Alserkal Avenue in Dubai, the art district home to over 70 contemporary art galleries, in April saw the opening of its first dedicated African space.
The Efie Gallery's new Africa-focused space made its debut with an exhibition featuring Afro-Cuban artist Mara Magdalena Campos-Pons and her work exploring the theme of land and belonging.
The Efie team have been present in Dubai since 2021 working in temporary spaces, but the new 4,400 sq ft. space allows for the display of more works.
On entering, its high ceiling puts into sharp relief the sugar cane-inspired sculptures transporting us to Cuba's sugar plantations, where thousands of African workers, including Mara Magdalena Campos-Pons' distant relatives, were enslaved.
Upstairs, smaller rooms show the famous aluminium bottle cap works of Ghanaian master El Anatsui, Ethiopian Ada Muluneh's painting-like photography, and a colourful mural by Mali's Abdoulaye Konat.