The Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation will host a retrospective exhibition dedicated to the late visual artist Abdullatif Al Smoudi (1948–2005), titled “Colours Paint a Story of Absence”, at 7.30pm on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, in the Grand Exhibition Hall at the Foundation’s headquarters in Dubai.

The exhibition opening will be followed by an art symposium exploring Al Smoudi’s artistic journey, featuring artists Hisham Al Madhloum and Talal Moualla, who will shed light on the work of one of the Arab world’s most prominent visual artists.

The show will feature a selection of Al Smoudi’s works reflecting his distinctive creative approach to blending Arab heritage with modern art. Combining authenticity with contemporary expression, Al Smoudi drew inspiration from Islamic and Eastern heritage to create works that remain deeply etched in our collective memory.

For the first time, the exhibition will feature “Hama 1982”, a work Al Smoudi painted at the time to commemorate the events that unfolded in the Syrian city of Hama in the early 1980s. The mural painting measures 345cm in length and 175cm in height.

“Colours Paint a Story of Absence” offers visitors an opportunity to rediscover Al Smoudi’s rich artistic legacy, tracing stages and defining moments in his life from his early artistic beginnings through to his death in 2005. The exhibition explores milestones that shaped his career and the evolution of his distinctive artistic style. A pioneer of abstract art in the Arab world, Al Smoudi used symbols and letters to create a distinctive world of colour and ornamentation.

The exhibition comes as part of the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation’s unwavering efforts to recognise and celebrate Arab creative talent, not only in literature but across the wider fields of intellectual and artistic creativity.

Al Smoudi’s works are also characterised by a sense of vitality and warmth, while displaying depth and contemplation. They transport the viewer into a world of memory and history through dense, web-like compositions that gradually reveal intricate meanings, intertwined and interconnected in a distinct sense of visual harmony.

Al Smoudi also played a prominent role in the Sharjah Biennial, participating in several editions and leaving a lasting imprint on the Arab art scene through his exhibitions, participation and artistic presence. His work influenced an entire generation of Arab artists and reflected his enduring commitment to renewal, deeply rooted in the spirit of the East, evoking an open window onto a vast landscape filled with warmth and nostalgia.