Weekly UAE museum and gallery guide: Dirham-sized paintings, Randa Maddah's Hanging Garden

Plus, a group exhibition that is influenced by nature

A replica of Tintin Moon Rocket, which accompanied the Emirati astronaut Dr Sultan Al Neyadi into space, is on show at Louvre Abu Dhabi. Photo: Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center

From celebrating Emirati culture to connecting with nature, here are four recently opened exhibitions to check out this weekend.

I Wish To Be Happy, I Want To Be Yellow by Gallery Isabelle

Eight diverse artists from across the region explore their visceral relationships with nature at Gallery Isabelle. The works include materials from nature and the artists' immediate environment, such as food, twigs, ants, flowers, leaves and candle wax. These are transformed and integrated into a number of mediums, including installations, photography, sculpture, assemblages, paintings and more.

10 September – 28 October; Gallery Isabelle, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai; 04 323 5052

Randa Maddah: Hanging Garden by Tabari Artspace

Randa Maddah's inaugural solo show delves into themes of memory, liberation, reincarnation and humanity's connection to the land. In the exhibition, the Syrian visual artist presents a series of surreal paintings that have been two years in the making and are based on Maddah’s relationship with her village and homeland, the Golan Heights, a region of Syria that has been occupied by Israel since the Six-Day War in 1967.

12 September to 1 November; Tabari Artspace, DIFC, Dubai; 04 323 0820

Picturing the Cosmos by Louvre Abu Dhabi

There’s a new edition to Louvre Abu Dhabi’s exhibition Picturing the Cosmos at the Children's Museum.

A replica of Tintin Moon Rocket, which journeyed to space aboard the International Space Station (ISS) with the Emirati astronaut Dr Sultan Al Neyadi, Minister of State for Youth Affairs, in March of last year.

The replica is on display alongside a larger version of Tintin Moon Rocket, on loan from the Museum of Decorative Arts, Paris. Published in the 1950s, Tintin's Moon Adventures predated the moon landings by nearly two decades and was a cultural precursor to the fascination with the moon and space exploration.

Suitable for the whole family, the Picturing the Cosmos exhibition is a fun and educational way to learn about the universe through scientific inventions and storytelling.

Louvre Abu Dhabi; 600 565566

Mason Rempfer: Behind the Dirham at Khawla Gallery

In this intimate tribute to the UAE, artist Mason Rempfer explores the cultural symbols of the region through his unique style.

Behind the Dirham is an exhibition of his miniature works in which each painting is the size of a dirham on white paper, acting like a window into the UAE, visualising its spirit of innovation and pride. Describing this body of work as his love letter to the UAE, Rempfer took two years to complete the project which included research, interviews and many studio hours to capture the country’s rich culture and history.

10 September to 18 October; Khawla Art Gallery, D3, Dubai; 04 770 0666