Mohamed Al Mazrouei’s path from Emirati Expressions to Europe

Mohamed Al Mazrouei will open his first solo show in Europe this weekend.

Although the 53-year-old Emirati was one of six artists chosen for the previous edition of Emirati Expressions, held in 2013 on Saadiyat Island, his work has not been widely exhibited in the UAE.

But his abstract expressionist canvases, which fill his studio in Abu Dhabi, caught the attention of AB Gallery in Lucerne, Switzerland, two years ago and its owners, the husband-and-wife duo Franz and Heidi Leupi, instantly fell in love with his work.

On Sunday, April 19, Al Mazrouei will make his European debut at their gallery in Lucerne, where 20 new paintings and works on paper will be displayed until May 23. The artist will also stay in the city for a month-long residency – an opportunity the Leupis regularly give to artists from this part of the world.

The Leupis have been travelling to the Middle East and particularly the Gulf since 2006 – they were one of the first customers of The Third Line gallery in Al Quoz when it launched – and quickly made it their mission to work with local artists to offer them a platform and audience in Europe.

Original article by Anna Seaman

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Mohamed Al Mazrouei’s path from Emirati Expressions to Europe