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- Written by: Meres J. Weche
- Category: Art Exhibits
Yesterday, I attended the media preview for the Gardiner Museum's International Ceramic Art Fair (ICAF) 2026 in Toronto. Themed "The City and the Commons," the biennial exhibition runs from May 28 to August 16 and brings together Canadian and international ceramic artists exploring urban life, shared spaces and personal sanctuary. I also spoke with two curators who made me rethink everything I thought I knew about clay.
I'll be honest: when the invitation landed in my inbox for a media preview at the Gardiner Museum, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. I've always appreciated ceramics in the way most people do — admiring a well-thrown bowl, registering the craftsmanship, then moving on. What I didn't anticipate was that a Wednesday afternoon in a Toronto museum would fundamentally shift how I think about clay as a medium, about cities as living organisms, and about the quiet, persistent ways humans have always used their hands to make sense of the world around them. The Gardiner Museum's International Ceramic Art Fair (ICAF 2026) opened its doors to the media yesterday, and I was there for the first look.
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- Written by: Meres J. Weche
- Category: Art Exhibits
International curator Elvira Dyangani Ose will lead the second Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial, launching in autumn 2026. The upcoming edition promises a bold new chapter for the city’s public art landscape, blending global perspectives with local contexts through large-scale installations and community-driven placemaking.
Abu Dhabi is preparing for another ambitious chapter in its growing public art story.
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi has announced the appointment of internationally acclaimed curator Elvira Dyangani Ose as Artistic Director of the second edition of the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial, set to open in autumn 2026 and run into 2027.
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- Written by: Meres J. Weche
- Category: Art Exhibits
Art Dubai’s 20th anniversary line-up signals an exciting new chapter for the region’s cultural landscape. This milestone edition brings together global and regional voices within a framework that reflects the rapid expansion of the Middle East’s contemporary art scene.
I’ve spent the past few years immersed in the arts and culture landscape across Saudi Arabia, especially through my work on Riyadh Art, the Ministry of Culture, and Riyadh's growing contemporary art ecosystem. Along the way, Art Dubai has kept popping up in my research like a recurring reference point. It’s one of those events that consistently shapes conversations about creativity in the region, yet—strangely enough—I’ve never actually attended.
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Meres J. Weche
Expat and digital maven with a passion for telling stories in words & images. Lived & worked on four continents.
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