Maha Al Mansoori has launched a new nomadic gallery in Abu Dhabi, beginning with a virtual exhibition titled Held/Unheld. The show features four international artists—Cynthia Acuna, Fatima Al Haddad, Jael Laura, and Wadeema Al Menhali—whose works explore emotion, memory, and personal transformation through themes of containment, erosion, release, and trace. Due to uncertainty, the exhibition is presented online via digital viewing rooms, but Al Mansoori plans to stage physical exhibitions in Abu Dhabi later this year before finding a permanent space.
The gallery aims to fill a perceived gap in Abu Dhabi's cultural landscape, where Al Mansoori believes more galleries, openings, and local gallerists are needed. The virtual format also allows the gallery to engage a new generation of collectors, who show growing interest in playful, unconventional works and strong support for Emirati artists. This initiative reflects broader shifts in the art market toward digital presentation and the rise of younger, locally focused collectors in the Gulf region.