Dubai Art Space Aims to Become Laboratory for Experimentation and New Ideas
Dubai’s cultural landscape is set to expand this November with the launch of Dom Art Projects, a new private art space located within Al Khayat Avenue in the heart of the Al Quoz Creative Zone. Founded by Anna Pumpyanskaya and Alisa Bagdonaite, the institution is poised to redefine how contemporary art is conceived, showcased and discussed in the UAE.
Opening its doors on November 27, Dom Art Projects will feature an exhibition hall, artist residency studios, and an art and culture bookshop. It will also host workshops, tours and public talks aimed at building a deeper conversation around contemporary practices.
Pumpyanskaya explains, “Dubai’s cultural landscape is dynamic and rapidly growing, yet it still has room for mid-scale, independent platforms that connect artistic production, research and discourse in a continuous way.” She adds that many existing spaces focus solely on exhibitions or commercial interests, while Dom hopes to create an environment where concepts can progress into tangible projects.
Rather than emulating existing models, Pumpyanskaya describes Dom as a “connector and a laboratory for ideas.” The goal is to serve as a space for knowledge creation, collaboration and experimentation — one that complements Dubai’s existing ecosystem of galleries and institutions.
Space for Dialogue and Discovery
Named after the Arabic word “Dom,” meaning “always,” the project is built around the idea of continuity and connection. The founders envision it as both a sanctuary for creativity and a platform for artistic innovation.
“Dom Art Projects represents everything I have done as a curator and art manager. It is both a magic factory and a spaceship… a place of full-cycle art production that generates knowledge through books, lectures and activations,” says Bagdonaite. The institution supports both the artistic and curatorial journey of creating work, from inception to realisation.
For Pumpyanskaya, the space is rooted in a personal evolution. “For me, collecting has never been about objects. It has been about relationships, processes and care,” she says. Establishing Dom is an extension of her belief in active collecting — one that supports artists both intellectually and materially.
Curatorial Vision for the Present
While many institutions programme according to set themes, Dom presents a flexible, dialogue-led curatorial approach. “We aim to build our work around meaningful intersections,” says Bagdonaite.
With interests spanning ecological art, women’s perspectives, abstract minimalism and technological art, the team emphasises curatorial intuition and community responsiveness. Dom’s first exhibition takes up the theme of time, an appropriate motif for a space guided by the idea of continuity.
The inaugural showcase features Japanese artist Michiko Tsuda, recognised for immersive installations exploring perception, and Dmitriy Morozov, also known as Vtol, whose project “Takir” investigates geological time and environmental change through robotics and sound.
Collaboration at the Core
True to its mission, Dom Art Projects places collaboration at the center of its operations. A joint initiative with Bayt Al Mamzar, a fellow independent arts space, will spearhead the institution’s first major programme: an open call for UAE-based emerging artists.
Running until November 20, the programme offers successful applicants studio space, mentorship and meaningful community engagement. “Art residencies are among the most effective ways to support emerging talent,” says Bagdonaite, emphasizing the need for open communication and horizontal collaboration.
The Dom space includes three studios that will host a rotating lineup of curators, writers and creatives. Complementary educational initiatives such as artist-led workshops, guided tours and talks are also planned, building public access to artistic processes beyond the traditional gallery experience.
Defining Moment for Dubai’s Art Scene
For Pumpyanskaya, Dom aligns with a critical time in the evolution of Dubai’s art world. “Over the past decade, the city has built strong institutional foundations such as art centres, fairs and galleries, but what we are seeing now is a shift towards content, experimentation and depth.”
There is a rising appetite, she says, for spaces that focus on research and thinking, not merely commercial success or visibility. “Launching Dom now feels right because Dubai is ready for new models of artistic work based on collaboration and exchange.”
“Dubai’s speed and diversity create a kind of creative pressure that pushes us to rethink what an art space can be today,” she concludes. “We want to contribute to that conversation by offering artists the freedom to test, to fail and to explore.”
With its ambitious vision and roots in community, Dom Art Projects stands to emerge as one of the most significant new platforms in Dubai’s evolving art scene — a launchpad where ideas take flight, and creativity finds new forms.
— Team V.DIR-EM-UAE
