Digital prints, photography and recycled art are just some of the artworks you can pick up from the annual Ramadan Art Souq, starting today at Etihad Modern Art Gallery in Abu Dhabi.
Tin Man, a clay creation using recycled material by Brian Dougan, a professor at the American University of Sharjah, is up for grabs for as little as Dh300. Other pieces include a range of oil-on-canvas paintings by Abu Dhabi-based French artist Karine Roche (from Dh1,500, depending on the size).
Resident artist Yiannis Roussakis, from Greece, is showing some of his surreal-style digital photographs in the exhibition, which has been curated to reflect the Ramadan season.
“Art Souq is an annual exhibtition and art fair where visitors can buy from a range of specially selected artworks with set prices, so as to be within reach of any buyer,” says Khalid Seddiq Al Mutawa, gallery owner and founder.
“The idea is to put together works by various artists and curate pieces that will hopefully give the audience an idea of what artists in the region can offer to the community. We hope to combine both the atmosphere and artisanal craftwork of the traditional Arabian market with the contemporary works. We will be displaying Islamic arts in this exhibition and, being in Ramadan, we feel this will be a blessing.”
Etihad Modern Art Gallery’s adjacent property, Etihad Antique Gallery, will contribute a series of pieces that include objects and pieces of calligraphy.
The aim, says Al Mutawa, is to widen the scope of art collection to as broad an audience as possible. “We appreciate existing audiences who come back to see what we put together whenever we open new exhibitions. Also, we always welcome new visitors – through this we hope to achieve our aim of encouraging and fostering creativity in the community.”
• Art Souq 2015 opens today and runs until August 7. Artworks cost from Dh300 to Dh10,000.
aseaman@thenational.ae
