Maryam Al Falasi

Canvas: How did Iris Projects begin?

Maryam Al Falasi: It started really when I studied art history and archaelogy at Sorbonne University, part of my dream to showcase the best talent in our region. I wanted to create a platform to give artists a space where they could innovate, express themselves and be elevated to an institutional level. As a visual arts and culture agency based in MiZa, Abu Dhabi, Iris Projects intends to humanise art, support contemporary artists and build a collective visual arts culture in the UAE and wider region.

Iris Projects started as an online platform in 2020, so why now open a physical gallery space?

In today’s digital age, I believe it is very important to see art not just through a screen but in real life. That way, audiences can truly interact with it. While Iris Projects began as an online platform during Covid-19, we’ve always tried to bring art into the physical public domain. We have commissioned artists for public art projects and exhibitions, and placed them in collections across the UAE and beyond. Opening a gallery space felt like the natural next step in realising our vision.

How important is the gallery’s location in Abu Dhabi?

I chose to open our first gallery in Abu Dhabi as it is the cultural capital of our region, with a burgeoning arts ecosystem. Through the vision of our leaders and the development of Saadiyat Cultural District, major museums and art foundations have come to the city. We are proud to be the first gallery to open in the MiZa [Mina Zayed] cultural neighbourhood, neighbouring Louvre Abu Dhabi and the upcoming Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. I also wanted to give back to the place that offered me my scholarship to study at Sorbonne University. I hope to do so by providing a space where young people can discover artists from our region, and by offering a programme that adds to the cultural discourse of the city.

Your gallery opening coincides with this year’s Abu Dhabi Art, where you will have a booth showing work by Juma Al Haj and Alyazia Al Nahyan. What is the story behind this choice of artists?

Juma Al Haj has grown hand in hand with Iris Projects. He was one of the first artists to believe in my vision and has been on the journey with us since the start of his career. I’m proud to be showing his work at our first art fair booth during Abu Dhabi Art. We will also showcase works by Alyazia Al Nahyan, an emerging artist I discovered during her graduation show. It’s very rare for an artist to have such an immediate impact on me, and I knew that I wanted to show her work and enable her to reach a wider audience.

Alyazia also has a solo exhibition at the gallery. What can we expect to see there?

The show is called The Breath of Decay and will inaugurate our new gallery space in MiZa. It is curated by Nadine Khalil, who is also serving as a mentor to Alyazia as we understand the importance of guidance in an artist’s early career. Alyazia’s practice draws on the foraging of found materials, plants and herbs, which undergo a layered process in the extraction of pigment and residual forms. Marked by an attunement to her changing surroundings and the transformative power of materials, Alyazia’s work explores different levels of abstraction to evoke nature scenes and landscapes without directly referencing them.

Are there any other artists you are particularly excited to be working with?

I’m honestly excited to work with all of my artists because they are the fuel to my passion! We are currently working closely with Abdullah Al Othman, Shamsa Al Omaira and Roudha Al Mazrouei on upcoming solo exhibitions that we will be announcing in 2025.

You emphasise the importance of making art “human and accessible”. How will this ethos carry through to your gallery and do you feel this is something lacking in the art world right now?

I always remember my first experience of entering a gallery as a young collector, which was so intimidating. I don’t want people to have that experience with us. At Iris Projects, we believe art should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their art knowledge. This ethos drives our approach to curating shows and designing exhibitions that can educate the community about their local art scene, and allow them to engage with both art and artists.

What else do have planned for Iris Projects?

For now, we are focusing on the opening of the gallery and our booth at Abu Dhabi Art. There are a lot of exciting projects that will be announced in the upcoming months, as the gallery will be supported by a robust programme of events and special projects. As we continue to grow, we envision expanding into broader cultural initiatives that enhance artistic expression and integrate art into the city’s wider cultural fabric.