The contemporary art exhibition “Here We Are”—featuring 12 artists, professors, and alumni from the UAE, Italy, and international backgrounds at the College of Arts and Creative Enterprises at Zayed University, a renowned institution in Abu Dhabi—is hosted at the Italian Cultural Institute in Abu Dhabi from Thursday, 24 October to 7 November.
This initiative aligns with the Italian Cultural Institute’s mission to foster dialogue and build cultural bridges with the diverse local communities in the UAE’s capital. The choice of an exhibition showcasing Emirati, Italian, and international artists also serves as a metaphor for the rich tapestry of Emirati society, where various foreign resident groups coexist in a spirit of collaboration, exchange, and cultural blending with the national population.
Italian designer Vania Rontini, the exhibition’s curator who selected the 12 artists, highlights in her curatorial concept that “time flows fluidly in the Emirates. The rapid growth of cities contrasts with the slower, enduring rhythm of tradition. Dynamism is a central theme of the exhibition. The artists treat time not as a static or fixed entity but as something flexible, extendable, hanging, and repetitive. Their works reveal how memories and recollections are woven into the fabric of everyday life, evoking a sense of nostalgia, while recognising the uncertain yet profound hope for the future.” For Susanna Iacona-Salafia, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Abu Dhabi, the exhibition is “a clear example of the cultural coexistence and exchange among the many facets that make up Emirati society.”
