Art Mumbai - Middle East Cultural Corridors: Deconstructing the Rules of Art Engagement

Shafeena Yusuff Ali is a distinguished leader at the intersection of culture and business, serving as the Founder and Executive Director of the Rizq Art Initiative (RAi). Recognized as one of the most influential women in the Middle East, she is deeply committed to elevating art and artists from the Global South, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s role in the UAE’s evolving cultural landscape.In 2023, Shafeena launched RAi as the realization of her lifelong vision to champion the arts. Her academic credentials—an MBA from the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School and aMaster’s in Social Innovation from the University of Cambridge—have shaped her unique approach to integrating artistic vision with strategic business expertise. Beyond the arts, Shafeena is a dedicated advocate for social development. As Co-Founder andDirector of the Adeeb and Shafeena Action Research Foundation, she drives impactful initiatives in education, healthcare, childcare, and community development across India.Her contributions have earned her several prestigious accolades. In 2018, she received the Indo- Arab Women Entrepreneurship Award in recognition of her societal and economic impact. The sameyear, Poets & Quants named her one of the Best & Brightest Executive MBAs, highlighting her exceptional achievements. She was also honored with the Achiever of the Year Award at the 2017Emirates Woman of the Year Awards.In addition to her work in the cultural sector, Shafeena is a prominent business leader. She previously served as the CEO of Tablez Food Company and continues to hold key leadership rolesas Chairperson of Tablez India and Director of Twenty14 Holdings, successfully blending her passion for the arts with strategic business leadership.Through her work, Shafeena Yusuff Ali continues to shape both the cultural and economic landscapes of the UAE and beyond, inspiring artists, entrepreneurs, and change-makers alike.

Sasha Altaf is the Director and Curator of the Ishara Art Foundation in Dubai. Her longstanding curatorial practice of more than 20 years is dedicated to shaping the discourse around feminism in the contemporary and visual arts of India. Prior to joining Ishara, Altaf was lead curator at the Dubai outpost of Volte Art Projects, the Director of Talwar Gallery and an adjunct professor in the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Miami, USA. She has curated numerous exhibitions in India and the UAE, including Rashid Rana: It Lies Beyond (2024), Temporal Twists: A Subversive Metalogue, Sheba Chhachi (2023), and To see a world in a grain of sand, Shambhavi Singh (2023), Dubai; Early Drawings: Altaf at DAG, Mumbai (2023); and Autobiography of a Line: Nasreen Mohamedi at Chatterjee and Lal, Mumbai (2022). She is the author of ALTAF: The Journals (1963-1973), published by DAG in 2018, and a regular contributor to various acclaimed art magazines and catalogues.

Arnaud Morand is an independent curator with a focus on the emerging contemporary art scenes of Europe and the Middle East. He is currently spearheading arts for the AlUla project and leading the development of its museum and cultural assets. In 2022, he co-curated Noor Riyadh, the citywide festival of light and art, focusing on major public commissions by regional artists. He currently sits on the Artistic Committee of Salon de Montrouge. Previously, he served as Cultural Attaché for France in Abu Dhabi, where he oversaw the opening of Louvre Abu Dhabi and curated a major two-year program in collaboration with key cultural institutions and artists, building bridges between European and Middle Eastern artistic scenes. He also held senior positions at the Centre Pompidou and Gaîté Lyrique in Paris. He holds degrees from Sciences Po, UC Berkeley, as a dancer and musician from the National Conservatory, and was named Knight of the Order of Arts & Letters in 2021.

Rajeev Gopinadh is currently shaping blockbuster exhibitions as the Temporary Exhibitions & Special Projects Manager at Louvre Abu Dhabi. With over 15 years of experience, he has been instrumental in driving innovative art projects across the Middle East. At Qatar Museums, Rajeev played key collection management and research roles, from launching Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art to partnering with global icons such as OMA and KAWS to deliver landmark shows. His expertise extends beyond museums—he spearheaded production for Noor Riyadh’s inaugural light art festival and curated monumental public programs at the Royal Commission of AlUla, including Desert X 2022. Holding a Master’s degree in Art History and Connoisseurship from Christie’s Education NY, Rajeev blends strategic insight with deep art knowledge to ignite conversations that bridge culture, collections, and audience engagement.

Asad Lalljee is the Senior Vice President of Essar Group, CEO of Avid Learning—a public programming initiative and creative platform under the Essar Group—and Curator of the Royal Opera House, Mumbai. Before relocating to India, he spent 14 years as one of the ‘Mad Men’ advertising executives on New York's Madison Avenue. Asad has transformed Avid Learning into India’s leading cultural hub through international collaborations and partnerships with the country’s biggest art platforms. Since the restoration of the Royal Opera House, his curatorial programming has re-established its reputation as the city’s cultural crown jewel. He has been a member of the prestigious Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry's Art and Culture Committee since 2018 (now FICCI's Tourism and Culture Committee), co-convening national conferences on the creative economy across Kochi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and New Delhi. He also serves on the Executive Committee of the Kala Ghoda Association and the advisory board of the Mumbai Urban Art Festival. Amid the pandemic (April 2020), Asad pivoted from Avid Learning to Avid Online, presenting 240 programs in a year. An early adopter of technology trends, he specializes in new media, curating programs around AI and the cyberfuture. Asad holds a B.A. in Economics from St. Xavier's College and an M.A. in Global Marketing Communications from Emerson College, Boston.