Ways Of Seeing

Some 26 international talents on display at NYU

S aadiyat Island hosts an exhibition this month that is inspired by a ground-breaking book, plus a BBC TV series released in 1972. Ways Of Seeing is on at NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery and features 26 talents from the GCC and beyond, and it’s based around a television show of the same name.

The show was written by English art critic, novelist and painter John Berger and when it was released, it challenged Western cultural principles with regards to art, and examined hidden messages in images.

Berger co-wrote a book of the same name and at this exhibition on NYU, art fans will get the chance to look at pieces that look at traditional concepts in new ways.

Ways Of Seeing debuted in Istanbul in the summer of 2017 before heading to Brussels at the end of last year, before landing in the nation’s capital in the UAE for its third edition.

In total, there will be 41 works on display, and there will be a variety of disciplines showcased, including painting, sculpture, photography, sound and film.

Artists taking part include American installation star James Turrell, known for his pieces that deal with light and space, plus New York minimalist sculptor Fred Sandback (his work has been on display in both the Guggenheim and the Museum Of Modern Art in New York). Also participating are Brazilian photographer Vik Muniz (he appeared in a 2010 documentary called Waste Land, which was nominated for an Oscar).

“We encourage viewers to be active rather than passive in the way they look at the works in this exhibition,” says the exhibition’s co-curator Till Fellrath. “There is no one correct way to look at art, and our wish is that our audiences should both be aware of and embrace their individual reactions and points of view, as these are borne of unique personal experiences.” September 3 to November 17

NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery, New York University, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, free. Taxi: NYU Saadiyat. nyuad-artgallery.org