spiced, and filled with sweet dates or nuts, ma'moul is the ultimate Eid sweet treat of the Arab world.
In this special workshop, Rawan and her family welcome you into their gluten-free kitchen, where they’ve reimagined this beloved delicacy to be enjoyed by all, including those with gluten allergens. As a family who has navigated food allergies, they’ve found alternative ways to make traditional dishes with recipes that preserve the essence of their ingredients while making it accessible to everyone.
“Jamming Sessions: Home Cooking Series” is a workshop series led by UAE’s home chefs. Each session features a family duo who teach participants their traditional recipes as handed down through their relatives. The sessions are accompanied by a playlist that sets the scene of a home kitchen.
Workshop
Performance Co/lab
Date: April 13 and May 11
Performance Co/Lab is an open invitation to individuals looking to explore movement practices. Through a sustained program, participants will explore performance exercises such as contact improvisation, breath work, acting warm-ups, games, and techniques. Each session will introduce new and unique exercises throughout the duration of the Performance Co/Lab program. Performance Co/Lab is a gathering facilitated by the community for the community.
Children’s Workshop
Khayal Series: Tales of the Lion
Date: May 10
This exciting storytelling and craft session will bring a lion’s tale to life!
The session will begin with a dramatic narration of the lion’s tale accompanied with interactive props such as masks and puppets.
The story will then be brought to life by crafting vibrant, textured collages using fabric, clay, paper, and other materials, reimagining the lion’s adventure through their own creative lens.
This session is suitable for families with children 6 and over. Parents and guardians are welcome to join the session and support their little ones.
Children’s Workshop
Khayal Series: Buzzing into the Garden
Date: May 31
We step into a world of springtime wonders in this enchanting storytelling and craft session celebrating the magic of nature and bees!
Through vivid narration and interactive props, flowers, buzzing bees, and jars of “magical honey”, we will be transported into a tale of discovery, pollination, and the sweetness of the season.
Inspired by the story, we’ll get hands-on, building our own beehives and crafting honey lollipops to take home, a little taste of spring’s magic, made by the young artists!
This session is suitable for families with children 6 and over. Parents and guardians are welcome to join the session and support their little ones.
Children’s Workshop
Messy Play: Lion’s Roar of Color
Date: April 27
Join us for Messy Play, a hands-on workshop series for young explorers ages 1-6.
In this session our explorers will meet the mighty barbary lion, inspired by the exhibition Alla Abdunabi: Are your memories of me enough for you?, by creating their own vibrant lion face.
Children’s Workshop
Messy Play: Muddy Boots & Little Treasures
Date: June 1
Join us for Messy Play, a hands-on workshop series for young explorers ages 1-6. In this session their little hands (and feet!) can dig, stomp, splash, and explore!
Inspired by our spring exhibition Ana Escobar Saavedra: It Starts Where It Ends, this hands-on sensory session invites little explorers to discover the textures and forms of natural materials through digging, stomping, and water play.
Performance
Performance Soiree: 421 Performance Co//ective Showcase
Date: May 25
Join us for another Performance Co//ective showcase!
Experience captivating performances by the program’s second cohort, co-facilitated by Mary Chase and Carlos Paez Gonzalez. These works will be the culmination of months of exploration in movement, writing, vocal expression, and more, developed as part of the program.
Through a fusion of dance, theater, music, and movement, they will be creating thought provoking performances that engage and inspire global audiences.
After the showcase, enjoy an opportunity to mingle with the performance artists and fellow guests.
New Programs
Youth Workshop
Sew It Your Way
Date: May 24
Age group: 11+
Unravel the art of storytelling through thread in this vibrant, hands-on workshop designed with a love for creativity and self-expression.
Guided by needle and imagination, you'll transform a plain tote bag into a stitched masterpiece, learning essential embroidery techniques along the way.
Discover how to mix colors, experiment with patterns, and bring your ideas to life with just a few simple stitches. Whether you follow a template or create something uniquely your own, this workshop will help you develop patience, focus, and a new artistic skill you can carry forward. Plus, you’ll leave with a one-of-a-kind tote, crafted by you, for you!
No prior experience needed, this workshop encourages art lovers ages 11 and above to join in!
Youth Workshop
The Art of Wire
Date: April 12
Age group: 11+
Shape, twist, and transform!
Dive into the world of sculpting with metal as you explore techniques to bend, twist, and mold wire into custom designs.
Whether you’re crafting intricate sculptures or wearable art, this session will spark your imagination and teach you how to work with wires to create expressive, three-dimensional forms.
Walk away with a one-of-a-kind creation and the skills to keep bending the boundaries of your art!
Workshop
Photowalk: Tracing textures into patterns
Date: April 26
While the weather is still at its peak, let’s step into the city with a fresh perspective in this immersive photowalk and alternative image-making workshop.
Led by an artist and designer Judy Bastaty, participants will explore the materiality of surfaces, capturing textures, patterns, and repetitions found in everyday spaces. Through creative exercises, photography, and hands-on experimentation, you’ll learn how to translate urban landscapes into visual compositions that blur the line between image and design.
