The National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) announced its participation in the 17th edition of the Abu Dhabi Art Fair, which opens on November 19 at Manarat Al Saadiyat. As part of this year’s fair, NMSS will present Evident Presence: A Community of Care, an immersive installation that translates real stories from people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) into a shared encounter that brings visibility to commonly overlooked experiences.
Curated by Dirwaza Curatorial Lab and filmed and produced by Triplets on Set, Evident Presence invites Abu Dhabi Art Fair visitors to engage with the lived realities of MS and consider the shared role of community care.
The project comprises two interconnected elements: a video-based installation and a complementary series of live performances and readings presented by NMSS in collaboration with UAE-based artists.
The video follows five individuals living with MS, using visual storytelling to explore how each person navigates shifts in movement, stillness, and connection to their body. Featuring participants of diverse ages and backgrounds, the work brings visibility to the often-invisible nature of MS, where symptoms such as fatigue, numbness, or vision changes may not be outwardly apparent – offering a deeply human portrait of community, creativity, and quiet strength.
Together, these components expand the experience beyond the screen, creating multiple entry points for reflection, connection, and exchange. Through its multisensory approach, Evident Presence foregrounds personal narratives from the MS community, highlighting how creative practice can strengthen representation and belonging within the UAE’s cultural landscape.
Maral Alexandrian, Acting Executive Director of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, said: “Evident Presence creates a space to witness the lived experiences of people with MS – not as conditions, but as stories shaped by identity and care. True inclusion is built not only through awareness but through presence, empathy, and shared purpose.
“We are proud to have worked with partners whose careful approach helped bring these lived narratives into a cultural space where understanding and representation can continue to grow. Our heartfelt appreciation goes to Abu Dhabi Art for fostering a cultural ecosystem that celebrates reflection, connection, and community, a platform where the power of art reminds us of its ability to move us, expand our understanding, and bring people together through shared humanity.”
This marks NMSS’s second participation in Abu Dhabi Art, following its 2023 installation, How Is Nature Constant When The Sun Never Rests, also curated by Dirwaza Curatorial Lab. The collaboration builds on a growing body of shared work, including the 2024 Arts Apprenticeship Program, which brought members of the MS community into curatorial and exhibition-making processes – demonstrating how art can open new pathways for representation and public engagement.
Munira Al Sayegh, founder of Dirwaza Curatorial Lab, added: “The Year of Community sits at the center of all that our collaboration with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society aims to do. It embraces art as a means of expression, be it through the medium of film or live performance. Here, we hear stories and understand how they come to life. Most importantly, this project highlights the importance of a community that allows for safe spaces, for sharing, and for collective support.”
Throughout the fair, NMSS will present a series of activations, including spoken word, movement, sound, and poetry. Taking place near the installation in The Theatre at Manarat Al Saadiyat, these live activations further extend its themes, offering audiences additional ways to listen, reflect, and connect.
- 18 November — 7:30 p.m. | Maitha Al Omaira (preview activation ahead of fair opening)
Moving through the fair, Al Omaira gathers bougainvillea along her path, presenting them as a symbol woven through poetry and gesture. - 19 November – 6:30 p.m. & 20 November – 7:30 p.m. | Shahad Al Saqqaf
Al Saqqaf explores the lived experiences of people with MS through abstract motifs such as water, translating their emotional and physical realities into a compelling visual narrative
- 21 November — 7:30 p.m. | Maitha Al Omaira
Moving through the fair, Al Omaira gathers bougainvillea along her path, presenting them as a symbol woven through poetry and gesture. - 22 & 23 November – 4:00 p.m. |Carlos Páez
In a performance that merges sound, motion, and emotion, Carlos Páez invites audiences to a journey marked by slowness, unpredictability, and quiet resilience that translates the experience of the rhythm of living with MS
Members of the public are invited to experience Evident Presence: A Community of Care at the Community Partners space from November 19 to 23, during fair opening hours (2:00–9:00 p.m.) at Manarat Al Saadiyat.
