Frieze Abu Dhabi has revealed the gallery line-up for its inaugural fair, with 84 galleries from 63 cities across 36 countries set to take part in November.
The international art fair, a rebranding of Abu Dhabi Art, will make its debut at Manarat Al Saadiyat from November 19 to 22. It will be Frieze’s first fair in the West Asia, North Africa and South Asia region.
Major international names including Gagosian, Pace Gallery, Thaddaeus Ropac, Timothy Taylor and Vito Schnabel Gallery, will take part alongside galleries from across the region, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, India and Turkey.
Works spanning antiquity to the present day will be shown across the fair, which joins Frieze's international events in London, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Seoul.
“The inaugural edition of Frieze Abu Dhabi begins with the depth and ambition of the UAE and wider West Asia, North Africa and South Asia art scene and reaffirms our commitment to fostering meaningful dialogues on the global art stage,” said Kristell Chade, executive director of fairs at Frieze.
“The fair amplifies voices from the region in an international context, establishing a key moment of convening and exchange for galleries, artists, institutions and collectors from across the world.”
What is Frieze Abu Dhabi?
Frieze Abu Dhabi is the newest international art fair from Frieze, the global contemporary art organisation founded in London in 1991.
The event is a rebrand of Abu Dhabi Art, which ran for 17 years and helped to establish the UAE capital as an important meeting point for artists, galleries, collectors and cultural institutions.
Established in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, the new fair will retain a strong regional focus while connecting galleries and artists from the UAE and the wider regions of West Asia, North Africa and South Asia with Frieze's international network.
Frieze Abu Dhabi is directed by Dyala Nusseibeh and will take place annually at Manarat Al Saadiyat in Saadiyat Cultural District.
“We are fortunate that this first edition of Frieze Abu Dhabi inherits nearly two decades of active community-building and benefits immeasurably from Abu Dhabi’s long-term commitment to supporting artists, galleries and cultural production,” said Eva Langret, Frieze director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
“Building on that foundation, the fair is evolving to reflect the core Frieze principles: deep attention to artists and galleries, strong curatorial and editorial integrity and a genuine curiosity about what art is doing in the world right now.”
Which galleries are coming to Frieze Abu Dhabi?
Main galleries section will house more than 60 galleries from 56 cities and 32 countries, presenting art dating from the mid-20th century to the present.
The UAE contingent includes Carbon 12, Lawrie Shabibi, The Third Line, Tabari Artspace and Iris Projects.
They will be joined by Saudi Arabia's Athr and Hafez Gallery; Lebanon's Saleh Barakat Gallery, Mark Hachem and Galerie Tanit; Cairo's Gypsum and ArtTalks | Kanafani Gallery; and Tunisian galleries including A.Gorgi Gallery, Elmarsa Gallery, Selma Feriani and Le Violon Bleu Gallery.
India will also have a significant presence through galleries including Experimenter, Galerie Isa, Jhaveri Contemporary, Nature Morte and Project 88.
The international contingent includes 20 European galleries with Victoria Miro, Waddington Custot, Perrotin and Galleria Continua among them.
From further afield, Gagosian, Pace Gallery, Leila Heller Gallery and Vito Schnabel Gallery will represent New York, while galleries from Singapore, South Korea, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Guatemala City and Lagos will also take part.
Works by women will have a strong presence across the fair, with pieces by Etel Adnan, Hamra Abbas, Shaikha Al Mazrou, Juliana Seraphim, Bertina Lopes, Everlyn Nicodemus among those being presented.
What is Focus?
Frieze Abu Dhabi will also introduce Focus, a section dedicated to younger international galleries presenting experimental solo or dual exhibitions.
Participating galleries will receive bursaries from Frieze to support their presentations.
Among the artists featured will be Kenyan-born, New York-based Tahir Karmali, whose textile and installation works address migration and systems of exploitation; Chonon Bensho; Marigold Santos; Jawad Al Malhi; Dala Nasser; and Thuy Tien Nguyen.
Frieze Masters Abu Dhabi
One of the major additions to the fair will be Frieze Masters Abu Dhabi, curated by Marika Sardar.
Unlike the main contemporary section, it will look much further into the past, presenting objects and artefacts from antiquity through to the early 20th century.
Its inaugural theme will focus on the Indian Ocean and the historic movement of people, objects and ideas through trade, collecting and cultural exchange.
Specialists in rare books, manuscripts and antiquities will also participate, including ArtAncient, David Aaron, Daniel Crouch Rare Books, Peter Finer and Peter Harrington.
Global Futures
A second curated section, Global Futures, will be led by independent curator and writer Tarini Malik.
It will feature solo presentations by artists from different generations and parts of the world whose work engages with cultural histories and ideas connected to the UAE and wider region.
Artists include Ala Younis, Abdullah Al Saadi, Tania Candiani, Mohammed Joha, Arshi Irshad Ahmadzai and Seta Manoukian.
Together, Frieze Masters Abu Dhabi and Global Futures give the inaugural fair an all-female curatorial line-up.
“Across the main section and Focus, galleries will present ambitious, thoughtfully considered booths, while the curated sections – Global Futures and Frieze Masters Abu Dhabi – will introduce fresh perspectives and avenues for critical inquiry,” Nusseibeh said.
“Frieze Abu Dhabi will be a catalyst for knowledge production, art market integration and meaningful participation in global discourse for the whole region.”
The wider programme will include the first Frieze Abu Dhabi Artist Award and Frieze Sculpture, as well as In Dialogue, a new annual exhibition pairing an established UAE artist with an emerging one. A programme of talks will cover collecting, cultural institutions and artistic practice.
Frieze Abu Dhabi runs from November 19 to 22 at Manarat Al Saadiyat. More details including ticket prices will be announced soon
