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Heads turn as I scroll across to the garden. Only a couple of the faces I pass, somewhat hurriedly, are familiar. I wander over to the flowerbeds. How surreal it is to be viewing an exhibition halfway across the world a few days after it has ended. There are activities, videos of what went on behind the scenes, additional resources — far more material than I will actually look at, but I feel strangely reassured that it's there. I'm drawn to botanical art, I've written about it before , and there's something so wholesome about creating an exhibition and events around the contents of a garden. I'm slightly envious of those who get to see it in person. Maybe someday.  Leaves dance, as though lulled by a gentle breeze that I can almost feel, in Angela Mirro's contemporary piece The Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve . Below, Sarah Drake's accurate botanical rendition of Galeandra baueri reminds me of a glorious peacock, a cascade of pink petals flowing downward....

A title that intrigues, that doesn't quite prepare me for what is to come, yet feels just right  Nuance, not ambiguity, in the handling of a serious subject  Elegant turns of phrase, deliberately poetic to make the next point: Is it news? Is it art? Is it someone’s pain?  — “Organized disorder", "backdrops of smoke, fog or falling snow"  Finds a way to reach out through familiarity before presenting the new and unfamiliar  Situates works within history, contemporaneity, criticism, collective consciousness  Asks questions that evoke engagement and wonder  — "Who bought those tomatoes?" "Whose blood is that?"  Holds images, editors, curators accountable, not just the artist  Walks the line between sharing an opinion and leaving room for interpretation  Describes artworks through a perspective, rather than objectively  — "It is a still life, but it is in utter disarray"  Offers space for learning, sources, artworks, contexts ...

Through love, loss and war, Safwan Dahoul never stopped painting his dreams. As Ayyam Gallery Dubai (DIFC) shows new works from the veteran painter’s ongoing “Dream” series, which he has been creating for three decades, I delved deeper into Dahoul’s practice. This article was originally published on Art Radar , now defunct, on   15 April 2018. Safwan Dahoul, Dream 160, 2017, acrylic on canvas, 122 x 76 cm. Image courtesy the artist and Ayyam Gallery. Safwan Dahoul (b. 1961, Hama, Syria) studied in Damascus, before moving to Belgium for a doctoral degree. He then returned to Syria and taught at the Faculty of Fine Arts, mentoring young artists. In 2012, in the face of conflict, he, along with a number of prominent Syrian artists, left Damascus for Dubai aided by Ayyam Gallery. What was supposed to be a temporary move – he told CNN that he had anticipated a quick return – became his new home and studio.  Dahoul has had several exhibitions over the years at Ayyam Gallery’s...

In the midst of the Himalayas, overlooking the Kullu valley, lies a small town that was once home to a famous Russian family. Midsummer suits Naggar*, which was formerly the capital of Kullu, and lies halfway between Kullu and Manali. The foliage is lush, the flowers in bloom, and the occasional slug makes its lazy way across my path. The clear sky allows for an unrestricted view of white capped peaks not so far away — a pristine beauty that has inspired landscape painters for generations.  It was this beauty that likely tempted Nicholas Roerich to make Naggar his home in the latter part of his life. An artist, philosopher, scientist, scholar and quester, among other things, he lived in many places, but this small hamlet in India holds a special significance — not only in the numerous paintings that the artist and his son created, but also in what he gave back to the place where he lived out the end of his life.  Nicholas Roerich lived in Naggar from 1928 until 1947 with his w...

The Curator of the Video Projects programme at Beirut Art Fair 2014 discusses experimental cinema in Asia and Africa. This article was originally published on Art Radar (12 September 2014).  Silke Schmickl, Director of Paris-based film and curator label Lowave and Curator of the Video Projects sector at this year’s Beirut Art Fair, provides an insight into the changes in video art over the last decade. Beirut Art Fair will be held from 18 to 21 September 2014.  Beirut Art Fair was founded in 2010 and is dedicated to art from the ME.NA.SA (Middle East, North Africa, South and Southeast Asia) region, stretching from Morocco to Indonesia. The 2014 edition will see the participation of nearly fifty art and design galleries in Beirut, Lebanon. The Fair will include a pavilion dedicated to Indian contemporary art, as well as an exclusive platform for Lebanese designers. There will also be a programme of experimental cinema and video from the region, curated by Silke Schmickl. ...

Four gallerists discuss their expectations from Art Basel’s second edition in Hong Kong. This article was originally published on Art Radar (9 May 2014).  Image: Birgit Juergenssen, Illumination , 1990, courtesy Galerie Hubert Winter, Vienna Art Basel Hong Kong is ready to roll out its second edition from 15 to 18 May 2014, featuring a total of 245 premier galleries from across the world.  Art Radar  asked four galleries who are new to the show about their preparation, the artists they are exhibiting and their hopes from the art fair. Hubert Winter (HW): Owner of Galerie Hubert Winter, Vienna, Austria  Michael Hoppen (MH): Owner of Michael Hoppen Gallery, London  Nikolaus Ruzicska (NR): Owner of Galerie Nikolaus Ruzicska, Salzburg  Anna Schwartz (AS): Director of Anna Schwartz Gallery, Sydney/Melbourne, Australia Why did you apply to participate in Art Basel Hong Kong this year? How did you feel to be accepted?  HW: There are two main reaso...

The Hong Kong-based artist talks about his influences, the city’s art scene and his upcoming projects. This article was originally published on Art Radar on (9 May 2014). Image: Nadim Abbas at "Apocalypse Postponed" Absolut Art Bar, Art Basel Hong Kong 2014. Photo by Roberto Chomorro, courtesy Absolut. Nadim Abbas (b. 1980), who currently lives and works in Hong Kong, is designing this year’s Absolut Art Bar at the upcoming Art Basel Hong Kong in May 2014. Art Radar caught up with him to find out more about the cocktail-bar-cum-art-installation.  Nadim Abbas is known for his thought-provoking and well-researched installations and artworks. He studied at London’s Chelsea College of Art and Design and also holds an MPhil in Comparative Literature from the University of Hong Kong. His works draw on themes from literature, science and psychology and often reference everyday objects. In March 2014, Abbas’ work was exhibited at the Armory Show in New York as a part of the Focus ...