Art Galleries

The Pottery

Pottery-making in Oman is considered an ancient industry. The reason it has attracted much interest can be attributed to the multitude of its uses in Omanis' daily lives. Bahla in A'Dhahirah Governorate is the most famous town for pottery-making in Oman.

The oldest independent state in the Arabian Peninsula, throughout history Oman has been known for its frankincense, dates, coffee, and wonderful architecture. More recently, however, Oman’s art scene has blossomed, bringing world-class galleries showcasing home-grown talent as well as artists of international acclaim to the sultanate. Oman is an oasis for Middle Eastern art; whilst neighbouring Saudi Arabia and the UAE construct skyscrapers, Oman remains firmly attached to its vivid culture and heritage.

Al Madina Art Gallery
Based in the Muscat suburb of Madinat Qaboos, the Al Madina Art Gallery first opened its doors in 2004. Since then it has excelled in exhibiting Omani and expatriate amateur artists, as well as more established painters and photographers. The gallery includes workshops and field trips for all ages; reconnecting Oman’s growing and diversifying population with its vibrant and historic culture. The gallery also has an impressive gift shop full of intricate Omani artefacts, many of which are made in the gallery’s workshop. Al Madina holds exhibitions for local and international visual artists in the region like French-born Juliette Thomson, whose work resonates with her surroundings in Oman.

Bait Muzna Gallery
Bait Muzna Gallery exhibits multimedia artworks from a range of local and international artists. Founded by Sayyida Susan Al Said in 2000; it is situated in one of the oldest parts of Muscat, juxtaposing the old Oman with cutting-edge, contemporary art. Its objective is to place Omani art on the international stage. Bait Muzna gives emerging and established Omani artists the scope to exhibit and develop their discipline within the gallery. The gallery sits at the crossroads to Omani culture; looking forward to the future with contemporary art installations, but without disassociating itself from its strong artistic and cultural heritage. One interesting artist to keep an eye on is British-born Alan Reed who captures the essence of the Gulf, painting Omani landscapes and cultural architecture.

Gallery Sarah
Part of the Bait Al Zubair Museum, Gallery Sarah is a contemporary art gallery in the heart of Muscat. Created in memory of the Bait Al Zubair museum’s art advisor, Sarah White, the gallery opened its doors in 2013. In a bid to carry on Sarah’s life work of contributing to the progression of Omani art, the gallery is a pioneering project exhibiting contemporary art whilst supporting up-and-coming local and international artists. The gallery will also play host to a marketplace which will enable artists and photographers to showcase and sell their work. Collaborating with visual artists, the gallery also invites them to exhibit their work online, as well as in the gallery. Of particular interest, the gallery is hosting an exhibition for Ramadan, featuring works by Radhika Hamlai, an Omani artist working between Oman and London. The series, The Arabic Letter Series, features mono-prints on Japanese handmade paper.

MuscArt Gallery
One of the newest art galleries in Oman’s burgeoning art scene, MuscArt Gallery, opened its doors in 2012. The gallery, in the heart of Muscat, has quickly established itself at the forefront of Oman’s visual arts community. It exhibits local and international artists, as well as runs regular educational workshops and seminars for aspiring Omani artists. The gallery hosts painting and photographic workshops from digital photography to ancient Arabic calligraphy. Combined with an exhibition space and a state-of-the-art photography studio, MuscArt has developed itself as a hub for artists across the country. One of MuscArt’s artists in situ, Diane Kazakis, paints extremely vivid depictions of Omani nature and architecture. Originally from Australia, Diane’s background in sculpting and environmental issues has created an excellent collection of artworks.

Stal Gallery
Whilst the previous Omani galleries mentioned are increasingly international in their outlook, Stal Gallery focuses on Muscat’s residents and local artists. Set up by the not-for-profit Alserkal group in September 2013, the gallery serves as a shining beacon for the artistic community of Oman. The space serves as a hub for visual art lovers and artists; with exhibitions of refreshing mixed media; from photography to lithography. One artist currently exhibiting at Stal, Alia Alfarsi, has gained recognition from her series of striking portraits of women. The artworks are created using a collage of textures, from real fabrics to create the woman’s clothing from torn pieces of writing as if to capture the woman’s conversation.