The post-pandemic world has been an unpredictable place for art fairs. While some established international events have been cancelled due to rising costs and dwindling dealer interst, such as London's annual Masterpiece fair run by Art Basel's parent company MCH Group, others, such as Singapore's long-awaited Art SG have emerged, sensing new opportunities.
Unique among the crowded cultural landscape is Art Dubai, which was the first art fair to return to physical events, and has continued to go from strength to strength. As the fair prepares for its 16th event, which runs from Wednesday until Sunday, its executive director, Benedetta Ghione, tells The National there are various reasons why it has remained so successful.
“The art fairs that will make it are the ones that will have a strong 'why' and a point of difference of one kind or another,” Ghione says.
She adds that the expectation for art practitioners and enthusiasts to attend every art fair during cultural season has changed since the pandemic and visitors are starting to be more strategic about which they attend. While this shift of perspective has left some art fairs struggling, Art Dubai has stood to benefit.
Ghione believes that the cosmopolitan, forward-thinking nature of Dubai itself is a crucial reason why the fair continues to flourish. The city’s identity as a diverse cultural hub is reflected in the content at the event, which feels natural to the region and out of context in fairs such as Art Basel — which has long struggled with a lack of representation.
“Dubai handled the pandemic beautifully and really took the opportunity to bring itself to the next stage as a global hub,” Ghione says. “And therefore, our proposition of trying to position Dubai as a global cultural hub is enabled and facilitated by the context of Dubai.”
The art world is seeing an exponential change on many fronts. Art is becoming increasingly cross-cultural, with boundaries between communities and spaces constantly collapsing, while the demographics of those collecting art continues to evolve.
One of the growing sections in Art Dubai is South Asian art, which Ghione explains is part of the fair's aim to become the foremost platform for showcasing works from the global south.
“At a time when non-western, non-male, non-white, narratives are becoming more prevalent, our proposition is really strong.
“This is not for us a curated section that may feel tokenistic, as it might at another fair. It's 95 per cent of what we’ve always done. We’ve never really been the fair for the mainstream, big, western galleries to come and display and sell work. That was never our identity.”
Since Art Dubai’s inception, the fair has had an extensive non-commercial programme, ranging from artist residences to prizes, with a focus on emerging and established artists from the region.
“We’re aligned to our time more by being who we are than for any other reason,” Ghione says.
“Things that are now becoming really relevant because they are sustainable, meaningful, feel ingrained and make sense in their communities, and don't feel parachuted, have always been part of our DNA.”
Art Dubai started as a fair with a strong Middle Eastern focus. Today however, it has expanded to a point where visitors are exposed to works from contemporary and classic art spanning from Nigeria to the Philippines.
This expanding diversity of work has become a strong thread in the expected tapestry that constitutes Art Dubai’s DNA.
Aside from this cultural expansion, Art Dubai is also becoming a platform for a growing sector of works that live beyond the physical world — digital art. Last year, it became the first fair to have a section dedicated to such pieces.
The festival’s aim, Ghione says, was not to follow the hype of digital art, by for example focusing superficially on NFTs, but to open the dialogue on what digital art is and how it’s shaping the art world.
“Dubai is the city of the future, making a play as a global crypto hub, and so it makes a lot of sense that potentially a dedicated digital section would be in our fair,” she says.
“We believe that digital art is here to stay beyond the ups and downs of the market. We feel strongly that the way new media artists are creating work is going to change the landscape, not just for artists who are interested in new media, but for those creating art through traditional practices.”
Ghione says the fair aims to remain malleable enough to move with the changing arts landscape while retaining its broader perspective, through a flexible approach to operations.
“We are used to being fluid, it's always been written into the DNA of the fair. We also take our cues from the city of Dubai, which is so steeped in a spirit of innovation,” she says.
It’s important, Ghione adds, to focus on the overall vision of the fair and where it sits not only within the region, but the greater framework of the art world.
“We really want to be that catalyst, and the pillars that help the growth of Dubai,” she says.
“Then the 'how' of how that manifests can stay more fluid. We are always welcoming of experimentation because some of our best programmes and ideas were born from it.”
Art Dubai will run from Wednesday until Sunday at Madinat Jumeirah. More information is at artdubai.ae
The bio
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite travel destination: Maldives and south of France
Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines
Favourite Movie: Joker (2019). I didn’t like it while I was watching it but then afterwards I loved it. I loved the psychology behind it.
Favourite Author: My father for sure
Favourite Artist: Damien Hurst
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs: 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor
Price, base / as tested Dh220,000 / Dh320,000
Engine 3.5L V6
Transmission 10-speed automatic
Power 421hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 678Nm @ 3,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.1L / 100km
SUNDAY'S ABU DHABI T10 MATCHES
Northern Warriors v Team Abu Dhabi, 3.30pm
Bangla Tigers v Karnataka Tuskers, 5.45pm
Qalandars v Maratha Arabians, 8pm
Afro%20salons
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The Gentlemen
Director: Guy Ritchie
Stars: Colin Farrell, Hugh Grant
Three out of five stars
Specs%3A%202024%20McLaren%20Artura%20Spider
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.0-litre%20twin-turbo%20V6%20and%20electric%20motor%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMax%20power%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20700hp%20at%207%2C500rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMax%20torque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20720Nm%20at%202%2C250rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Eight-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E0-100km%2Fh%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.0sec%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETop%20speed%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E330kph%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh1.14%20million%20(%24311%2C000)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Stage result
1. Pascal Ackermann (GER) Bora-Hansgrohe, in 3:29.09
2. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto-Soudal
3. Rudy Barbier (FRA) Israel Start-Up Nation
4. Dylan Groenewegen (NED) Jumbo-Visma
5. Luka Mezgec (SLO) Mitchelton-Scott
6. Alberto Dainese (ITA) Sunweb
7. Jakub Mareczko (ITA) CCC
8. Max Walscheid (GER) NTT
9. José Rojas (ESP) Movistar
10. Andrea Vendrame (ITA) Ag2r La Mondiale, all at same time
MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2
Vinicius Junior (71') Mariano (90 2')
Barcelona 0
PRO BASH
Thursday’s fixtures
6pm: Hyderabad Nawabs v Pakhtoon Warriors
10pm: Lahore Sikandars v Pakhtoon Blasters
Teams
Chennai Knights, Lahore Sikandars, Pakhtoon Blasters, Abu Dhabi Stars, Abu Dhabi Dragons, Pakhtoon Warriors and Hyderabad Nawabs.
Squad rules
All teams consist of 15-player squads that include those contracted in the diamond (3), platinum (2) and gold (2) categories, plus eight free to sign team members.
Tournament rules
The matches are of 25 over-a-side with an 8-over power play in which only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. Teams play in a single round robin league followed by the semi-finals and final. The league toppers will feature in the semi-final eliminator.
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.0-litre, twin-turbocharged W12
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 626bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh1,050,000
On sale: now
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
