Editions, a new addition to Dubai Design Week, is the region’s first fair focusing on artworks made on a limited scale, usually numbered and signed by the artist.
The fair will be a highlight of this year’s Dubai Design Week. It will run alongside Downtown Design at d3 from November 6 to 9. The event is established by the Art Dubai Group in partnership with d3.
Khadija Al Bastaki, senior vice president of d3, said the fair aims to attract collectors who are "different stages of their journey," providing a space where they "can invest in meaningful, quality works".
Mette Degn-Christensen, director of Downtown Design, echoed the sentiment, saying Editions caters to the growing demand for quality design through its curated selection. “Our aim with this new fair is to provide visitors with a broader experience of discovery and opportunity to buy or commission works of independent designers from around the world, both established and undiscovered, that they would otherwise not have access to in this region.”
Scores of galleries, design studios and collectives will have displays across a variety of sections. More than 50 per cent of the exhibitors are from Dubai. The strong local presence, Pablo del Val, artistic director of Art Dubai, says will ensure the fair tells “the story of the city’s evolving culture, building a community-focused platform with diverse entry points and making space for emerging talents to create new connections.”
The fair will offer contemporary design, photography, prints, ceramics and works on paper. The collections aim to engage seasoned collectors and newcomers alike.
“We envision Editions to be an inviting space where cultural enthusiasts can explore, connect, and discover pieces that resonate with them,” added del Val.
The contemporary design works will include a range of functional and decorative objects with a focus on aesthetics, form and craftsmanship. These include custom furniture, conceptual lighting, stainless steel pieces, as well as sculptural works.
Emirati designer Aljoud Lootah will present a new body of work to commemorate the 10th anniversary of her studio. Iran's Blooker Gallery will exhibit a collection of objects by Nian Architects Studio that reinterprets industrial components as furniture pieces. Sharjah's 1971-Design Space will show Infinite Majlis: A Mobius Strip, a sculptural work that is inspired by the local custom of gathering around a fire pit. Galerie Alain Ellouz will present its alabaster lighting works, whereas Kameh, a Dubai brand, will unveil chairs that blend artisanal wood-burning techniques with a vision of what a forest would look like in the desert.
The ceramic works promise to be as cutting-edge. Sanatorium, a Turkish artist initiative, will present clay works from Cagla Koseogullari’s Road Series, which pushes the boundaries of the material in its exploration of corporeal memories. Dubai’s Hestia Gallery will show French artist Elsa Foulon’s ceramic light designs, which are inspired by the flicker and fold of fire. French designer Roxane Lahidji will present lavish objects crafted from ecological materials. Similarly, Italian artist Clotilde Ancarani will also present contemporary designs that fuse organic material. Waddington Custot, the Dubai art gallery, will exhibit a ceramic tile piece made by Lebanese-American artist and writer Etel Adnan.
Works on paper will also have a spotlight. They will cover a range of techniques and styles, from collage, coloured pen, watercolour, egg tempera on map paper, woodcut, cyanotype and charcoal on paper. Moroccan artist Mohammed Kacimi, known for his figurative works, is being represented by Comptoir Des Mines Galerie.
Dubai’s Rarares Gallery will be presenting works by Turkish artist Yuksel Dal. Iranian artist Armin Najib’s collages will be exhibited by the Aisha Alabbar Gallery, whereas Emirati artist Abdulrahim Salim will be presenting charcoal works that depict the history and culture of the UAE.
Meem Gallery will offer screen prints by famous Iraqi artist Dia Azzawi. UK artist Nat Bowen will also be presenting prints that take several stylistic and technical cues from her famous bold resin paintings.
Finally, the photography offerings will showcase the craft’s narrative and artistic breadth. The works exhibited include Hussain AlMoosawi’s Facade to Facade series, which is dedicated to the architectural heritage of the UAE; Rehaf Batniji’s portraits of fishermen in Gaza; Nadia Bseiso’s depictions of how land has been reshaped in modern Jordan.
A number of talks will be also presented at Downtown Design’s The Forum as part of Editions. The panels will focus on the importance of limited-edition works, as well as trends in the art market.
Editions is on from November 6 to 9; tickets are Dh50 for a single entry and Dh80 for a three-day pass. Tickets also come with admission to Downtown Design
