Alongside the first international retrospective by Emirati artist, Abdulqader Al Rais in Paris, the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and the Office of Public and Cultural Diplomacy (OPCD) organised an event at L’Institut du Monde Arabe (IMA).
A day after the official opening of the exhibition, an evening of talk and presentation was held at the IMA auditorium. The panelists were His Excellency Zaki Nusseibeh, Minister of State; HE Mohammed Al Murr, Chairman of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Library; His Excellency Jack Lang, President of the Institut du Monde Arabe; and was moderated by Ali Khadra, Founder and Editor in Chief of Canvas and Sorbet Magazines.
The speakers highlighted the importance of the ongoing retrospective, which was part of the 2018-2019 Emirati-French Cultural Dialogue celebration, and reviewed the various opportunities of cultural cooperation between the two countries, as well as the means to support and strengthen them in the future.
The presentation given by His Excellency Zaki Nusseibeh was as an ideal introduction to the event, highlighting the positive influence the late Sheikh Zayed left on the cultural, arts, heritage and literature sectors. Through this panel, Dubai Culture and OPCD succeeded in highlighting their cultural diplomacy strategies.
The Abdulqader Restrospective was on show for three weeks at IMA, showcasing over 50 paintings gathered for the first time together with the artist’s rare early paintings.