Without the pull of daily interruptions, this is an opportunity to slow down, observe, and connect deeply with your surroundings.
This walk is open to everyone with a camera or smartphone, regardless of photography experience.
Workshop
Photowalk: The many lives of Mina Zayed
Date: May 10
While the weather is still at its peak, join us for another immersive photowalk, this time, tracing the many lives of the passersby of Mina Zayed.
Led by artist, photographer, and researcher Auguste Nomeikaite, we’ll wander through the sikkas of this ever-evolving neighborhood, capturing shifting landscapes.
While on this photowalk, we’ll reflect on the cycles of transformation, the stories embedded in its surfaces, and the balance between memory and change in urban life. From the details of old and new warehouses, the textures of the environments, to the ever-present street cats that have made these sikkas their home, this walk invites you to witness our beloved Mina Zayed, transforming in real-time through photography.
Without the pull of daily interruptions, this is an opportunity to slow down, observe, and connect deeply with your surroundings and fellow wanderers.
This walk is open to everyone with a camera or smartphone, regardless of photography experience.
Workshop
Plants as Time Keepers: Botanical Illustration Workshop
Date: May 31
Spring is a season of change, and plants are one of the best ways to observe time in motion. In this hands-on botanical illustration workshop, led by Sarah Sharak, artist, researcher, and illustrator, participants will explore how plants act as natural timekeepers, reflecting shifts in seasons, climate, and environment. Through guided drawing exercises and close observation, you'll learn techniques to capture the details of leaves, flowers, and stems while considering how plants document the world around them.
Whether you're new to illustration or already have experience, this workshop offers a chance to slow down, sharpen your observation skills, and create botanical artworks inspired by nature.
This workshop is open to all!
Workshop
Growing Mushrooms with Below Farm
Date: June 14
This spring program, join us for the perfect seasonal excursion, a hands-on journey into the fascinating world of mushroom cultivation. Guided by mushroom expert Conrad from Below Farm, the workshop explores the intersection of organic systems and creative experimentation, uncovering how fungi can thrive in unexpected places, even in the desert.
Bring your farmer’s hat and curiosity as we dive into the innovative methods that allow mushrooms to flourish using locally available materials.
Come ready to learn, ask questions, and experience the magic of mushroom growing in materiality, for healing, and culinary purposes, firsthand!
Film Screening
Film Evenings: Theeb (2014)
Date: April 11
We are delighted to present Theeb (2014), from the evocative film program curated by researcher and scholar Rasha Salti.
Inspired by the themes explored in Abdullah Al Saadi: Sites of Memory, Sites of Amnesia, the program invites audiences to reflect on the intricate interplay between remembrance and forgetting, evoking profound connections to collective and personal histories.
Synopsis:
Set in 1916 during the Arab Revolt, Theeb follows a young Bedouin boy, Theeb, who lives in the Arabian desert with his older brother Hussein. When a British soldier, Edward, arrives seeking a guide to reach his regiment via the dangerous Pilgrim’s Trail, Hussein is tasked with leading him. Unable to bear being left behind, Theeb secretly follows them, setting off on a perilous journey through the treacherous desert.
Film Screening
Film Evenings: Fragments from Heaven (2022)
Date: April 25
We are delighted to present Fragments from Heaven (2022), from the evocative film program curated by researcher and scholar Rasha Salti.
Inspired by the themes explored in Abdullah Al Saadi: Sites of Memory, Sites of Amnesia, the program invites audiences to reflect on the intricate interplay between remembrance and forgetting, evoking profound connections to collective and personal histories.
Synopsis:
In the barren deserts of southeastern Morocco, nomad Mohamed searches for meteorite fragments, hoping to find a valuable piece that could lift his family out of poverty. Meanwhile, across the country, scientist Abderrahmane studies these celestial rocks, exploring their cosmic origins and teaching students about the universe’s formation. Fragments from Heaven weaves their parallel journeys, bridging earthly struggles with the mysteries of the stars.
Special Event
Collected Histories: Personal Archives and Documentation
Date: May 4
Collected Histories is a project co-founded by Hind Mezaina and Jasmine Soliman. Join us for public film screenings, talks, and workshops that aim is to foster discussion on personal documentation and archiving, with an ultimate goal of inspiring and supporting you to become ‘citizen archivists’ by cataloguing and exploring ways to self-publish and preserve personal collections.
Special Event
Savor the Stories: A Culinary Arts Soiree
Date: June 15
As we all know, food tells us stories of places, memories, traditions, and creativity. This season, join us for an evening dedicated to the culinary arts where we explore food as a vessel for history, culture, and artistic expression.
Learning Program
The exhibitions are accompanied by a number of interpretive tools that are designed to engage young audiences with contemporary art, including audio tours for adults and children, tactile books with poetry in Braille, family-friendly labels, and glossaries that offer a contextual reading of the exhibition materials.