Dubai, an emirate that has existed for 190 years and is known for its fixation with the future (think: the 828-meter Burj Khalifa), places a high value on its past. Explore Al Shindagha Museum, located in the eponymous district, a historical enclave revered as one of Dubai’s most ancient precincts. Take a leisurely stroll along the vibrant waterfront of Dubai Creek, also known as Khor Dubai, which gracefully merges into the pristine waters of the Persian Gulf. Immerse yourself in the eclectic offerings of the 16th edition of Art Dubai, an event that aspires to establish itself as the premier platform for contemporary and modern art in the Middle East. Within the museum’s meticulously reconstructed edifices, such as the former palace of the late Sheikh Said bin Maktoum, who departed in 1958, the Emirates’ rich cultural heritage unfolds, offering insights into the rituals and traditions that define their olfactory culture, showcased notably at the Perfume Museum.
This year’s iteration of Art Dubai, hosted within the lavish confines of Madinat Jumeirah, the emirate’s largest and most luxurious resort, is underpinned by a creative ethos that seamlessly melds cultural legacy with cutting-edge technology. Over 130 exhibitors hailing from 43 nations converge to present a kaleidoscope of artistic expression. According to Pablo del Val, the event’s director, Art Dubai serves as a “window to the global south,” spotlighting artistry seldom seen elsewhere, including contributions from regions such as Africa, the Middle East, Iran, India, Korea, Indonesia, Pakistan, West Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, thus diverging from the dominance of Western artistic paradigms.
Del Val further characterizes Art Dubai as a crucible of talent nurturing Dubai’s multicultural creative economy, where the emirate’s digital prowess, encompassing realms like Web 3.0, cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and AI, garners significant interest from stakeholders such as the investment consortium led by Sheikh Ahmed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the younger brother of Dubai’s ruler, and principal sponsor ARM Holding. Noteworthy is the participation of 18 artists and collectives in Art Dubai’s digital segment, including Dubai’s Art in Space collective, whose innovative use of AI facilitates the creation of immersive virtual realms. Collaborating with the platform VerticalCrypto, artists Michael Benisty, Orkhan Mammadov, and Krista Kim conceive “Orientalism 2.0,” an awe-inspiring pixelated tapestry infused with dynamic patterns drawn from the cultural tapestries of North Africa and the Middle East.
Art Dubai’s expansive exhibition space is organized into distinct zones, with one hall dedicated to modern art, another to contemporary pieces, and a third dubbed “Bawwaba” (meaning “gate”), showcasing individual artistic endeavors from the past year. On the eve of the event’s opening, a throng of esteemed collectors, consultants, museum directors, curators, critics, and dignitaries traversed these hallowed halls, converging from locales as far-flung as Tehran, Singapore, New Delhi, Nairobi, and Manila. Art vendors peddle diverse works, spanning the gamut from the abstract-realist canvases of Brazilian luminary Domingos de Barros to the avant-garde sculptures adorning the stands of the Serbian Anja Obradovic Bourrrellis, commanding prices ranging from $4,000 to upwards of $17,000.
Within the bustling marketplace, art enthusiasts encounter a spectrum of price points, from modest sums to staggering figures reaching into the millions. Notable transactions include the sale of a monumental wall installation by Ghanaian artist El Anatsui, crafted from repurposed bottle caps and metallic debris, fetching a princely sum of $1.3 million at the Dubai gallery Efie. Perrotin Gallery sees brisk sales of sculptures like “Kaikai, Kiki,” fetching $135,000 on the first day alone. The New York Aicon Gallery boasts a formidable collection featuring revered female artists, such as the venerable Indian icon Anjolie Ela Menon, with works priced at $45,000. Meanwhile, African-American artist Mequitta Ahuja’s poignant piece “Bramble” commands a lofty price tag of $100,000, intertwining familial narratives with personal reflection.
The esteemed Third Line gallery in Dubai pays homage to the late Iranian luminary Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian, showcasing a selection of her iconic mirrored mosaics and glass sculptures. Prices range from $35,000 for petite works on paper to over half a million dollars for larger installations. While stalwart German-speaking galleries like Krinzinger of Vienna and Dorothea van der Koelen maintain a longstanding presence, newcomers like Barbara Thumm of Berlin seize the opportunity to engage with the region’s burgeoning art scene. Thumm’s roster includes luminaries such as María Magdalena Campos-Pons of Cuba and Carrie Mae Weems of the United States, both participating in the prestigious Sharjah Biennale nearby. Notable amongst Campos-Pons’ offerings is a multipart floral power wall valued at $250,000.
Italian multimedia artist Marinella Senatore, born in 1977, emerges as another luminary at Art Dubai, with her works showcased by the Turin Mazzoleni Gallery. Senatore’s fluorescent tube installations convey poetic messages of solidarity, resonating with the event’s overarching theme of communal growth and mutual upliftment. As attendees peruse the eclectic array of artworks, the resonant mantra “We grow by lifting others” echoes through the halls, encapsulating the spirit of artistic camaraderie that pervades Art Dubai.
