The 11th edition of Art Dubai is set to be the most international to date, as this year’s fair will be welcoming new galleries and countries for the first time. Held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum – Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai – the event will take place from March 15th to March 18th at the Madinat Jumeirah.
Art Dubai has always offered unparalleled access to art from around the globe and this year is no exception. Art Dubai 2017 will feature 93 galleries from 43 countries – reinforcing its position as the most prominent platform for the regional art scene.
For its eleventh edition, the fair will complement its Modern hall by introducing the new Modern Symposium through a series of talks and presentations that focus on the life, work and cultural impact of 20th-century modern masters from the Middle East, South Asia and Africa. “The Room: Cooking Liberty” will make for a visual and gastronomic experience presented by Beirut-based art collective Atfal Ahdath, which is founded by Vartan Avakian, Hatem Imam and Raed Yassin. Commissioned by Art Dubai, Moroccan-born, Brooklyn-based artist Meriem Bennani will create an interactive installation, entitled “Ghariba/Stranger”, inspired by the playful strategies and designs used by beauty salons, massage parlors or entertainment parks to encourage social interaction between strangers.
No edition of Art Dubai is complete without The Abraaj Group Art Prize, which is considered the most important in the region. This year, the prize will be curated by Omar Berrada and the winner, London-based Bangladeshi artist Rana Begum – who will unveil her work alongside an exhibition of works created by shortlisted artists Doa Aly, Sarah Abu Abdallah and Raha Raissnia.
And that’s not all, as the fifth edition of the Sheikha Manal Little Artists Program – held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum – is set to encourage UAE-based children and teenagers to engage in the arts, as discovery tours and workshops will be awaiting them.
