RAi is an independent cultural institution dedicated to facilitating artistic exchange, developing creative practice, and disseminating arts and culture from the Global South. We promote cultural exchange and develop and nurture long and short-term partnerships, artistic practice, creative interventions, and curatorial research of contemporary arts.  RAi is created and run by artists, researchers and creative practitioners from trans-disciplinary fields of thought.  RAi creates opportunities for emerging and established artists, curators, researchers, and other creative practitioners to reflect and position their practice within a global discourse, create opportunities for continuous learning, research opportunities, incubating platforms, and networking forums to present and share, discuss and disseminate practices and contemporary concerns. RAi is committed to providing artists at all stages of their careers with a supportive ecosystem that nurtures and promotes their creativity.  Creativity and artistic practice can be fragile, and often hindered by various barriers. These obstacles can range from practical concerns such as limited resources or financial constraints to intangible challenges like familial prejudice or cultural resistance. We understand that artists require assistance to overcome these barriers and unlock their true potential. We offer artists the necessary physical spaces, resources, and opportunities to cultivate their art practice. Additionally, we provide a platform for learning and growth, facilitating cultural conversations that shed new light on their work and future artistic endeavours. Through our network, which spans selected cities globally, we establish physical spaces, residences, and a vibrant community dedicated to artistic practice, display, discussion, research, and publishing.  We aim to create an environment where artists can thrive and gain the exposure and support they need to elevate their work.

Karine Roche, a UAE based, French visual artist born in 1977, engages with various media including digital, ink, oil, resin, and collage of paper and textile. Her paintings depict landscapes that convey a sense of wandering through specific environments, inviting viewers to embark on journeys through urban and/or natural territories. 

 

Having studied Fine Art and landscape architecture in Paris, Karine obtained her diploma at ENSAAMA Olivier de Serres in 1999. Since 2009, she has been based in the UAE and is a member of the Emirate Fine Arts Society. Her artwork was represented by Gallery Catherine et Andre Hug in Paris from 2003 to 2014. In Dubai, she held several solo exhibitions with Art Sawa gallery in DIFC from 2011 to 2018. Additionally, she has participated in various group exhibitions including “Colors Dialog” and “Women in Art” at Sharjah Art Museum, “Covid Conversation” at Tashkeel Dubai, and the Fragility exhibition hosted in Dubai in 2023. Her work has been showcased at the French Alliance, the French Institute, and Art Paris. Karine also participated in Campus Art Dubai 9.0 Blockchain edition during Art Dubai 2021.