UAE's First Urdu Art Exhibition Opens at Ishara Art Foundation

Urdu Worlds, the UAE's first contemporary art exhibition dedicated to the Urdu language, opened at the Ishara Art Foundation in Dubai. Curated by Hammad Nasar, the show juxtaposes works by artists Ali Kazim and Zarina, exploring how language shapes internal worlds. Zarina's presentation includes 'Urdu Proverbs' (ten woodcut prints) and 'Home is a Foreign Place' (36 woodcuts), while Kazim debuts his 'Alphabets' series of 19 etchings and aquatints, developed for a forthcoming book (Ochre Books, 2026). A reading room features selections from Kazim's suite and books including 'Urdu kay aik so aik mahavray' and 'The Conference of the Birds'. Loans come from Cristea Roberts Gallery, Durjoy Bangladesh Foundation, Sharjah Art Foundation, and private collections. Supporters include J. Safra Sarasin (Middle East) Ltd., Emirates Insurance, Moni Mohsin, Shazad Ghaffar, and Taimur Hassan.