Alserkal Art Month (April 18–May 18, 2026) in Dubai features a district-wide initiative of exhibitions and events, anchored by the group show "Déjà Vu" at Concrete, Alserkal Avenue (April 25–May 8). Curated by Kevin Jones, Nada Raza, and Zaina Zaarour, the exhibition brings together over 50 artists from 20 UAE-based galleries, centering on themes of memory, displacement, and cultural inheritance. The article profiles 12 standout artists, including Shahpour Pouyan and Juma Al Haj, whose works translate these tensions into materially inventive and conceptually rigorous practices.
This initiative matters because it provides a vital platform for sustained engagement with individual practices amid regional tensions and global conflict, as noted by Alserkal executive director Vilma Jurkute. By challenging conventional models and responding to current uncertainty, Alserkal Art Month and "Déjà Vu" underscore the role of art in processing collective trauma and cultural erasure, while highlighting the vibrant contemporary art scene in the UAE.