The newest private art institution in Dubai, Dom Art Projects, officially opens this week with a series of exhibitions, live performances, and artist talks. Located in Al Khayat Avenue, this contemporary art space connects artists and audiences through a shared passion for art and culture, serving as a ‘home’ or ‘dom’ for the culturally curious, and fostering dialogue and belonging in the UAE.
Founded by Alisa Bagdonaite and Anna Pumpyanskaya, Dom Art Projects is dedicated to presenting museum-grade exhibitions and installations by emerging and mid-career artists. It features year-round programming, including artist-led workshops, guided tours, and talks across its exhibition space, artist residency studios, and what will be Dubai’s first dedicated art and culture bookshop.
EXHIBITIONS
On view starting Thursday 27 November from 8 pm onwards is the inaugural exhibition, which draws inspiration from the concept of time, a theme that reflects Dom Art Project’s spirit of continuity and connection across cultures. The idea of time also echoes the meaning of “dom” in Arabic, which means “always.”
Occupying the main exhibition hall is “You Would Come Back There to See Me Again the Following Day” by Japanese artist Michiko Tsuda, whose immersive installation explores how time and perception are shaped by evolving media. This marks Tsuda’s first exhibition in the UAE.
Also on view is “Takir”, a science art object by ::vtol:: (Dmitry Morozov), a transdisciplinary artist and researcher working with sound, robotics, and emergent systems. The piece narrates the story of the Aral Sea’s disappearance, looping endlessly as a meditation on geological time, human ambition, and environmental change.
LIVE PERFORMANCES
Visitors can also experience live performances, including sound artist Peter Aidu’s interpretation of American composer Steve Reich’s masterpiece “Piano Phase.” In Reich’s composition, two identical musical patterns gradually shift out of sync, creating a hypnotic field of rhythm and resonance. In Aidu’s interpretation, the work gains a unique dimension: instead of two pianists or a tape loop, he performs it simultaneously on two pianos, manually achieving the phasing effect through his own coordination.
Also taking place is a performance by Elena Kovylina, an acclaimed performance and video artist. In her presentation titled “Caryatid,” Kovylina embodies the mythic female figure from classical architecture who bears the weight of the structure upon her shoulders. The artist physically supports a heavy wooden model of a traditional reed house, evoking the essential yet often invisible role of women as the foundation of home, society, and culture.
ARTIST TALKS, GUIDED TOURS, EXHIBITIONS CONTINUE
The opening weekend will see Dom Art Projects’ first Artist Talks. While the exhibition continues, visitors are also welcome to tour the studios, which will be home to artists-in-residence, including the selected participant from the open call in partnership with Bayt AlMamzar Shamin Sharum, a Malaysian artist and designer specialising in interdisciplinary practices spanning architecture, art, and design; and Kirill Makarov, a multidisciplinary artist whose practice blends painting, computer graphics, and game engines to build hybrid spaces where natural and machine-made forms coexist. Guests will also be invited to explore a curated selection of books that Dom Art Projects describes as time machines, connecting readers across generations and ideas.
Friday 28 November
3:00 pm - 4:30 pm - Exhibitions and guided tours
4.30 pm - 6:00 pm - Artist talk with Peter Aidu
Aidu will discuss how he reimagines music, from playing two pianos at once to transforming museum objects, city sounds, and historic instruments into new creative experiences in a moderated session.
Free entry. Please register here.
Saturday 29 November
3:00 - 4:00 pm - Artist Talk with ::VTOL::
Dmitry Morozov a.k.a. ::VTOL::, a transdisciplinary artist and researcher working with sound, robotics, and emergent systems, will discuss science and robotics in contemporary art. Moderated by Alisa Bagdonaite, Dom Art Projects Chief Curator.
Free entry. Please register here.
4.30 - 6:00 pm - Artist Talk: Michiko Tsuda
Tsuda, whose practice explores how visual media mediates our understanding of time and presence, will present her work and her career journey. Moderated by Alisa Bagdonaite, Dom Art Projects Chief Curator.
Free entry. Please register here.
