Antonia Carver has stepped down as director of Art Dubai. After six years in the role, Carver has overseen the continual development of the fair and helped it to become the leading international fair for the Middle East and South Asia, and the world’s most global art fair. “It has been an honour to lead the fair for the past six years, and I want to thank the Art Dubai team, and all our partners and collaborators, for their extraordinary commitment and support,” she says, adding that she is leaving with a “heavy heart.”
She is going on to become the first appointed director of Art Jameel, the artistic arm of the Jameel family corporation from Saudi Arabia, who founded the prestigious Jameel art prize, based at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. Carver will be based in Dubai for this newly created position, which is designed to broaden Art Jameel’s existing partnerships around the world.
“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Art Jameel to build new institutions, devise publishing projects and educational initiatives, and work with renowned international partners to deliver programs that directly benefit and impact on artists, writers, curators and arts communities in the region,” she says.
Carver maintains a board-level advisory role with Art Dubai and is succeeded by Myrna Ayad, former editor of Canvas magazine. Ayad, who is Lebanese, has been in the UAE for over 30 years and is an independent arts writer, editor and consultant.
“I’m overjoyed to be joining Art Dubai which – thanks to the ambitions of Antonia and the team – has become the world’s foremost platform for the art communities of the Middle East and South Asia. Having attended and worked with the fair since 2007, I’m excited by the opportunity to work with the team to build on this success,” she says.
Ayad takes over her new role as Art Dubai Fair Director from May 1. Carver will assume her position in Art Jameel on August 28.
aseaman@thenational.ae
