Art Dubai, the premier global platform for artists and art from the Middle East and Global South, has launched its most ambitious edition ever under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The event is being held from 3 to 5 March at Madinat Jumeirah Dubai, with VIP previews on 1 and 2 March.
Featuring more than 130 galleries from over 40 countries across four main sections, including Contemporary, Modern, Bawwaba, and Art Dubai Digital, Art Dubai’s 16th edition promises to be a dynamic and diverse showcase of the best in global art.
The event also includes a non-profit program featuring newly commissioned works by renowned artists, as well as an expanded education and thought leadership program, making this edition of the fair the largest and most comprehensive yet.
Art Dubai’s Executive Director Benedetta Ghione stated – “Art Dubai has always pushed the boundaries of what an art fair can achieve, and this year’s edition is no exception. The expanded program glances at Art Dubai’s pivotal role as a hub for the region’s creative industries, bridging the gap between commercial and not-for-profit areas. As an independent organization, Art Dubai is more than just an art fair – it serves as a breeding ground for new talent, a catalyst for Dubai’s creative economy, a gathering place of incredible minds, and a gateway to this dynamic ecosystem for the wider cultural sector.“
Art Dubai’s Artistic Director Pablo del Val stated – “For almost twenty years, Art Dubai has been a platform for discovering and celebrating new artistic trends, creating a forum for dialogue and reflection, and promoting the creative output of the Global South. With its broad global reach, this year’s edition of Art Dubai showcases the exceptional quality and diversity of galleries from around the world. The program’s strong representation of the Global South highlights the growing interest in and demand for collecting non-Western art, the increasing strength of galleries beyond the traditional art centers, and Art Dubai’s crucial role as a platform for under-represented regions in international collections.”
Gallery Programme
Art Dubai 2023 promises to be the most dynamic and inclusive edition yet, with over 30 new galleries joining the fair and more than 60% of the program being dedicated to the Global South. As the leading art marketplace for this rapidly developing region, Art Dubai reinforces its position as a global platform for artists and galleries to showcase their works.
Art Dubai Contemporary presents 76 galleries from 34 nations, highlighting avant-garde modern art and artists from the Global South. The section welcomes 14 new exhibitors and 12 galleries that are returning after a hiatus, as well as 24 galleries based in Dubai, the largest number to date. This represents the city’s increasing importance as an international epicenter for inventiveness and culture, with a thriving artistic ecosystem.
Art Dubai Digital, which made its debut to critical acclaim in 2022, returns in 2023 as a physical section of the fair. It offers a unique snapshot of the digital art landscape and showcases how artists are using great technologies to drive the limits of conventional art. Curated by arts writer and educator Clara Che Wei Peh, the expanded 2023 edition will feature works from six continents, demonstrating Art Dubai’s dedication to showing global viewpoints and assortment. It maps out the key players and platforms driving this fast-developing field, inviting audiences to look beyond traditional art centers.
Curated by VipashPurichanont, the 2023 edition of Art Dubai’s Bawwaba section explores the concerns of contemporary artists from the Global South. Featuring solo presentations by 11 artists, this section showcases various mediums, such as painting, tapestry, filmmaking, and performance. Bawwaba, which means ‘gateway’ in Arabic, focuses on artworks created in the past year or specifically for Art Dubai. It aims to address sociocultural issues, including tensions between immediate urban growth and standard significances, the environmental impact of colonization, human connections in the age of hyperconnectivity, and personal situations regarding the meaning of language and void.
Art Dubai Modern, on the other hand, is curated by MounaMekouar and Lorenzo Giusti and features solo presentations by the region’s Modern masters. The selection is a reflection of Art Dubai’s dedication to curatorial scholarship and art historical research, highlighting the pioneers of contemporary art in the MENASA area. Their creations are retroactively playing a prime part in today’s art and a key role in art history. The exhibition shows the cultural richness and assortment of the region, showcasing its contributions to the global art scene.
Art Dubai’s commissions for 2023 feature Chaupal
A Journey through South Asia, a series of site-specific arrangements and activations by ten prominent artists from South Asia. The project explores the potential of food, ritual, and gatherings as community builders, drawing inspiration from the chaupal, a public space that fosters community building in rural areas of South Asia. It serves as the heart of community life in villages throughout the region, where individuals come together to discuss their problems, celebrate their joys, and share their sorrows.
The program is developed in collaboration with Art Dubai’s galleries and leading cultural organizations from South Asia and includes a diverse range of live performances and food-based experiences by artists whose work centers on themes of community, celebration, hope, and connection. The initiative is presented in partnership with various prominent galleries and cultural institutions from South Asia.
Conferences and Talks Programme
Art Dubai’s 2023 program is not only showcasing artworks but also providing a platform for discussions and debates, bringing together some of the most prominent cultural and creative thinkers. With a focus on diverse voices and developing Dubai’s cultural infrastructure, this year’s program includes over 50 sessions in a comprehensive daily conference, talks, and education program.
Notable events in the lineup are the 16th edition of the Global Art Forum, Christie’s Art+Tech summit’s first-ever Middle East edition, and a series of Modern and Collector talks in collaboration with the Dubai Collection. Additionally, Art Dubai is partnering with the Art Business Conference to introduce a new event to the program.
Partner Programme Highlights
Art Dubai’s commitment to nurturing talent and enriching communities is further supported by A.R.M. Holding, who have renewed their partnership for the next five years. The third edition of the A.R.M. Holding Children’s Programme will be presented at the fair and features a rising workshop titled The Flag Project, created by Swedish artist Jacob Dahlgren.
The program is designed for children of all ages and aims to reach 8,000 children in over 90 schools, creating it the UAE’s biggest cultural education program. The workshop encourages children to use their creativity to transform everyday materials and waste fabrics into collages with the aim of sewing them into flags, extending Dahlgren’s ongoing project Signs of Abstraction.
Julius Baer, the leading Swiss wealth management group, has renewed its partnership with Art Dubai for an additional five years, until 2027. As part of this partnership, they will unveil Glacier Dreams, a new commission by RefikAnadol, an internationally acclaimed new media artist and director known for his work with data and machine intelligence.
Glacier Dreams is a multisensory artwork motivated by the attractiveness and vulnerability of the world’s glaciers, presented in several chapters in the Julius Baer lounge at Art Dubai. It will also mark the debut of Julius Baer’s NEXT initiative, which seeks to promote cooperation between innovative artists and institutions dedicated to new conditions of cultural display.
421, Abu Dhabi’s independent platform for emerging artists, will also return to the fair for the second year. They will offer a group presentation curated by UAE-based artist and researcher Dania Al Tamimi that explores the concept of time. The exhibition, titled “Is time moving through you, or are you moving through time?” will feature artworks that examine time as the critical component of object biographies, the active library of lives, and the solidifying motivation of adventures.
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