Addressing history
Efie Gallery launches a new space with María Magdalena Campos-Pons’ monumental solo show.
By Anna Seaman
Dubai’s Efie Gallery, which since its launch in 2021 has established itself as a vital platform for artists of African origin, will inaugurate its new space this April with a monumental solo exhibition by the internationally celebrated Cuban artist María Magdalena Campos-Pons. Running from April 11 to May 21, the exhibition not only presents Campos-Pons’ work to the region in a dedicated solo show but also underscores Efie’s commitment to expanding the reach of artists from Africa and its diaspora.
Formerly located in Al Khayat Avenue, Efie will move to a larger space in Alserkal Avenue where it will continue to foster cross-continental dialogues. Representing renowned names such as El Anatsui, Aïda Muluneh, Maggie Otieno, Abdoulaye Konaté, and Yaw Owusu, the gallery has championed bold, innovative, and historically resonant artistic practices often placing them in dialogue with Middle Eastern voices.
Campos-Pons, whose multidisciplinary work spans painting, installation, and sculpture, is known for her deeply immersive explorations of memory, identity, and spirituality. For her debut solo show with Efie, she unveils a new body of work that extends her ongoing engagement with nature and ancestral narratives, weaving together personal and collective histories in striking visual forms.
It is not the first time Campos-Pons has engaged with UAE audiences. In 2023, she participated in Sharjah Biennial 15 with a multimedia installation and series of paintings titled Murmullo Familiar [family whisper]. The commissioned work pivoted around the story of her Angolan grandmother but also used historical memorabilia and family heirlooms to retell the stories of the slave trade route from Africa to the Caribbean. In 2024, she attended the launch of the inaugural Toni Morrison Fellowship at The Africa Institute in Sharjah.
This show, which includes older and new works, sets the tone for Efie’s new chapter of growth and brings Campos-Pons’ work further into the spotlight in the region.
Descending Angel 2 (2020) Digital print, watercolour and ink on archival watercolour arches paper. Campos-Pons is known for her deeply immersive explorations of memory, identity, and spirituality. Courtesy of the artist and Efie Gallery.
