The Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) is hosting "Proximities: Contemporary Art from the United Arab Emirates," a major survey featuring over 110 works by 47 artists. Co-curated by Maya El Khalil and Eunju Kim in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF), the exhibition eschews traditional chronological narratives in favor of a dense, non-linear exploration of Emirati identity. The show is organized into thematic chapters led by artist-curators, featuring works ranging from Shaikha Al Mazrou’s precarious sculptures to Raja’a Khalid’s olfactory installations.
This exhibition is significant for its rejection of the "soft power" tropes typically found in state-sponsored cultural diplomacy. Rather than presenting a flattened or didactic history of UAE art, "Proximities" highlights the shared socio-economic trajectories of Korea and the Emirates—both defined by rapid technological acceleration and capitalistic growth. By showcasing a diverse range of experimental practitioners alongside established pioneers, the museum challenges international clichés and offers a complex, subjective view of contemporary Middle Eastern art production.