Dubai’s Coolest Art Exhibitions to Beat the Summer Heat in 2025

From pop icons to political commentary, here are the unmissable summer art shows turning up the creative temperature across Dubai


If you’re spending summer 2025 in Dubai, there’s no need to worry about the slower season. The city is bursting with creativity, and this year’s art exhibitions are bringing bold energy, powerful stories, and some seriously impressive talent to the scene. Whether you're craving visual stimulation, emotional depth, or simply a new perspective, these exhibitions are perfect for diving into Dubai’s thriving creative world.

1. Summer Vibes at Opera Gallery

This vibrant showcase is a must-see. Running through 1 September, Summer Vibes at Opera Gallery features a mix of global icons and rising stars. You’ll find works by Takashi Murakami, KAWS, Shepard Fairey, and OS GEMEOS alongside emerging artists like Adjei Tawiah, Xevi Solà, and Alex Sutcliffe. From eye-catching abstracts to digital masterpieces, the exhibition brings together different styles and mediums in a way that is both playful and thought-provoking.

Where: Opera Gallery Dubai

Until: 1 September 2025

Photo: Opera Gallery

2. Perrotin Dubai Group Show

Perrotin’s new gallery in DIFC is hosting a show that dives deep into material and meaning. Highlights include Daniel Arsham’s textured take on classical sculpture and Julian Charrière’s haunting look at environmental decay. This exhibition is rich in ideas and visual impact, offering a blend of beauty and bold commentary that will stick with you long after your visit.

Where: Perrotin Dubai

Until: 1 September 2025

Photo: Perrotin

3. Garden of Murmurs at Carbon 12

Malik Thomas Jalil Kydd’s solo exhibition is an emotional exploration of identity, desire, and memory. Garden of Murmurs combines painting, drawing, and fibre art to create layered, immersive works. Using raw silk, sage dye, and charcoal soaked in linseed oil, Kydd blurs the line between the tangible and the symbolic. This show offers a quiet intensity that rewards slow, thoughtful looking.

Where: Carbon 12

Until: 23 August 2025

Photo: @malikthomasjalil

4. Wavering Hope at Ayyam Gallery

In celebration of its 20th anniversary, Ayyam Gallery presents Wavering Hope, a powerful group exhibition featuring prominent Syrian artists. Through abstraction, surrealism, and satire, the show reflects on conflict, displacement, resilience, and hope. It is a deeply moving collection that speaks to both personal memory and collective experience.

Where: Ayyam Gallery

Until: 5 September 2025

Photo: @ayyamgallery

5. Antevasin: The One Who Sits at the Border of Two Worlds

The most recent piece by Richi Bhatia immerses viewers in a complex universe of gender, identity, and metamorphosis. Bhatia examines the conflicts between the living and the commodified, as well as between the human and the non-human, using ethnographic influences and multimedia approaches. This exhibition at Gallery Isabelle stands out this season because it is both emotionally and intellectually compelling.

Where: Gallery Isabelle

Until: 10 September 2025

Photo: @gallery.isabelle

6. Everyman’s Mountain at Lawrie Shabibi

Emirati artist Omar Al Gurg takes you on a visual journey through Mount Kilimanjaro in his solo show, Everyman’s Mountain. Captured over six days, his photographs reveal the mountain’s fragile beauty, misty forests, and changing landscapes. The result is a peaceful yet powerful look at nature’s quiet strength and the meditative process of exploration.

Where: Lawrie Shabibi

Until: 12 September 2025

Photo: Lawrie Shabibi

Final Thoughts

Dubai's art scene is as vibrant and fascinating as ever, even though the city may slow down in the summer. These exhibitions provide a novel approach to interact with concepts, feelings, and imagination, regardless of whether you're a longstanding resident or a curious tourist. Therefore, instead of going shopping, schedule some time for some creative inspiration.

Your summer in the city just got a creative upgrade.

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