The language of business permeated the air at the Madinat Jumeirah during Art Dubai 2025. A hum of deals and introductions filled the air, set against the backdrop of large artworks. At Delhi’s Vadehra Gallery booth, two paintings by Indian artist Praneet Soi from Amsterdam kept people in a quiet, tense conversation. One showed a playground for kids, and the other showed a landscape in Gaza. It was a contrast that showed the Middle East’s rising art scene’s most important contradiction: a place of great creative and business energy growing in a region of great political complexity.
This locale is the art world’s new center. A structural change, backed by billions in state funding and a long-term economic plan, is moving the market’s center of gravity away from its traditional Western strongholds and toward the Gulf. For south asian artists and gallery owners from South Asia, the shift is more than just a trend; it’s the rise of a new frontier that is close by, culturally relevant, and commercially strong. The question is no longer whether to get involved, but how to navigate a landscape of new opportunities and real risk.
The Great Acceleration: Making a Market by Law
The growth of the Gulf hubs—Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, and Doha—is a masterclass in how to build an ecosystem from the top down. This is very different from how art capitals like Paris and New York have grown over hundreds of years. The arts scene is not a bubble in the market; it is a key part of diversifying the economy after oil. It is a smart investment in tourism, soft power, and the knowledge economy. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has put almost $5.3 billion into its arts and culture infrastructure. This is a clear sign that it wants to become a world cultural center. At the same time, Saudi Arabia’s ambitious Vision 2030 program sees the arts as a key driver of social and economic change. It has funded everything from the Misk Art Institute in Riyadh to the Diriyah Biennale.
This investment by the state has led to the creation of a strong network of institutions that are important to the regional scene. The Louvre Abu Dhabi, designed by starchitects, and the upcoming Guggenheim Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island are both meant to be encyclopedic museums that connect global art histories with a focus on the region. Dubai has many great places for contemporary art, like the huge Alserkal Avenue, which is a district of warehouses that have been turned into modern galleries, and the highly regarded Jameel Arts Centre. The Sharjah Art Foundation, however, is now one of the region’s most important and intellectually demanding institutions. Its biennial is highly sought after by artists who care more about getting good reviews than making money.
This “infrastructure-first” model makes the world stable and simple to predict. It pays for the institutions that buy works for permanent collections, give them international recognition, and make a regular schedule of events that get the world’s attention. It is a system that makes it easier for international businesses to enter the market by making sure that the basic building blocks are not just based on private patronage but are also part of national strategic planning.
Inside the Collector’s Mind: New Stories, New Money
A new and powerful engine of demand is driving this institutional growth: a growing group of regional collectors. This group, young, tech-savvy, and extremely wealthy from a variety of economies, is fundamentally altering the market. The effects they have are measurable and deep. In the last year, Middle Eastern collectors made up an amazing 23% of the world’s demand for contemporary art that costs more than $1 million. In the UAE, sales of modern Middle Eastern art tripled between 2020 and 2024.
Their reasons for doing things are a complex mix of supporting the arts and smart money management. For many people, collecting is a way to build their identity and preserve their culture. It’s a way to become guardians of art that shows both the region’s modern energy and its deep-rooted traditions. Rakesh Kumar, a well-known Emirati collector, said that his journey started with Middle Eastern art and grew to include Indian works because of the deep cultural ties between the two areas. This perspective is very important because these collectors are not just buying decorative items; they are also taking part in cultural projects in their own countries.
At the same time, art is considered an important asset class for diversifying portfolios away from oil-based wealth. This dual interest makes for a strong and dedicated group of collectors who are open to the complex stories and shared histories that artists from the Global South tell.
The 2025 Middle East Market presents a significant opportunity for South Asian artists.
The Gulf is not a foreign market to Indian and other South Asian artists; it is a neighboring area where strong ties already exist. From its top fairs and institutions to the very definition of what it collects, the art scene in South Asia has a big and important impact. This gives Indian artists a special “insider” advantage, making them not outsiders trying to get in but important players in a conversation that the region is actively promoting.
Art Dubai is the most obvious example of this. The fair has been a major venue for art from the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA) for a long time. The 2025 edition was a strong example of this focus. A strong group of 11 Indian galleries, including well-known names like DAG, Chemould Prescott Road, Vadehra Gallery, and Jhaveri Contemporary, showed work by about 30 artists, from modern masters to contemporary trailblazers. This consistent, high-level participation has made regional collectors more knowledgeable and open-minded.
Permanent institutional anchors make this presence stronger. The Ishara Art Foundation is a nonprofit organization located in Dubai’s Alserkal Avenue, dedicated exclusively to art from South Asia. It provides a year-round space for monographic shows and curated exhibitions, which gives galleries a level of critical validation that goes along with their business. The curatorial frameworks of the region’s major private collections reflect this institutional commitment. For example, the Farjam Collection clearly states that its focus is on modern and contemporary art from the Middle East and North Africa.
and South Asia. The work itself is very similar to the main artistic interests in the area. At Art Dubai 2025, it was clear that the themes were aligned:
Memory, Migration, and Identity: Valay Gada used multimedia to look at migration, Risham Syed used old textiles to rethink political and historical memory, and Baaraan Ijlal questioned the idea of borders. All of these are critical themes for people from the Middle East.
The combination of old and new: In the Gulf, it is very popular to reinterpret old techniques in a modern way. Anindita Bhattacharya’s work, which is based on miniature traditions and Mughal architecture and is very detailed, fits perfectly into this style.
