Emirati artist Juma Al Haj is presenting his first institutional solo exhibition, titled "Revelation," at 421 Arts Campus in Abu Dhabi, running through January 10, 2027. The show was developed through the venue's Artistic Development Programme and centres on themes of seclusion, reflection and personal revelation.
Al Haj spent 15 years in a corporate career before leaving it in June 2025 to pursue art full-time, even returning to university to deepen his practice. He credits the Covid-19 period, when he began posting his work online, as the turning point that convinced him art could be a genuine career rather than a side pursuit.
Visitors to the exhibition are asked to remove their shoes before entering a darkened, carpeted space, a deliberate choice meant to evoke the feeling of entering a sacred place and to encourage quiet contemplation. The works combine painting, glass, text, light, shadow, water and installation; Al Haj builds each painting from between seven and fourteen layers, most of which remain invisible in the finished piece. His visual language draws on the Arabic handwriting exercises he practised as a child.
The artist recently relocated to Paris to better understand the international art world from within. "Revelation" reflects how Abu Dhabi's cultural institutions are increasingly backing a new generation of Emirati artists making the leap from corporate life into contemporary art, giving them space for ambitious, immersive debut shows.