Something is stirring in Alserkal Avenue… and it’s not just the coffee pots in Shelter. On the evening of Monday March 19, three new galleries within the circular art hub opened their doors to art-lovers for the first time as part of a community art night. The warehouse cluster, which is already home to 10 art venues, will also welcome Showcase (which has relocated from its Jumeirah base) and animation company Lammtara Pictures. The new kids on the block are a diverse bunch (La Galerie Nationale will focus on vintage furniture while Grey Noise specialises in muiti-dimensional works) and are set to put a fresh spin on the exhibitions currently on rotation in the area. Here is a taste of what to expect.

La Galerie Nationale
This Parisian gallery is set to shake things up in Alserkal Avenue as the only venue to showcase vintage art furniture. All items on display are originals and up to 100 years old. Famous furniture designers include Hungarian Mathieu Matégot (1950), French photographer and designer Willy Rizzo (who shot Marilyn Monroe two weeks before she died, Coco Chanel and Fred Astaire) and American architect and designer Warren Platner of ’60s fame. Gallery director Guilliame Cuiry says he has plenty of exciting tricks up his sleeve for the future. ‘I’m working towards a special exhibition of furniture made by a very famous designer for a very, very famous private collector. It will be a world premiere. In October/November this year, we’re planning a unique showcase of Perriand, Le Corbusier and Jean Royère, the ‘creators’ of 20th century design.’
La Galerie Internationale, unit 27, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz . For more info visit www.alserkalavenue.com.

Grey Noise
With a focus on art from South Asia, this Pakistani gallery will show contemporary works that offer viewers a multi-dimensional experience. Its opening exhibition ‘Truth of the Matter’ will feature the works of Pakistani artists Iqra Tanveer and Ehsan ul Haq, some of which are being built within the gallery. The exhibition will use spatial dynamics to explore how the identity of an object is defined by its usage. So what’s in the future for Grey Noise? ‘We have been promoting art from Pakistan in the past, but I think this will change in our program here in Dubai. We are keen to explore the Middle East, South Asia and also increase our ties with Europe. In 2013 we are planning a ‘‘collaboration’’ year, working with galleries in Berlin, Kolkata, Mumbai and New York,’ says co-founder Umer Butt.
Grey Noise, unit 24, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz 1. For more info visit www.alserkalavenue.com.

Showcase Gallery
British street artist Amartey Golding will do the honorary task of re-opening this gallery, when he launches his solo exhibition entitled ‘Nothing Beats The Blunderbuss’ on Monday March 19. Featuring his signature detailed charcoal sketchings depicting seemingly long-faced people, the show is sure to be a highlight of the evening. Golding’s subjects often appear sombre and melancholy, but this exhibition aims to challenge the ideas behind negative connotations and open the viewers mind to alternative viewpoints.
Showcase Gallery, unit 35, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz 1. For more info visit www.alserkalavenue.com.

FN Designs
HRH Sheikha Wafa Hasher Al Maktoum’s new space will celebrate all things art and design, with an aim to bring about cultural growth in Dubai. The gallery opens on Monday March 19 with a seminar led by famous trend forecaster Lidewij Edelkoort, whose expertise covers a variety of facets including fashion, textiles, interiors, banking, insurance companies, real estate, automobiles and cosmetics. Edelkoort has advised the world’s top brands, including Coca-Cola and Nissan, on how to communicate with tricky demographics.
March 19. 11am-4pm. Dhs500 per person. FN Designs, unit 26, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz 1. Please register online at www.designdaysdubai.ae.