Art Dubai, the world’s largest platform for exhibiting Arab artists, has announced its line-up for 2015. The fair, now in its ninth edition, will include 92 galleries from 39 countries and works from more than 500 artists.
The galleries are presented in three categories: Contemporary, where 71 galleries will show in booths across two halls; Modern, featuring work dating from the 1940s to the 1980s, from 15 galleries; and Marker, which focuses on a different geographic area each year and this year turns its spotlight on Latin America.
In perhaps the most marked development from previous years, several of the contemporary galleries have opted to present ambitious solo and two-person shows. This includes a large installation by the Mexican-Canadian artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer from the London gallery Carroll / Fletcher. He will have another work unveiled in January on Abu Dhabi's Corniche as part of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's programme for the Seeing Through Light exhibition, so this booth at Art Dubai will be timely for UAE audiences.
Beirut’s Galerie Tanit will present an interesting combination of Fouad El Khoury’s photography with poetry by Etel Adnan. Stand-out solo shows include Nikhil Chopra’s drawings at Chatterjee & Lal from Mumbai, and new work by the Syrian master Elias Zayat shown by Atassi Gallery from Damascus.
Antonia Carver, Art Dubai’s director, says this shows a maturity that both the galleries and the audiences have reached.
“Over the years, the galleries have built up a market and an audience and now they have the confidence to see the fair as an opportunity to make a statement about their gallery’s identity. We are also seeing a lot of new media art and an audience and a collector base for that, which is really exciting.”
Another notable change is the expansion of Art Dubai Modern, which launched last year. The number of galleries in this section has increased, says Carver, due to the “fantastic response” they had after the inaugural presentation. “Last year it was a real first regionally and internationally and we are seeing now increasingly a recognition that it was a very vibrant period in the history of the Arab world and the wider region.”
The fact that Art Dubai presents so many artists from the Gulf, the Arab world and the Middle East is one of the key reasons that collectors and visitors come from all over the world to visit the fair and why Carver recognises the importance of working closely with the galleries to present the best fair possible.
“I feel really positive about our position to show what is happening in the region but also globally and no other fair is really doing that.”
• Art Dubai takes place at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai from March 18-21
aseaman@thenational.ae