The fair, titled “Critiques of Power and History,” provided an opportunity for artists to showcase their conceptually strong work that challenges established narratives. Khandakar Ohida’s dreamlike spaces criticized India’s divisive politics, and Khadim Ali used his art to question the history of conflict, which found an audience for these critical points of view. This deep integration—at the level of fairs, institutions, collectors, and themes—means that Indian artists are joining a conversation that is already going on, and their voices are not only welcome but also important.
The High-Stakes Game: Dealing with Geopolitical Risk and Censorship
The Gulf market has a lot of potential, but the region is also very unstable. The rise in tensions between Israel and Iran in 2024–2025 was a clear example of how the market responds to risk in two different ways. The commercial and event-driven parts of the market were very sensitive to instability. The number of regional auctions fell by 67% from one year to the next, and the number of international collectors who bought art in Dubai fell by an incredible 78%. People moved their money and assets to places that seemed safe. For example, sales of contemporary Middle Eastern art in London went up by 89%, and Swiss freeports saw a 145% increase in holdings from Middle Eastern clients.
But, in an intriguing twist, the world’s top cultural institutions went in the opposite direction. The same instability that posed a financial risk to collectors also posed a threat to cultural heritage for museum directors. Fear of losing something for good led to an urgent acquisition strategy focused on preservation. In 2025, major museums around the world increased their budgets for buying contemporary Middle Eastern art by 134%. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) set aside $23 million, and the Tate Modern set up a $15 million fund just for buying things in an emergency from the area. The increase caused a strange market anomaly: artists from conflict zones with a lot of risk saw the value of their work rise considerably in these institutional programs, which was a big difference from the struggling commercial market.
Geopolitical risk and censorship remain a constant reality. Even though the environment has become more open, especially in Dubai, there are still clear “red lines” around nudity, direct anti-government political statements, and images that are considered blasphemous to Islam. It is known that works can be taken off of fairs, but this doesn’t happen frequently. A painting that used the term “Persian Gulf” instead of “Arabian Gulf” was taken down from Art Dubai, as was a piece by Libyan artist Chadi Zaqzouq that showed women’s underwear with an Arabic protest slogan. Self-censorship, on the other hand, is more common. This scenario is when galleries and curators keep work they think might cause a problem out of the way. To get through this, you need to be able to use metaphor in a smart way and rely heavily on the cultural knowledge of a trusted local gallery partner who can speak up for the work’s artistic value.
The Artist’s Playbook: From Residency to Representation
To turn the market’s potential into real success, an artist needs to use various strategies. Besides the best fairs, the area has many non-commercial opportunities that are important for long-term integration.
One of the best ways to get in is through artist-in-residence (AIR) programs. They give you the important things you need, like time, money, and connections. Obtaining a “stamp of approval” from a local institution can also significantly increase your visibility to galleries. The 12-week RAi Residency in Abu Dhabi is a wonderful example. The residency provides a studio, accommodation, a weekly stipend, a materials budget, and covers the costs of flights and visas. Its first group of students included two artists from India, which was a big deal because it indicated that the program was open to talent from all over the world. In Riyadh,
The Misk Art Institute runs several residencies that help local and international artists work together. They get a lot of money and help with production. Another way is to get direct funding through grants and commissions. The Sharjah Art Foundation provides significant financial support. They give out a publishing grant of up to $15,000 for experimental projects, and past winners have been from India. Art Jameel runs the prestigious Jameel Prize in partnership with London’s V&A and offers specialized research fellowships to professionals with experience in Global South contexts. The organization has offices in Dubai and Jeddah.
These basic steps can help you get a spot in a regional gallery, which will give you a year-round presence and knowledge of the local market. Dubai’s Alserkal Avenue is home to well-known galleries like Lawrie Shabibi and the Ishara Art Foundation, and Riyadh’s growing JAX District is where galleries like Athr are shaping the new Saudi scene. Fairs like this one are great for new artists or those who want to sell their work for a lower price.
World Art Dubai is a place where you can test the market and build a collector base on your own. Prices start at $100. Finally, having a strong online presence is a must. Websites and apps, like Emergeast and The Arabian Gallery are popular with tech-savvy collectors in the area. Indian-based sites like Artflute and Eikowa ship all over the world, giving you another way to reach buyers in the Gulf.
The phrase “The Beginning of a New Era of World Art” may not be sufficient to ensure success.
The growth of the art market in the Middle East is a major story in the art world of the 21st century. It’s a region brimming with ambitious aspirations and substantial financial resources, where cultures redefine themselves and the global landscape becomes increasingly intricate. For South Asian artists, this is an exceptional opportunity to establish a connection with a market that not only shares their themes and cultures but is also close by.
Talent alone won’t be enough to succeed. It will take a strategic understanding of the market’s unique dualities: the balance between state funding and private patronage, the acceptance of global modernity and the respect for local tradition, and the huge business opportunity that exists alongside the constant problems of regional conflict and cultural conservatism. Artists who do well will be those who use their “insider” status in the Global South dialogue, build relationships with knowledgeable local partners, and strategically navigate the full range of opportunities, from a funded residency in Riyadh to a blockbuster sale in Dubai. The Middle East is not just a new place to sell art; it is also a very important new place to be a part of and shape the future of global art history for those who are willing to deal with its complexities.
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