Get ready for a visual feast of colors, shapes, forms, textures and all things art at this year’s Abu Dhabi Art Fair. Back for its 15th edition, the creative enterprise will be running for a total of five days from Nov. 22-26 at Manarat Al Saadiyat, held under the patronage of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council— and it’s set to be the largest and most diverse edition to date.
With 92 galleries from more than 31 counties participating, the upcoming event will see double the number of exhibitors taking part. The Abu Dhabi Arts Fair is a culmination of the UAE capital’s year-long visual arts programme, marking it as the foremost platform in the burgeoning art scene of the WANASA region.
In an official statement, Dyala Nusseibeh, Director of Abu Dhabi Art, said “This year’s Abu Dhabi Art represents a significant moment in the fair’s history due to its sheer size, with double the number of galleries participating since its early days. We are delighted to be able to attract such a diverse range of artists and galleries from around the world, in part thanks to the important contribution and research of our global gallery representatives.
“The presence of so many new galleries at the fair signifies how dynamic the local and regional art market has become over the last 15 years. By working closely with curators, gallery representatives, galleries, and artists, we are also ensuring that our gallery presentations offer unparalleled access to art histories and research, ensuring visitors have the opportunity to better understand these wide-ranging global positions.”
The fair will consist of several sections to explore, starting with a Modern & Contemporary segment, which will focus on works from the late 19th century onwards exhibited by galleries that have been in operation for seven years or more, including the Selma Feriani Gallery (Tunisia) and Bernier/Eliades (Greece).
A Special Projects section will highlight up-and-coming galleries, meanwhile, Emerge is for galleries wanting to exhibit artworks of 3,000 AED or less.
Lastly, a dedicated section called Focus will consist of exhibitions by artists and galleries invited to participate in the fair by guest curators. It will see curated displays from the likes of Maneli Keykavioussi, who will focus on Latin America with participating galleries including Dan Galleria, Pablo Goebel Fine Arts, Praxis, Galeria Karla Osorio, Galeria La Cometa and Casa Zirio.
What’s more, visiting professor Riccarda Mandrini will focus on sustainability with participating galleries including Kó, LIA RUMMA, THK Gallery, and ADN Galleria; while founder and director of Le Violon Bleu Gallery Essia Hamdi, will shine a light on female artists from the Arab world with galleries including Agial Art Gallery, Galerie Krinzinger and Wadi Finan Art Gallery.
Meanwhile Chris Wan Feng, wil bring together galleries that reflect on Hong Kong’s historical and contemporary art landscape, including Rossi & Rossi and HANART TZ.
Additionally, each year Abu Dhabi art picks an artist to collaborate with to create the fair’s visual campaign, providing a distinct visual identity for the event. This year’s selection is Emirati artist Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, following his participation at the UAE Pavilion at La Biennale di Venezia 2022. Inspired by a deep love for the environment and natural beauty of his birthplace Khorfakkan, Ibrahim’s work reveals his own form of language: inscriptions, lines, and abstract forms that are reminiscent of ancient cave drawings.
For more information on the art fair, please visit abudhabiart.ae or follow Abu Dhabi Art on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube for the latest information.
