Ease under trees: Qube Art Gallery turns Purva Grover's book into summer show

The group exhibition Summer Whispers Beneath the Trees curated by Noora - The Divine Spark in collaboration with acclaimed Dubai-based author Purva Grover, opened on August 13 at Qube Art Gallery, Al Quoz 3, Dubai. The show, to last till August 22, is an invitation to art and literature lovers to step into a world of warm memories, whispered stories, and the rewarding presence of trees.

- Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer

Inspired by Grover's poignant book The Trees Told Me So, the exhibition explores themes of childhood, nostalgia, imagination, and the wisdom of nature. Grover's short stories portray trees as silent witnesses to human experiences, keepers of secrets, grief, joy, and wonder. The themes are reimagined and brought to life by a curated selection of UAE-based and international artists. Bhairavi Mistry, art curator, Noora - The Divine Spark, is the curator of the collection.

“The exhibition is a gentle prod to return to the wonder of childhood summers and reflect on how nature has space for our emotions,” said Grover. “Each tree in the stories, and each artwork on the wall, is a keeper of something beautiful and unsaid.” The show journeys back to the summers of wonder, through the eyes and canvases of the artists.

Featured artists include Moones Ben Romdhane (Tunisia), Heinz Katzenmeier (Switzerland), Natalia Schäfer (Germany) Marina Muradian (Kyrgyzstan), Ankita Chatterjee (Singapore), Simon Kazanjian (Armenia), Karyna Lupashko (Ukraine), Sahar Riaz (Pakistan) and Dubai-based Indian artists Mona Biswarupa, Kiran Kumar, Sonnal Johaar, Ria Shanker, Natasha Desai, Sabah Anees, Jaya Phulwani, Ranjisha Raghavan, Uma Ravichandran, alongside India-based artists Madhumita Bhattacharya and Bharti Singh.