Lawrie Shabibi is proud to announce that Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim will represent the United Arab Emirates at the 2022 edition of la Biennale di Venezia (Venice Biennale), in an exhibition curated by Maya Allison for the National Pavilion UAE.
Ibrahim is known for being one of the UAE’s earliest experimental artists and an influential member of the country's now-historic avant-garde art community, which formed in the early 1980s and included Hassan Sharif, Abdullah Al Saadi, Hussein Sharif, and Mohammed Kazem. Through his form-led practice and handcrafted works, he responds to his environment, with keen affinity for the natural landscapes of the UAE.
Major institutions that have acquired his work include the British Museum, Centre George Pompidou, Sharjah Art Foundation, Art Jameel, and Barjeel Art Foundation. His work was included in the Kochi-Muziris Biennial 2016 and numerous solo and group exhibitions internationally.
Ibrahim has selected Maya Allison, Executive Director and Chief Curator of The NYUAD Art Gallery, as the curator for the exhibition. This marks an exciting move towards an artist-led approach to curating the National Pavilion UAE in the years to come, and in turn recognises the strength of the UAE's artistic community.
The 59th Venice Biennale will be held between 23 April 2022 and 27 November 2022, under the artistic direction of Cecilia Alemani.
