UAE Contemporary Art Exhibition 'Proximities' Ends in Seoul

The Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF), in partnership with the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA), has wrapped up the Proximities exhibition, which showcased contemporary art from the UAE in South Korea.

Running from December 15, 2025, to March 29, 2026, the event saw an impressive turnout of over 75,000 visitors, marking it as the largest UAE contemporary art show ever held in Korea and East Asia.

A Key Cultural Achievement

As part of the Abu Dhabi Festival’s Abroad Programme, Proximities included over 110 artworks by 47 artists from the UAE, with 33 being Emirati creators. The exhibition showcased five decades of artistic progress, merging traditional and modern viewpoints.

This initiative is the second phase of a strategic alliance between ADMAF and SeMA, following the previous exhibition, Layered Medium: We Are in Open Circuits, held in Abu Dhabi in 2025.

Enhancing UAE-Korea Cultural Relations

Both exhibitions and related public programs drew international audiences, bolstering cultural exchange and fostering deepened connections between the art communities of the UAE and South Korea.

Her Excellency Huda Al Khamis-Kanoo, Founder of ADMAF and Artistic Director of the Abu Dhabi Festival, highlighted Proximities as a pivotal moment in enriching cultural discussions. She noted that the exhibition served as a conduit for authentic artistic exchange, intertwining heritage with progressive aspirations.

Publications as Cornerstones of Collaboration

In March 2026, two joint publications were launched to commemorate the collaboration:

• Layered Dialogues: We Are in Open Circuits

• Layered Dialogues: Proximities

Curated by Maya El Khalil and Eunju Kim, these catalogs document both exhibitions, featuring essays, visual records, and insights from artists and critics from both regions.

These publications provide a lasting record of collaboration, documenting the flow of ideas and presenting varied perspectives to the audience.

A Space for Cultural Dialogue

Curators emphasized that the project was guided by openness and curiosity, promoting cultural dialogues without predetermined narratives. The exhibitions and publications together formed a vibrant platform for understanding and artistic discovery.

Through its collaboration with SeMA, ADMAF reiterates the UAE's commitment to global cultural interaction. This initiative not only displayed Emirati artistic prowess but also fortified people-to-people ties via creativity, learning, and shared cultural values.