![From left: Dyala Nusseibeh, Abu Dhabi Art director, and curators Simon Njami, Sam Bardaouil, Till Fellrath and Rose Lejeune at the opening of Abu Dhabi Art 2021 on Monday.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ASQYJ347ZBCRHP4HN4LGAJ4UDU.jpg?smart=true&auth=81504c2aa09a6bce81f8d6d32f095a0866bf981faacd77e240baa7ab5856d4f2&width=400&height=225)
![Christopher Benton’s 'The World Was My Garden' is part of the Beyond: Emerging Artists programme. All photos: Vidhyaa Chandramohan / The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/G6VZRNKUYJGYTOTYWAXJFTSVGU.jpg?smart=true&auth=12ac8c9523eade295960a643f6c83d438781ea4a52962aac9be8977561980fac&width=400&height=225)
![Artwork by Charlene Komuntale, titled 'Lemonade Dress (Not Fragile Series)' at Afia Art Gallery, is part of Simon Njami's curated section, Kind of Blue.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ASI5ZZ4JV5CMDPHZAKEWI632Q4.jpg?smart=true&auth=d6819c495ad82eafa5cc2d3da8aabb624961fc01f45bd613a87cfc03ce26ec49&width=400&height=225)
![Athr Gallery from Jeddah is at Abu Dhabi Art.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JRVM2673HBEZRL3523NQ3HZKMQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=425548e400039fcd94bff6f82ffe4487cf5cb9ca325cb4e656311d90b8a173e9&width=400&height=225)
![Maitha Abdalla's project 'Too Close to the Sun' at Abu Dhabi Art.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ABFX5F5URJCIHOS77EXE2KJ5R4.jpg?smart=true&auth=3e2d74eee701fc6e0333b800a06f7714508df2e0b7ec8a0b39c9bcbd84fa2723&width=400&height=225)
![Abu Dhabi Art runs from November 17 to 21 at Manarat Al Saadiyat.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/R23P2UH2B5FVZOLCNMRZNPQ4YA.jpg?smart=true&auth=732a98eb13aa2cc14b2acdc13eef00dd42a3d402caf187b468dc8fd4a894cec8&width=400&height=225)
![Works by Sarah Al Mehairi at the Carbon 12 booth.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/I2LSSWO6RBBRFACFG5QI3BALK4.jpg?smart=true&auth=439e5e5bb442696c7eb969662bcf3c39abfd49903f0c98bcaed2bedfb4aa7828&width=400&height=225)
![Hashel Al Lamki's 'Neptune' project for Beyond: Emerging Artists.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6MDFNOOIUVAEHBBJDPXRQ7NF7A.jpg?smart=true&auth=7380682deb66537bb10c298a9a0ddae97b008ec51a477724982d8256edd4dadb&width=400&height=225)
![Christo's preparatory sketches for the Abu Dhabi Mastaba, on view at Colnaghi.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LJ3EESMRSZCTTIIGCCMFSFC46Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=aaf6293e07cf7a8d12b9249da74b1783663fba5cbfb43c49881f1e2e92d6c947&width=400&height=225)
![Works by Iraqi artist Mehdi Moutashar at Lawrie Shabibi.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3F6JUDQZ3FD7BNKDZOPW3GE4UE.jpg?smart=true&auth=53104a23eabde480fb84bde7184a85d9ae3bfc6a26335019edaa060011ad3054&width=400&height=225)
![Aya Haidar's installation 'Highly Strung' at the Athr Gallery booth.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NOJBJDAVYZETXNBOY26PIYV3UQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=e33f560057199d5f65a8b5656077e7be36f937a189d5b4194b8039bcc79941bb&width=400&height=225)
![The Third Line's booth features works by Farah Al Qasimi, Farhad Moshiri and Jordan Nassar.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HHKPWX2FUNCR7M3XUV26CPOHHM.jpg?smart=true&auth=dd98346d27153f7ce4f7c0834a29f4f96ee3eb55706432cdf4886eff25252cc9&width=400&height=225)
![Works by Hussain Sharif at Salwa Zeidan Gallery booth.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NVZRJ3BDNBA6NEKDMU4JI4AQXU.jpg?smart=true&auth=0def8888d39cac0cf37f77673f75b2f4271a86f9deb0735675eb9293b67c58a6&width=400&height=225)
![From left: Dyala Nusseibeh, Abu Dhabi Art director, and curators Simon Njami, Sam Bardaouil, Till Fellrath and Rose Lejeune at the opening of Abu Dhabi Art 2021 on Monday.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ASQYJ347ZBCRHP4HN4LGAJ4UDU.jpg?smart=true&auth=81504c2aa09a6bce81f8d6d32f095a0866bf981faacd77e240baa7ab5856d4f2&width=400&height=225)
