Two Clouds in the Night Sky is a solo exhibition by artist Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, on display at the Cultural Foundation until 22 February 2026. The show invites visitors into the richly imaginative world of one of the founding figures of contemporary Emirati art and offers a deep dive into his meditative practice.
The exhibition borrows its title from a series of Ibrahim’s recent cloud-inspired works, reflecting his poetic and organic visual language that blurs the boundaries between the natural and the imagined. The show comprises four sections: In Transit, Traces Made Visible, Shapeshifters, and Where the Land Turns to Play. Exhibited are paintings, works on paper, assemblages, and papier-mâché sculptures that explore diverse modes of engagement with the landscape and subconscious.
Across the galleries, totemic sculptural forms meet vibrant canvases, creating an immersive garden of shapes and creatures that suggest ecosystems of imagined life. A major commissioned work, Time/Place/Void, consists of four colourful interconnected rooms inscribed with Ibrahim’s signature line drawings. It encourages viewers to enter and experience the work spatially.
The exhibition can be called a landmark presentation of Ibrahim’s evolving practice, from his early works to his latest investigations. It highlights his enduring fascination with the environment of his native Khor Fakkan and its textures, colours, and psychological resonances.
About the artist
Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim (b. 1962, Khor Fakkan, UAE), who resides in Khor Fakkan, earned a degree in psychology from Al Ain University (UAE) in 1986. He emerged in the late 1980s as part of a pioneering generation of artists, including Hassan Sharif, Abdullah Al Saadi, Hussein Sharif, and Mohammed Kazem, who helped shape the UAE’s art scene with conceptual, material-driven practices.
Ibrahim’s practice, which encompasses painting, sculpture, installation, and land art, is rooted in his connection to the natural world. Drawing from his experiences among the cliffs, coral reefs, and desert landscapes of his homeland, he works with materials such as clay, leaves, paper, and mixed media to produce forms that evoke organic growth, geological formations, and elemental forces.
He has exhibited widely both within the UAE and internationally, from the Venice Biennale to institutions across Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. His artworks can be found in esteemed public collections: Centre Pompidou (Paris, France), the British Museum (London, UK), and Kunstcentrum Sittard (the Netherlands), among others.
To get more information about Shifted Diagonal, please visit the official web page of the exhibition.
You might also be interested in exploring 421 Arts Campus’ 2026 Winter Program.
