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DUBAI / WAM
Art Dubai — the Middle East’s premier platform to see and buy modern and contemporary art from the Global South — launched its 17th edition at Madinat Jumeirah, and will open to the public on March 1.
The fair has long been an important cultural cornerstone in the region. The edition welcomes over 120 contemporary, modern and digital gallery presentations, over 65% of which are drawn from the Global South, stated a press release issued by Art Dubai.
The works of three Pakistan artists — Rasheed Araeen, Zarah Hussain, and Mohammad Ali Talpur — are slated to be featured by London-based Grosvenor Gallery at Art Dubai. Additionally, the gallery will also feature modernist pieces by Sayed Haider Raza and Syed Sadequain.
“We are witnessing an exciting phase in Dubai’s cultural story,” Benedetta Ghione, Executive Director of Art Dubai, said at the press conference.
“The city is thriving, welcoming people from all over the world and, built on strong foundations, the cultural infrastructure here is also maturing rapidly.
“Through a unique and independent model, Art Dubai continues to rethink and reframe the role an art fair can play in supporting the growth of a creative economy, building capacity and creating opportunities for artists and creatives through partnerships and collaboration,” she added.
Pablo del Val, Art Dubai’s Artistic Director, said art fairs like Art Dubai have a responsibility to be far more than commercial platforms.
“And we continue to play an important institutional role in this region’s cultural ecosystem,” he was quoted as saying in the press release.
“Art Dubai is the meeting point for creative communities from a truly global art world and we invite visitors to explore the breadth and depth of our programme – from top-class contemporary galleries to museum-quality presentations in Art Dubai Modern to the artists who are breaking new ground in their use of cutting-edge technologies in Art Dubai Digital,” he added.
Galleries will be divided across 4 categories — Contemporary, Modern, Bawwaba and Digital gallery sections – comprising annual artist commissions and a multidisciplinary thought leadership programme.
Highlights of the 2024 programme include the 17th edition of Art Dubai’s Global Art Forum — which will explore the relationship between extreme weather and extreme change as well as the second edition of the Art Business Conference Dubai — the leading platform to discuss key challenges facing the global art market.
This year will also feature the inaugural Digital Summit at Art Dubai, convening experts from a range of disciplines to examine the growth of, and opportunities for Dubai’s digital art economy.