![Christopher Benton’s 'The World Was My Garden' is part of the Beyond: Emerging Artists programme. All photos: Vidhyaa Chandramohan / The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/G6VZRNKUYJGYTOTYWAXJFTSVGU.jpg?smart=true&auth=12ac8c9523eade295960a643f6c83d438781ea4a52962aac9be8977561980fac&width=400&height=225)
![Artwork by Charlene Komuntale, titled 'Lemonade Dress (Not Fragile Series)' at Afia Art Gallery, is part of Simon Njami's curated section, Kind of Blue.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ASI5ZZ4JV5CMDPHZAKEWI632Q4.jpg?smart=true&auth=d6819c495ad82eafa5cc2d3da8aabb624961fc01f45bd613a87cfc03ce26ec49&width=400&height=225)
![Athr Gallery from Jeddah is at Abu Dhabi Art.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JRVM2673HBEZRL3523NQ3HZKMQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=425548e400039fcd94bff6f82ffe4487cf5cb9ca325cb4e656311d90b8a173e9&width=400&height=225)
![Maitha Abdalla's project 'Too Close to the Sun' at Abu Dhabi Art.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ABFX5F5URJCIHOS77EXE2KJ5R4.jpg?smart=true&auth=3e2d74eee701fc6e0333b800a06f7714508df2e0b7ec8a0b39c9bcbd84fa2723&width=400&height=225)
![Abu Dhabi Art runs from November 17 to 21 at Manarat Al Saadiyat.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/R23P2UH2B5FVZOLCNMRZNPQ4YA.jpg?smart=true&auth=732a98eb13aa2cc14b2acdc13eef00dd42a3d402caf187b468dc8fd4a894cec8&width=400&height=225)
![Works by Sarah Al Mehairi at the Carbon 12 booth.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/I2LSSWO6RBBRFACFG5QI3BALK4.jpg?smart=true&auth=439e5e5bb442696c7eb969662bcf3c39abfd49903f0c98bcaed2bedfb4aa7828&width=400&height=225)
![Hashel Al Lamki's 'Neptune' project for Beyond: Emerging Artists.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6MDFNOOIUVAEHBBJDPXRQ7NF7A.jpg?smart=true&auth=7380682deb66537bb10c298a9a0ddae97b008ec51a477724982d8256edd4dadb&width=400&height=225)
![Christo's preparatory sketches for the Abu Dhabi Mastaba, on view at Colnaghi.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LJ3EESMRSZCTTIIGCCMFSFC46Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=aaf6293e07cf7a8d12b9249da74b1783663fba5cbfb43c49881f1e2e92d6c947&width=400&height=225)
![Works by Iraqi artist Mehdi Moutashar at Lawrie Shabibi.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3F6JUDQZ3FD7BNKDZOPW3GE4UE.jpg?smart=true&auth=53104a23eabde480fb84bde7184a85d9ae3bfc6a26335019edaa060011ad3054&width=400&height=225)
![Aya Haidar's installation 'Highly Strung' at the Athr Gallery booth.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NOJBJDAVYZETXNBOY26PIYV3UQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=e33f560057199d5f65a8b5656077e7be36f937a189d5b4194b8039bcc79941bb&width=400&height=225)
![The Third Line's booth features works by Farah Al Qasimi, Farhad Moshiri and Jordan Nassar.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HHKPWX2FUNCR7M3XUV26CPOHHM.jpg?smart=true&auth=dd98346d27153f7ce4f7c0834a29f4f96ee3eb55706432cdf4886eff25252cc9&width=400&height=225)
![Works by Hussain Sharif at Salwa Zeidan Gallery booth.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NVZRJ3BDNBA6NEKDMU4JI4AQXU.jpg?smart=true&auth=0def8888d39cac0cf37f77673f75b2f4271a86f9deb0735675eb9293b67c58a6&width=400&height=225)
![From left: Dyala Nusseibeh, Abu Dhabi Art director, and curators Simon Njami, Sam Bardaouil, Till Fellrath and Rose Lejeune at the opening of Abu Dhabi Art 2021 on Monday.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ASQYJ347ZBCRHP4HN4LGAJ4UDU.jpg?smart=true&auth=81504c2aa09a6bce81f8d6d32f095a0866bf981faacd77e240baa7ab5856d4f2&width=400&height=225)
Abu Dhabi Art 2021 promises plenty of opportunities for change after the pandemic
The event runs from November 17 to 21, with a year-round programme of talks and installations
![Alexandra Chaves](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2Fbdf74649-e581-430d-bebb-05a009adb530.png?smart=true&auth=1aaef0ec554b632723f2f63cf60bfb8380f8e1ec18ca35283e642f53cc0bac8e&width=70&height=70)
Alexandra Chaves
November 15, 2021
- Listen In English
- Listen In Arabic
November 15, 2021