On March 3, the 16th edition of Art Dubai debuts both a comprehensive artistic presentation and a cutting-edge thought-leadership program at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai. Open through March 5, it is the largest iteration yet, uniting over 130 galleries from more than 40 countries. Under the headings of Contemporary, Modern, Bawwaba (new works), and Art Dubai Digital, are presentations of artists and emerging visionaries alongside site-specific performances and programming in a celebration of perpetual hope through communication and inspired creation. First-time exhibitors include Barakat Contemporary from Seoul, First Floor from Harare, kó from Lagos, Shrine Empire from New Delhi, and more.
Photo by Cedric Ribeiro, courtesy of Getty Images for Art Dubai.
Photo by Cedric Ribeiro, courtesy of Getty Images for Art Dubai.
“Art Dubai has always tried to reframe what an art fair can be, and this year’s expanded program fully reflects our role as a meeting point for the region’s creative industries, both commercial and not-for-profit,” said Benedetta Ghione, Executive Director of Art Dubai. “As an innovative public-private partnership, we have been an incubator of talent, a catalyst for the creative economy here in Dubai, a convener of great minds, and an entry point to this vibrant ecosystem for the wider cultural sector.”
Central to the fair is the non-profit Art Dubai Commissions, which has invited international artists such as Tayeba Begum Lipi, Gunjan Kumar, Prajakta Potnis, and Anoli Perera to build diverse, site-specific projects alongside the support of partners such as Kochi-Muziris Biennale and Samdani Art Foundation. The CAD 10.0 Professional Development program, curated by artist and researcher Dania Al Tamimi, expands this year to present a vibrant group show which asked creatives to develop work inspired by the mystery of time itself: ”the binding element of the biography of objects, the active archive of lives, and the solidifying catalyst of experiences.” In its second year, Art Dubai Digital is curated by Clara Che Wei Peh, and links the art and technology worlds, engaging galleries, digital platforms, and artist collectives.
Tomokazu Matsuyama, “Untitled (Japan, 1976),” 2022, 200 x 200 cm, mixed media; courtesy of the artist and Zidoun Boussuyt.
For the third edition of the A.R.M Holding Children’s Program, Swedish artist Jacob Dahlgren created “The Flag Project,” the UAE’s largest cultural education program, which will begin at Art Dubai before moving on to over 90 schools and 8,000 children in the coming months. The sweeping initiative immerses young people in the opportunity to create artistic collages from everyday objects, reflecting thoughtfully on their environments and themselves. The designs will eventually be sewn together in the creation of a spectacular flag.
In notable partnership, Maison Ruinart presents the photography of Matthieu Gafsou in an exhibition titled “Cette constante brûlure de l’air (This Constant Burning of the Air). The compelling works speak urgently of menacing threats to our environment by way of picturesque imagery of France that has been exposed to and damaged by crude oil.
Finally, the lively thought-leadership program spotlights conversations among cultural and creative figureheads with over 50 educational conferences such as the Global Art Forum, the inaugural Christie’s Art+Tech Summit, and a new sustainability event as a special partnership with the Art Business Conference. Commissioned by Shumon Basar, the Global Art Forum examines the theme of “Predicting the Present.” Collector Talks give voice to the patrons and collectors who support the burgeoning art scene of the Global South.
Laleh Khorramian, “Glass person (Iran 1974),” 2021, 241 x 152 cm; courtesy of the artist and The Third Line.
