About Lawrie Shabibi

Located on Alserkal Avenue, an emerging hub of high-profile galleries in Dubai’s Al Quoz warehouse district, Lawrie Shabibi is connected to the broader region’s contemporary art scene.

Lawrie Shabibi Artists

Supporting the career development of several international contemporary artists, Lawrie Shabibi represents a diverse roster from the Middle East and North Africa as well as further afield.

Among them are contemporary artists like Shaikha Al Mazrou, an emerging sculptor from the U.A.E., whose geometric abstractions experiment with materiality and form; Iranian painter and sculptor Shahpour Pouyan, whose work examines historical expressions of power through cultural symbols; and British installation artist Nathaniel Rackowe, whose abstracted architectural sculptures and light sculptures aim to recreate the visual sensations of contemporary urban life. 

Lawrie Shabibi’s roster also extends to an older generation of artists. These include Emirati artist Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, who helped establish U.A.E.’s early avantgarde scene in the late 1980s; the painter, muralist, teacher and cultural activist Mohamed Melehi, a leading figure of postcolonial Moroccan modernism; and Mona Saudi from Jordan, known for her abstract stone sculptures. 

Lawrie Shabibi also represents diasporic artists based in the U.K. Among them are Iranian-British multimedia artist Farhad Ahrarnia, who creates a dialogue between traditional Iranian art, popular culture and Western modernism; and the late Palestinian diasporic artist Maliheh Afnan, whose abstractions on paper allude to archaeology and ancient scripts. 

Lawrie Shabibi Exhibitions and Art Fairs

Both online and in the gallery space, Lawrie Shabibi presents solo exhibitions and thematic group shows presenting the work of its contemporary roster. Lawrie Shabibi also organises art historical exhibitions showcasing the work of its older generation Middle Eastern and North African artists. Beyond the gallery space, Lawrie Shabibi has also supported its artists in the completion of various public art commissions.

Representing artists on a broader global stage, Lawrie Shabibi regularly participates in major regional and international art fairs. These include Art Dubai; Abu Dhabi Art; The Armory Show, New York; Artissima, Turin; Contemporary African Art Fair, London; and Art Basel Hong Kong.

The gallery was established in 2010 by former Art Dubai managing director Asmaa Al-Shabibi and former director of Contemporary Middle Eastern Art at Christies, William Lawrie.