In Dubai, where design and ambition move at the same speed, CubixArt arrives as a study in patience. Running until 7 March, Emirati artist and engineer Khalfan Almarashda unveils a solo exhibition at ME Dubai by Meliá, transforming more than 20,000 solved 3x3x3 Rubik’s Cubes into large-scale mosaic artworks that pulse with colour, structure and identity.
Staged on the hotel’s third floor, the exhibition marks the first solo showcase by an Emirati artist at the property. More than 30 works are presented, each built cube by cube, with every 28mm piece contributing to contemporary compositions that explore continuity, creativity and cultural memory.
Almarashda’s process is methodical, almost architectural. Through a structured approach, he elevates an everyday object into portraits and visual statements that feel both playful and profound. The collection spans key historical and UAE national figures, works inspired by Emirati heritage and Arabic and Islamic art and architecture, celebrated sports personalities, and recognisable cartoon characters including Freej and Mario.
The result is immersive. Faces emerge from grids of colour; icons dissolve into geometry before resolving again from a distance. Structure and symmetry become storytelling tools, inviting viewers to rediscover familiar figures through a distinctly contemporary lens.
Recognised as the founder of CubixArt, Almarashda has previously exhibited across the UAE and was awarded Best Emerging Artist at World Art Dubai. Here, his signature mosaic portraiture finds a setting that mirrors its ambition.
The exhibition unfolds inside the Opus building in Business Bay, home to ME Dubai by Meliá, the only hotel in the world designed both externally and internally by the late Dame Zaha Hadid. Defined by fluid curves, mirrored glass and a dramatic free-form void at its centre, the property stands as a tribute to Hadid’s visionary approach to space.
With 93 rooms and 13 residences, the hotel merges art, architecture, gastronomy and entertainment into what it positions as a lifestyle destination. Recognised by the MICHELIN Guide 2025 with a One Key distinction, it has become a cultural hub hosting exhibitions, fashion moments and creative collaborations.
In that context, CubixArt feels less like a temporary installation and more like a natural extension of the space. Geometry meets geometry. Cube meets curve. Emirati creativity takes centre stage inside one of Dubai’s most recognisable architectural landmarks.
For a generation raised between heritage and hyper-modernity, CubixArt is a reminder that innovation doesn’t always mean reinvention. Sometimes, it begins with a single cube, turned, aligned, and placed with intention.
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