Frieze Abu Dhabi has revealed the curated programme for its inaugural edition, taking place from November 19th to 22nd, 2026, at Manarat Al Saadiyat on Saadiyat Island. More than 80 exhibitors from 36 countries will join a programme spanning new commissions, artist pairings, public sculpture and conversations around the region’s artistic histories.
Key projects include the Frieze Abu Dhabi Artist Award, curated by Nabila Abdel Nabi, the new In Dialogue exhibition and Frieze Sculpture Abu Dhabi at Mamsha Beach.
Dala Nasser’s ‘Qubbat Duris’ leads the artist award
Lebanese artist Dala Nasser is the inaugural recipient of the Frieze Abu Dhabi Artist Award, selected by curator Nabila Abdel Nabi. Her new commission, Qubbat Duris, takes its name from a 13th-century monument near Baalbek in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley.
Nasser will construct a timber structure inspired by the historic site, surrounded by textile paintings carrying traces of the landscape. Charcoal rubbings of architectural remains, ash, raw clay and terracotta evoke material memory, cultural heritage and landscapes under threat.
In Dialogue connects two generations of UAE art
The new annual exhibition In Dialogue pairs an established UAE artist with an emerging counterpart. Its inaugural edition, At Another Meeting Point, is curated by Abu Dhabi-based Dirwaza Curatorial Lab and brings Mohammed Kazem and Alia Zaal into conversation.
Their practices open a dialogue between distinct generations, connecting established artistic histories with newer perspectives emerging from the UAE.
Frieze Sculpture moves art towards the sea
Frieze Sculpture Abu Dhabi extends the fair into the public realm at Mamsha Beach, running from November 16th to December 16th, 2026. Large-scale works will occupy the coastline, creating encounters with sculpture beyond conventional gallery spaces.
The programme features Zeinab Alhashemi’s The Nut and Bolt, alongside works by Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, Imran Qureshi and Kamran Samimi. Their varied approaches to material, ecology and place connect the built environment with the surrounding landscape.
Across galleries, commissions, sculpture and public programmes, Frieze Abu Dhabi’s first edition traces connections between international practices, regional histories and the UAE’s evolving artistic landscape.
