Taymour Grahne Projects, the London-based gallery known for its roster of contemporary talent, has announced plans to open a flagship location in Dubai. The gallery will celebrate the launch with a solo exhibition by American artist Gail Spaien, titled “Arranging Flowers.” The inaugural exhibition will open on September 18th and will remain on view until November 6th.
Founded in New York in 2013, Taymour Grahne Projects has operated spaces in New York and London in the past, but more recently, the gallery has garnered attention for its sharp nomadic programming approach. The gallery will span a 2,000-square-foot space in Dubai’s Alserkal Avenue, a cultural hub of streets home to galleries such as Leila Heller Gallery and The Third Line.
“Opening a permanent space in Alserkal Avenue feels like a homecoming,” London-born, Lebanese Finnish dealer Taymour Grahne said in a press statement. “Having lived in Beirut and travelled extensively in the region, I have strong personal and professional ties to this part of the world, and specifically to Dubai. The city’s rapidly expanding cultural landscape and growing community of collectors make it the ideal location for this next chapter of the gallery’s journey.”
More recently, the gallery has been noted for its commitment to artists from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and its diaspora. Over the years, Grahne has established long-standing relationships with artists from the region. The gallery was one of the first to showcase works by notable figures such as Emirati artist Mohammed Kazem and the late Abu Dhabi–based artist Tarek Al-Ghoussein. Today, the gallery’s roster includes artists like Lebanese American artist Daniele Genadry, Kuwaiti artist Ala Younis, and French Algerian artist Katia Kameli.
Dubai’s rising population is fueling growth in its arts and culture scene, especially in the years since the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, the city welcomed more than 180,000 new inhabitants in 2022. Among the newcomers are several international dealers. Recent additions include Efiɛ Gallery, established by the Mintah family in 2021, which recently expanded into a new space in Alserkal Avenue itself. Nearby is NIKA Project Space, founded by collector Veronika Berezina in 2023. Plus, in January 2025, London-based JD Malat Gallery opened its new 1,700-square-foot space in Dubai’s Opera District.
“It is a sign of the city’s fast-growing art scene, and we can’t wait to see the fresh energy and critical conversations Taymour will bring,” said Basmah El-Bittar, director of Alserkal Avenue. “With a diverse mix of international and regional artists, the gallery presence will only deepen the Avenue’s role as a hub for cutting-edge contemporary art in the region.”
