Extensive programme included exhibitions, specially commissioned installations across Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, performances, workshops and street art

Abu Dhabi, UAE: Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and opened by His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, the ninth edition of Abu Dhabi Art concluded on Saturday 11th November 2017. Bringing together 47 galleries from 18 different countries, the 2017 edition of the fair confirmed the international reputation of the four-day event with an extensive programme of talks, workshops and performances delivered by leading international artists, curators and creative professionals who attracted high levels of visitor engagement.

Commenting at the conclusion of Abu Dhabi Art 2017, HE Saif Saeed Ghobash, Director General of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi said: “As the doors of Louvre Abu Dhabi open to the public, we can reflect upon the development of the creative community in Abu Dhabi. For the past nine years, Abu Dhabi Art has provided a platform for attendees to engage with art, and has provided the tools to develop their knowledge of contemporary art practice. Moving from strength to strength with each edition, Abu Dhabi Art has established itself as a cornerstone cultural event that continues to bring creativity into the lives of the entire community.”    

Dyala Nusseibeh, Fair Director, Abu Dhabi Art commented: “This year we were proud to have placed our local and regional artist community at the heart of the fair with installations, artist talks and workshops taking place throughout the duration of the Fair . Sales for mid-tier galleries reflected a growing art collector base here in the UAE and we look forward to seeing this local base develop further. We were also happy to welcome prominent international collectors to Abu Dhabi for the first time.”

Abu Dhabi Art 2017 was attended by leading UAE collectors including HE Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance, HE Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at HH Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Humanitarian & Scientific Foundation, HE Sheikha Hoor Bint Sultan Al-Qassemi, Chairperson of Sharjah Art Foundation, writer and businessman Sheikh Sultan Sooud Al-Qassemi, HE Dr. Anwar Bin Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, HE Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, Minister of State, HE Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of State for Culture and Knowledge Development and HE Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Executive Affairs Authority.   

Prominent international collectors who attended the fair included Gul Kohli, Andrew Wynn and Nada Bayoud, Dounia Nadar, Christopher Rogers, Faaiza Lalji and Ameel Somani, Dina Zameli, Demet Sabanci Centidogan and Cengiz Centidogan, Kazufumi Mimaki, Philippe Dutieulle, Dylan Brant, William Zhao, Grace Chao, Chrissy Cheung and Tian Rong.

The four-day event saw leading international curators, museum directors and board members touring the galleries of Abu Dhabi Art. Attendees included Richard Armstrong, Director of the Solomon R Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, Salma Tuqan, Curator at the V&A, Venetia Porter, Curator at the British Museum,  Herve Mikaeloff, Independent Curator and advisor to the LVMH group, Philippe Vergne, Director of MOCA, Paula Cussi, trustee of the Metropolitan Museum New York, Victoria Wyman, member of the International Director’s Council for the Guggenheim, Catherine David, Deputy Director of the National Museum of Modern Art, Centre Georges Pompidou, Dr Henry Kim, Museum Director of Aga Khan Museum, Farrokh Derakshani, Director of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, Suzanna Flammarion, patron of the Musee d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Vasili Tsereteli, Director of MOMA Russia, Wang Zhongjun, Song Art Museum in Beijing and Michael Xufu Huang, co-founder of M Woods Museum in Beijing, as well as Sara Albrecht, Trustee, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.   

Galleries across the fair’s main section generated important sales including works by Susan Hefuna (Pi Artworks), Anila Agha (Aicon Gallery,) Wael Shawky and Pedro Reyes (Lisson Gallery), Abdul Qadar Al Rais (Hunar Gallery), Yayoi Kusama (Whitestone Gallery) Nabil Nahas (Agial Gallery) and Rashid Rana and Jacob Hashimoto (Leila Heller Gallery).

The Focus: Beyond Territory section curated by Dr. Omar Kholeif, brought artists and major projects from both emerging and leading galleries to a Middle Eastern audience for the first time. Works sold within this section include those by Emirati artist Hassan Sharif represented by Gallery Isabelle van den Eynde, Idris Khan (Sean Kelly), Giuseppe Penone (Marian Goodman Gallery), Otto Piene (Sprueth Magers) and Semiha Berksoy (Galerist)

This year’s fair was strengthened by the curatorial vision of Dr. Omar Kholeif, Maya Allison, Mohammed Kazem and Cristiana Di Marchi, Tarek Abou El Fetouh, Munira Al Sayegh and Fabrice Bousteau. The annual, and newly introduced programmes and exhibitions, saw high levels of community engagement throughout the event. Although Abu Dhabi Art has come to a close, elements of the fair’s programming will continue over the coming weeks and months.

Curated by Bousteau, the Street Art programme brought art into the lives of the public by transforming three Abu Dhabi buses into mobile canvasses, which circulated the city, taking the artworks into the heart of the community. The buses, designed by Philippe Baudelocque, Amitabh Kumar, and Pierre Seinturier, will continue to be seen across the city until 27th January 2018.

Abu Dhabi Art featured Beyond: Artists Commissions, a series of large-scale sculptures and installations across Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, commissioned especially for the 2017 edition. Established contemporary artists Magdi Mostafa, Manal Al Dowayan and Nasser Al Salem, were commissioned to create large-scale site-specific artworks that are  on display at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Al Ain Oasis and Al Jahili Fort until 27th January 2018.

The newly refurbished Art Studio at Manarat Al Saadiyat offered children, teens and adults an array of daily workshops and masterclasses in the new multi-disciplinary creative arts space. The workshops were open for all to attend and had a special focus on engaging children in creative activities, encouraging the expression and development of young minds. With painting, drawing, and artistic tools, the activities and daily workshops were met with enthusiasm and interest from all ages.

Visitors to the fair were also invited to enjoy an immersive experience filled with family-friendly activities and dining options, including Manarat Al Saadiyat’s new restaurant Larte. A selection of food trucks included home-grown café Gossip, Lebanese bakery Saj 2 Go, and the traditional Emirati cuisine of the Meylas food truck.

To keep up-to-date on Abu Dhabi Art’s year-long programme, visit abudhabiart.ae and follow Abu Dhabi Art on social media: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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© Press Release 2017