Exhibition preview·Abu Dhabi
Kusama Mirror Room, a 1st-Century Mummy Portrait and 89 Exhibitors: Inside the First Frieze Abu Dhabi
Frieze has revealed the highlights of its inaugural Abu Dhabi fair, opening 19 November at Manarat Al Saadiyat with 89 exhibitors from 37 countries, a Kusama Infinity Mirror sculpture, a 1st-century painted portrait returning to the region, and a major new commission by Dala Nasser.
Frieze Abu Dhabi opens its first edition on 19 November 2026 at Manarat Al Saadiyat, bringing 89 exhibitors from 37 countries and regions to the Saadiyat Cultural District. The fair succeeds the long-running Abu Dhabi Art and runs until 22 November, with public days from 20 November.
The main Galleries section gathers more than 60 dealers. Thaddaeus Ropac shows a new work by Imran Qureshi, galerie frank elbaz devotes its stand to textile pioneer Sheila Hicks, and Athr brings early works by Saudi artist Mounirah Mosly to light for the first time in years. Vigo Gallery presents eight works from Ibrahim El-Salahi's Tree series, Leila Heller Gallery surveys five decades of Farideh Lashai, and Victoria Miro includes an Infinity Mirror sculpture by Yayoi Kusama, a preview of the mirror room due at Guggenheim Abu Dhabi in December.
Frieze Masters Abu Dhabi, curated by Marika Sardar, traces the Indian Ocean as a historic trade route, spanning antiquity to the early 20th century. Its centrepiece is Portrait L, a 1st-century painted portrait excavated at Hawara in Egypt in 1888, shown in West Asia and North Africa for the first time since it left the country. Daniel Crouch Rare Books exhibits a 1644 map of the Indian Ocean by Hendrik Doncker, with further rare books and manuscripts from EQTNA and Peter Harrington.
The headline commission is Qubbat Duris, a site-responsive installation by Dala Nasser, winner of the first Frieze Abu Dhabi Artist Award. Curated by Nabila Abdel Nabi, the timber framework draped with painted textiles takes its name from a 13th-century monument near Baalbek in Lebanon and will fill the atrium of Manarat Al Saadiyat. The Focus section for younger galleries includes solo presentations by Chonon Bensho, Tahir Karmali and Marigold Santos, Global Futures, curated by Tarini Malik, adds eight solo presentations, including new mosaics by Ala Younis.
Beyond the fair halls, Frieze Sculpture Abu Dhabi places five large-scale works on Mamsha Beach from 16 November to 16 December, and a three-day talks programme brings together artists, gallerists and museum leaders.
