The biggest international art expo in Dubai, Art Dubai, is returning with a breathtaking selection of contemporary art from all around the world 16 years after its first exhibition. The fair, which will be hosted by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, will happen from March 1 to March 5 in Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai.
As a platform for dialogue about art on a global scale, Art Dubai, founded in 2007, serves as a space for curation and exposure to works of art from the Middle East and the surrounding region, a starting point for new and upcoming artists, and a forum for dialogue about Western-dominated narratives while facilitating engagement with contemporary art practices from a variety of countries and traditions.
Even though the art fair takes place in March every year, it offers year-round programming through initiatives like Campus Art Dubai. For a complete educational programme that includes seminars, workshops, and networking events, CAD brings together members of the creative community in the UAE, including artists, curators, writers, and architects.
This year, the Modern, Contemporary, Bawwaba, and Digital parts of Art Dubai’s exhibition programme will include artwork from 40 nations, including 30 first-timers. In its Digital part, the programme examines intersections between art, design, music, and other mediums, up-and-coming art movements and influential modern art from the Global South.
The Art Dubai Commission has worked with foundation partners like Dastaangoi, Ishara Art Foundation, and Kiran Nadar Museum of Art to promote South Asian art as part of its not-for-profit programme and mission to center art from the Global South. Commissioned works will address themes of community and connection through food, performance, and design, engaging all six senses for an immersive experience. Anoli Perara, Gunjan Kumar, Rathin Barman, and Tayeba Begum Lipi are a few of the performers who will be performing.
The art fair will include an amazing selection of artwork from around the world, as well as a robust conference programme with over 50 sessions of discussions with a variety of curators and artists. The Global Art Forum, “Predicting the Present,” which uses Dubai as a striking background and poses concerns about how to deal with changing and unsettling times, is one of the highlights. Meanwhile, Christie’s Art and Tech Summit offers yet another fascinating chance to discover more about the nexus between art and technology from the world’s top creators and innovators. Other talks will reportedly cover subjects including current trends in collecting, the function of the art patron today, and decolonizing the canon of art history.
Children under 18 and university students are admitted free of charge to the fair, which is open to the public from Friday, March 3, to Sunday, March 5. Additionally, it offers an opportunity to discuss issues related to international artistic and cultural practices in a dynamic environment.