Dubai welcomed a new presence in its thriving art scene this year with the opening of a new JD Malat Gallery outpost, the London-based gallery's first location in the Middle East.
Situated in a 1,700-square-foot space within Dubai's downtown neighborhood, the move reflects the gallery's core mission of fostering dialogue and exchange via contemporary art across borders and cultures. Founded by Jean-David Malat in 2017, the gallery has served as a platform for both emerging and established artists, and the expansion promises to bring its roster of artists to an entirely new audience.
"The art scene in the region is driven by the culturally curious, not just collectors," Malat said. "I want JD Malat Gallery Dubai to be an open space. I want it to be a space that feels welcoming and easy. I want people to pass by with their friends to see what we're up to, and a space that you feel intrigued to walk into when you're getting a coffee on the boulevard."
The opening of JD Malat Gallery Dubai also alludes to the gallery's future aims, perhaps one day expanding its programming beyond the walls of the gallery space itself. Malat noted, "I also have a slight obsession with public art. I am extremely intrigued by how we can bring our artists outside of the gallery and create a relationship with people who hadn't intended on seeing any art that day. Downtown allows us to do that. Whether a resident or a tourist, everyone comes downtown."
The inaugural exhibition in the new space is "Carte Blanche," a group show featuring 14 artists whose work together speaks to the gallery's ethos, including Kojo Marfo, Conrad Jon Godly, Santiago Parra, Henrik Uldalen, Ed Moses, Andy Moses, Luis Olaso, Ur Kasin, Tim Kent, Sophie-Yen Bretez, Georg Óskar, Masayoshi Nojo, Katrin Fridriks, and Yann Leto. On view through March 1, 2025, the show offers both those familiar and new to the gallery's program insight into the diverse and dynamic range of art JD Malat Gallery works with, which has to date solidified its standing to date as a cornerstone of the Mayfair art scene.
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