If there’s one event every art lover looks forward to each year, it’s Art Dubai. Fortunately, you don’t have to wait long as the annual art exhibition is gearing up for its 17th edition set to take place from March 1-3 at Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah. Held under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the week-long art extravaganza is known as one of the top international platforms for artists stemming out of the SWANA region, and this year’s edition will be no different.
“Art fairs like Art Dubai have a responsibility to be far more than commercial platforms and Art Dubai continues to play an important institutional role in this region’s cultural ecosystem, supporting artists, scholarship, cultural education, and thought-leadership,” stated Pablo del Val, Art Dubai’s artistic director, in a released statement.
“Our program this year reflects the increasingly diverse and multicultural communities of our home city, providing more opportunities than ever for artists from across the Global South. Dubai is a place of relentless reinvention, possibility, and opportunity, and these commercial and institutional partnerships are central to all our activity, supporting our world-class non-commercial programs,” he added.
This year, Art Dubai will feature an expanded programme of collaborations with local and international partners. The event will kick off on Feb. 29 with its flagship summit, the Global Art Forum, which is set to explore the transformative impact of extreme weather on various fronts, spanning social, scientific, and cultural domains. Curated by Shumon Basar and Nadine El Khoury, the forum will feature a lineup of distinguished speakers, including Stephanie Rosenthal of Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Samir Bantal from the thinktank AMO at Rotterdam’s Office of Metropolitan Architecture, Anne Holtrop of Studio Anne Holtrop, and artists Monira Al Qadiri and Gabriel Alonso.
This year’s exhibition will shine a spotlight on local talent through a special showcase known as the Dubai Collection. As the city’s inaugural institutional offering of modern and contemporary art, the Dubai Collection aims to both inspire and educate residents and visitors alike, reflecting the values of openness, diversity, and interconnectedness that define Dubai and the UAE.
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Entitled “Encounters” (لقاءات), this year’s group exhibition is curated by Alia Zaal Lootah and promises to be a captivating amalgamation of significant artworks from celebrated Emirati artists. Among the featured artists are Hassan Sharif, Mohammed Kazem, Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, Shaikha Al Mazrou, Afra Al Dhaheri, Maitha Abdallah, Hashel Al Lamki, and Sarah Almehairi. The exhibition endeavors to foster meaningful encounters between viewers, artists, and the artworks themselves, inviting dialogue and exploration of the narratives behind each piece.
Shaikha Al Mazrou, represented by Lawrie Shabibi Gallery and a part of the Dubai Collection, emerges as one of the most dynamic and promising artists of her generation in the UAE. Through her sculptural explorations, she delves into the interplay between form and content, expressing a keen understanding of materials and their inherent properties. Al Mazrou draws inspiration from contemporary artistic movements, infusing her work with elements of color theory and geometric abstraction.
Afra Al Dhaheri, whose works are presented by Green Art Gallery as part of the Dubai Collection, channels her experiences growing up in Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE into her multidisciplinary practice. Her art, spanning mediums such as mixed media, sculpture, and painting, explores themes of time, adaptation, and the juxtaposition of rigor and fragility.
Hashel Al Lamki, whose pieces are showcased by Tabari ArtSpace and included in both the Dubai Collection and Art Dubai Commissions, offers a poignant exploration of the relationship between humanity and its environment. Drawing from his upbringing in Al Ain amidst rapid development, Al Lamki’s work reflects on the juxtaposition of traditional Bedouin culture with the modernization sweeping across the Gulf region.
Sarah Almehairi, presented by Carbon 12 and featured in the Dubai Collection and Art Dubai Contemporary, presents a diverse body of work encompassing mixed media, sculpture, and painting. Through her art, she delves into themes of identity, language, materiality, and memory, challenging conventional artistic practices and societal constructs.
Other highlights include the Modern and Collector Talks, in collaboration with Dubai Collection, which will delve into artistic connections forged during the Cold War. These conversations aim to shift focus away from Western perspectives and explore the influence of Soviet education initiatives and exhibitions on artists from South Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Underscoring the significance of institutional collecting and support for the arts, as well as philanthropy, the Modern and Collector Talks will provide insights into the broader art landscape.
The fair’s education component is also set to be extensive, with the Arm Holding Children’s Programme expanding to over 100 schools, impacting 15,000 young minds. This initiative selects an artist each year to develop workshops that extend beyond the fair, reaching private, government, and special educational needs schools across the country. This year, Indian artist Sahil Naik will lead the program, using his sculptural and architectural approach to prompt children to envision the future of cities.
Additionally, the art fair will feature a series of commissioned works rooted in themes of hope and healing, exploring the transformative power of art during challenging times. These works, including performances, films, and activations, will be created by artists from the Global South, offering introspective spaces and highlighting communal practices related to the healing process.
Meanwhile, the exhibition’s professional development and traineeship program, Campus Art Dubai, will provide mentorship opportunities, master classes, and hands-on experience, accompanied by curated tours of Dubai’s cultural institutions.
Furthermore, Piaget will host “The House of Gold,” an exhibition exploring the symbolic aspects of gold, from luxury to perfection. The exhibition will feature jewelry, high-end watches, commissioned artworks, workshops, and immersive experiences.
