Bait Al Banat Gallery 1
This gallery space caters to temporary exhibitions. Female artists from across the Emirates both emerging and established display their creative output. The changing programme will at times display retrospectives of established artists; and at other times work by young and emerging artists; as well as inter-generational group shows.
Current Exhibition
“A Lady From Dubai”
“Ousha Bint Husein Bin Nasir Lootah”
The Heart of the place tells the life story of an Emirati woman whose character and social presence were acknowledged by the fact that she embraced all aspects of women’s rights, whether economic intellectual, educational or political a greatly traditional society while staying true to her roots.
Ousha bint Husein bin nasir Lootah was a unique example of a woman who respected her society’s traditions and values while resisting negative cultural, stereotypes and their impact on women’s status and development. She dealt with such issues logically and wisely with an aim at ameliorating them.
Ousha was greatly influenced by her father, known for his open mindedness attitude, He was one of the few who were keen to educate their daughters at that time ( circa 1930s).
Ousha’s grandmother, Mrs. Rafia bint Thani bin Qattami was her role model and she had a remarkable influence in the formation of Ousha’s personality. The elder lady had discerned in her fourteen-year-old granddaughter wisdom, strength of personality, and empathy. Hence, she enhanced her self-confidence as she in-charged her with the management of the 100-household mansion.
Ousha was always keen on seeking knowledge. After learning reading, writing and the basics of math, she looked for the other learning resources. Thus, she subscribed to Arabic magazines and newspaper.
Ousha got married to Mr. Obaid Ghubash at the age of eighteen, and their marriage lasted for fourteen years. They had six children, and after their separation, Ousha took full responsibility for raising her children as presented in the displayed letters exchanged between her and her children.
“A Literate Woman, An Avid Reader”
“Hajar Al Khaja”
Welcome here to her cultural and social world! Thanks are due to her son Lawyer Mohammed Mohammed Amin Ghayath, as he has kept all the books and collectibles related to his mother which instigate losts of warm feelings.
Mrs. Hajar was a woman who had books as her companion, culture as her provision, and taking part in learning and seeking knowledge as her inherent nature, so much so that she is worth being celebrated now in the Women’s Museum.
In so doing, we are documenting the history of a woman from the Emirates who adds to the biographies of the women we have documented in various fields an important dimension , namely the fact that she was a ” Literate Woman “.
Mrs. Hajar is from the emirate of Ajman. She was born in 1910 AD in a family capable or reading and writing ( father, mother, and brother ), while her two sisters ( Noora and Fatma ) were content with memorizing a little of the Quran.
“Exceptional Lady With Extraordinary Skills”
” Muneera Bint Ahmad Bin Salem Al Mazrou”
A Retrospective of Muneera bint Salem bin Ahmed Al Mazrou: Exceptional Lady with Extraordinary Skills
Currently on display at the Bait al Banat Gallery 1, this is a retrospective of the life of Muneera al Mazrou and her outstanding skills and body of work.
Born in the Emirates of Sharjah to a traditional healer father, Muneera from a very young age picked up the skills of the trade.
Later, with her unique characteristics she developed herself as a master marksman and gunsmith and a passionate photographer. Her passion to capture the social scene through the lens of her camera was so profound that she evolved as one of the earliest female photographers from Sharjah.
This exhibition showcases her years of photography, her collection of cameras and guns, and her hand-crafted traditional children’s toys.
HERstory: A Woman Design Project
A design project about women in the UAE, HERstory was conceived under the patronage of HH Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum, primarily to create a collection of stories about the interaction between extraordinary women through their work, humanity and sensitivity. A collaborative effort of two women – The Artist and her muse, in this case The Protagonist – portraying the dialogue between them about the culmination of their culture, character, and life.
Past Exhibitions
“The Blessed Dubai”
(May 2015 – Aug 2018)
Featuring the story of Dubai’s Renaissance, this exhibition was inaugurated by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and ruler of Dubai, and his son the Crown Prince HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Through old photographs from various personal archives, postage stamps and coins from the museum’s collection, and poems that serve as one of the corner stones of the cultural heritage of the country, this exhibition focused on HH late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum’s administrative and political acumen.
“Women in Their Lives”
(Dec 2012 – May 2015)
Inaugurated by HH Sheikh Majid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum this exhibition was curated to tell the all-encompassing story of what it means to be a woman belonging to a fast-paced changing society that is deeply rooted in its rich cultural heritage. Participating artists had portrayed their ideal female figures of their lives who have been actively involved in inspiring them