JD Malat Gallery in Downtown Dubai has announced #SHOTBYADAMS, the first Middle East exhibition by Canadian musician and photographer Bryan Adams.
Running from the 2nd to the 30th of September 2025, the show presents a series of portraits of cultural icons reimagined through experimental use of plexiglass.
Adams, internationally recognised for his contributions to both music and photography, introduces a new direction in this exhibition. Inspired by the expression “seeing things through rose-tinted glasses”, he places multi-coloured plexiglass between lens and subject. This technique alters the relationship between viewer and sitter, creating a refracted and dreamlike quality across the portraits.
Among the works on display are depictions of Kate Moss in Pose, London, 2013, Sir Mick Jagger in New York, 2008, and Amy Winehouse in Spinning Records, London, 2010. Through this approach, Adams invites audiences to consider how fame, identity and perception are shaped through visual art.
Adams’ photographs have been widely recognised and collected internationally. His portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip is held permanently in the National Portrait Gallery, London. He has received the German Lead Award twice, in 2006 and 2012, for his portraiture. His editorial work has appeared in publications including i-D, Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue.
Commenting on the Dubai exhibition, Adams said: “It’s a real honour to be showing this body of work for the first time in Dubai. The plexiglass acts like a visual metaphor – refracting not just the subject, but our assumptions. It’s about perception, distortion, and the beauty of seeing differently.”
Jean-David Malat, founder of JD Malat Gallery, added: “As a gallery committed to presenting bold, thought-provoking work, we’re proud to bring #SHOTBYADAMS to Dubai’s dynamic art community. This exhibition marks a compelling chapter in Bryan’s photographic practice, exploring distortion, materiality, and the shifting nature of the image.”
JD Malat Gallery, founded in London in 2018 and expanded to Dubai in 2025, represents 17 international artists and focuses on supporting both emerging and established talents across painting, sculpture, photography and mixed media.
The exhibition is open daily from 10am to 10pm at JD Malat Gallery Dubai, Act 2 Tower, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, Downtown Dubai.
