Frieze Abu Dhabi announces programme for inaugural fair
Frieze Abu Dhabi makes its debut this November with more than 80 galleries, a major Dala Nasser commission, UAE artists in dialogue and sculpture on Saadiyat Island.
Image courtesy of Frieze Abu Dhabi | Artist Mohammed Joha, No Shelter
More than 80 galleries from 37 countries and regions will participate in the first Frieze Abu Dhabi, featuring a major new commission by Dala Nasser, an exhibition pairing UAE artists Mohammed Kazem and Alia Zaal, and a public sculpture program on Saadiyat Island.
Abu Dhabi's cultural calendar is set for a new addition as the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi and Frieze reveal the programme taking place from 19 to 22 November 2026 at Manarat Al Saadiyat.
Bringing together artists and galleries from across the international art world, the fair will connect artistic histories and contemporary practices, placing the region's creative landscape in conversation with a global audience.
A New Commission by Dala Nasser
At the centre of the fair, the inaugural Frieze Abu Dhabi Artist Award will fund a new commission by Beirut and London based artist Dala Nasser, chosen by curator and art historian Nabila Abdel Nabi.
Titled Qubbat Duris, the piece draws inspiration from a 13th-century monument near Baalbek in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley. The historic site merges fragments of Roman limestone sarcophagi with granite columns, reflecting the region's layered cultural history.
Nasser will construct a timber framework in the fair's atrium, adorned with textile paintings that carry imprints of the surrounding landscape. Using charcoal rubbings of the ruins, ash, raw clay, and terracotta, the installation will examine how materials transmit memory across generations and consider our shared responsibility toward landscapes threatened with destruction. The award is supported by Friends of Frieze Abu Dhabi.
UAE Artists in Conversation
In Dialogue, a new annual exhibition initiative, will pair an established artist with an emerging artist from the UAE. Curated by Abu Dhabi-based Dirwaza Curatorial Lab, founded by Munira Al Sayegh alongside co-curators Hessa Al Nuaimi and Dania Al Tamimi, its inaugural presentation is titled At Another Meeting Point.
The exhibition will bring works by Mohammed Kazem and Alia Zaal into conversation, inviting visitors to discover unexpected connections across generations of artistic practice in the UAE.
Sculpture Beyond the Fair
Frieze Sculpture Abu Dhabi, presented by Aldar, will bring five large-scale works to Mamsha Beach on Saadiyat Island from 16 November to 16 December.
Highlights include Zeinab Alhashemi's The Nut and Bolt, presented by Tabari, which reimagines a familiar element of urban construction. Works by Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, presented by Lawrie Shabibi, Imran Qureshi, presented by Thaddaeus Ropac, and Kamran Samimi, presented by The Third Line, will explore themes of material, ecology and place.
Set against the island's coastal landscape, the outdoor programme invites visitors to encounter art beyond gallery walls.
Conversations Shaping the Art World
A three-day talks programme will bring together artists, curators, museum leaders and patrons to explore ideas shaping contemporary art and cultural institutions.
Highlights include Building the Global Museum on 19 November, featuring Michael Govan and Eugene Tan, moderated by Kate Fowle, and Curating Across Knowledge Systems on 20 November, with curators Cosmin Costinaș and Kelli Cole, alongside Claudia Segura, Head of Collection at MACBA.
With more than 80 galleries participating, the inaugural fair marks a significant addition to Abu Dhabi's cultural offering, creating new opportunities to connect local artistic practices with international perspectives.
Frieze Abu Dhabi takes place from 19 to 22 November 2026 at Manarat Al Saadiyat. Frieze Sculpture Abu Dhabi runs from 16 November to 16 December at Mamsha Beach, Saadiyat Island.
Visit: friezeabudhabi.com