Step foot in the Al Quoz Industrial district of Dubai and witness the signs of a place in the midst of transformation: steel walls, faded industrial signs, and incomplete murals. However, as you turn onto Alserkal Avenue, the atmosphere changes rapidly. Scooters zoom past, espresso machines buzz, and someone is always carrying a sculpture through the courtyard. It feels like a blend of a cultural campus and a start-up utopia, with the added element of scorching heat.
Established in 2008 by Emirati supporter Abdelmonem Bin Eisa Alserkal, the Avenue was created with a singular vision: to nurture and drive Dubai’s expanding cultural scene. The first art gallery, Ayyam, opened its doors that year, followed by Carbon 12. The rest of the district was filled with warehouses, tire shops, autobody garages, mechanics‘ workshops, and a uniform store.
By 2010, the momentum had grown, leading Alserkal to invest $13.6 million to expand the district by transforming an adjacent marble factory into purpose-built galleries and studios. Today, there are approximately 90 creative businesses in the retrofitted warehouses of the Avenue, spanning nearly one million square feet. The district houses 17 contemporary art galleries, including renowned ones like Carbon 12, The Third Line, and Green Art Gallery, creating a vibe reminiscent of Chelsea, Bushwick, or Wynwood.
The growth of Alserkal reflects the increasing demand for a rooted cultural environment in Dubai and Alserkal’s commitment to long-term cultural investments. Alserkal credits the success of the Avenue to the galleries and artists who took the initial risks, believing in the potential of the area.
Sunny Rahbar, co-founder of The Third Line, echoes Alserkal’s sentiments, emphasizing the priority given to galleries and the focus on arts within the district.
The centerpiece of the Avenue is Concrete, an exhibition hall designed by Rem Koolhaas’s Office for Metropolitan Architecture, characterized by its dematerialized architectural concept.
Currently, Concrete is hosting the exhibition Vanishing Points by Imran Qureshi, showcasing his contemporary Indo-Persian miniature paintings. The exhibition utilizes the space’s scale and versatility to offer a multisensory experience.
The programming across Alserkal reflects similar artistic sensibilities, with exhibitions like Michael Sailstorfer’s Air Electric at Carbon 12 and Huda Lutfi’s Unraveling at The Third Line.
The Alserkal Arts Foundation, established in 2019, plays a crucial role behind the scenes by hosting residencies, providing research grants, and promoting interdisciplinary programming to foster alternative learning and experimental processes. Kürzlich Projekte umfassen ein Film von Lawrence Abu Hamdan über den Einfluss des Windes auf die syrische Jawlani-Community in den Golanhöhen und eine Performance von Himali Singh Soin und David Soin Tappeser, die die heilende Besinnung erforscht.
Es ist nicht immer einfach, den direkten Einfluss dieser Arbeit zu sehen, aber man kann es spüren – in den vielschichtigen Gesprächen, der Lockerheit des Programms, dem Gefühl, dass immer jemand die Grenzen dessen testet, was ein Raum wie dieser sein kann.
Natürlich neigt ein Teil des Brandings der Avenue – „wo das Unmögliche jeden Tag passiert“ – ein wenig zum Ernsthaften. Und ja, es ist leicht, sich von dem kuratierten Glanz des Ganzen mitreißen zu lassen. Aber trotzdem fühlt sich die Alserkal Avenue gelebt, risikobereit und ungewöhnlich engagiert für die Unterstützung von Arbeiten, die nicht immer Instagram-freundlich sind.
Es fühlt sich nicht wie eine vorgefertigte Location an, sondern wie eine Wette – eine lange – darauf, was Kultur werden kann, wenn ihr Zeit, Raum und gerade genug Freiheit gegeben werden, um sich selbst zu widersprechen.