Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - 8 April 2026: Cultural Foundation, a cultural centre under the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), is delighted to announce the opening of the first phase of 'Skin of Dreams'. The exhibition is a landmark solo show by acclaimed artist Shezad Dawood. Opening to the public on 9 April 2026 and running until 20 September 2026, the mid-career retrospective will unfold in stages, with additional works introduced over time, offering audiences an evolving view of Dawood's pioneering interdisciplinary practice.

 

Curated by Jessica Cerasi, the exhibition brings together over 15 years of Dawood's work across painting, film, installation and virtual reality. Rooted in Modernist Architecture and Ecology, it explores alternative histories and futures through a dialogue between non-Western traditions and contemporary practices. The opening phase brings together a carefully curated selection of artworks to showcase Dawood's practice.

 

Among the highlights is Night in the Garden of Love (Digital Seedbanks) (2023), a digital work featuring seven algorithmically generated plants that respond dynamically to a newly composed musical score. Also presented is the highly anticipated premiere of Episodes 9 and 10 of Dawood's seminal ten-part film series, Leviathan Cycle. Set several decades into the future, the series offers speculative snapshots of a world reshaped by climate change and scientific advancement. Developed in close collaboration with oceanographers, marine biologists and neurologists, these new episodes draw from scientific research. Episode 10 is co-commissioned by Cultural Foundation Abu Dhabi. The presentation further includes Encroachments (2019), an immersive virtual reality environment, and Clifton Beach (Digital Terrazzo) [Black] (2019). Together, these works highlight Dawood's exploration of ecology, technology and sensory experience across a range of media.

 

Alongside the exhibition, Cultural Foundation will present a two-week public programme thoughtfully designed to extend community engagement with Dawood's themes through hands-on workshops.

 

During the Architectural Prototyping: Dream Structures workshop, participants will engage with the role of architecture within Dawood's practice. Taking place on 9 and 15 April 2026   from 6:30-8:30pm and 6:00-8:00pm respectively, this immersive, hands-on session will guide attendees in conceptualising and constructing architectural prototypes through cardboard, paper, foil and tape. Participants will reimagine existing structures or envision entirely new forms, drawing inspiration from the exhibition's dialogue with Cultural Foundation's modernist architecture.

 

Scheduled for 9 April from 4:30pm to 6:30pm, and on 22 April 2026, from 6pm to 8pm, the Material Memory and Layered Landscapes workshop will engage the community in collaborative textile layering, pattern-making and collage. Inspired by Dawood's engagement with ralli quilts from Pakistan, participants will explore textile layering, pattern-making and composition. The workshop will engage participants in material thinking and visual language, resulting in unique individual pieces that contribute to a collective installation at Cultural Foundation, presented as a community response to the exhibition.

 

Taking place on 23 April 2026, from 6pm to 8pm, Imagined Botanicals - Perfume Making workshop will explore the relationship between visual form, scent and imagination, inspired by Dawood's interdisciplinary approach to senses and mode. This workshop is inspired by Dawood's multi-sensory work Xyloflor (2023), a ceramic sculpture that diffuses scents blending natural and AI-developed fragrances. Participants will create their own speculative flower or plant, drawing inspiration from botanical imagery as well as from fresh and dried floral materials presented within the space. Participants will construct their imagined forms and develop corresponding scent compositions, translating visual ideas into multisensory expressions.

 

The workshops are open to participants aged 15 and above.

 

Designed in close conversation with Cultural Foundation's distinctive modernist architecture, the exhibition transforms the Abu Dhabi landmark into an active element in how visitors encounter the artwork. It responds to the building's blend of Bauhaus clarity and Islamic geometric patterns, reinforcing the relationship between space and artistic practice.  

 

Further phases of the exhibition will introduce additional works, expanding on Dawood's exploration of architectural narratives, material histories and immersive installations. Whether reinterpreting past unrealised architectural projects or speculating on future scientific developments, Dawood's work navigates intersecting physical and digital realms.

 

Entry to the exhibition and participation in the public programmes is free and open to all. For more information, including dates and registration for workshops, and updates on the exhibition's phased programming,