From Dubai to London, the gallery is staying true to its mission to launch talented contemporary artists into the world-at-large. As the Middle East continues to expand its presence in the art world, JD Malat Gallery has expanded its own presence from London’s Mayfair to Dubai. In January, the eight year-old gallery opened a new space on the renowned Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard. It is marking the move with an inaugural exhibition called Carte Blanche: a celebration of fourteen diverse contemporary artists, including Kojo Marfo, Conrad Jon Godly and Santiago Parra.
The scale-up was not only on par with the gallery’s ongoing mission to present contemporary art to diverse audiences, but speaks of “the growing appetite for international contemporary art among collectors in the Middle East,” says the gallery’s founder. Indeed, just last year, esteemed Saudi artist Ahmed Mater made headlines with an exhibition at Christie’s auction house, while the Islamic Arts Biennale is continuing to attract droves (running until May 25th).
While the gallery is making waves in Dubai, its London flagship space on Davies Street is simultaneously hosting an exciting exhibition. Portraits: Through The Looking Glass is a group exhibition that unites twenty-one contemporary artists who are challenging traditional perceptions of portraiture. The exhibition (which draws inspiration from Lewis Carroll’s 1871 novel of the same name) reimagines how humans engage with identity, perception and representation in the modern age.
Using its title as a metaphor, the gallery’s curators have explored the looking glass as more than a reflective surface but a transformative portal. It represents both a mirror of reality and a window into the imagination. This idea has flitted through history, from Narcissus gazing into the reflective pool of Greek mythology, to the introspective self-portraits of Rembrandt. Today, we feel its presence in the surreal representations of identity in contemporary art.
The participating artists include renowned names like Bernard Buffet, Ian Cumberland, and Thierry Carrier, alongside emerging talents such as Sophie-Yen Bretez, Máté Orr, and Yann Leto. Each artist brings their unique voice to the concept of the looking glass. From realism to dreamlike surrealism and figurative abstraction, they offer viewers fresh perspectives on how portraiture can reflect both individual and collective experiences.
French artist Bernard Buffet combines bold black lines and a restrained color palette to evoke a powerful sense of emotional depth. His signature style, often somber and angular, is emblematic of post-war emotional devastation, making his portraits particularly poignant as we gaze through his ‘looking glass’ and onto ourselves. Similarly, Ian Cumberland’s voyeuristic approach to portraiture explores moments of private introspection. His works remind viewers of the impact of media and surveillance on personal identity; capturing the vulnerability many of us experience in our daily lives.
In contrast, artists like Sophie-Yen Bretez take a more surrealist approach to portraiture. Her figurative pieces depict dream-like scenes centered around the emotional recovery and identity formation of her characters. Through soft, ethereal works draw the viewer into an imaginary space, inviting them into the provocative depths of abstraction. Meanwhile, Hungarian artist Máté Orr, combines traditional oil painting with contemporary vector graphics to mystifying effect. Similarly, the delicate nihilistic works of South Korean artist Henrik Uldalen encourages viewers to explore the fragility of human existence. Uldalen’s paintings, which often feature solitary figures in ambiguous settings, appear as an invitation to peer into the mirror and consider what is reflected back—both the known and the unknown.
In a rapidly changing world, the exhibition serves as a refreshing reminder that our outlook on life is a malleable creature. It may be affected by our environment and subconscious but our perceptions shift and change with time. Likewise, our identities expand and grow as we do; moulded by our experiences, relationships and desires. Like Alice in Lewis Carrol’s book, we can step through the looking glass and question the seemingly backward elements of our realities and challenge ourselves to look beyond the surface.
photography. Rob Harris
words. Raegan Rubin
