ART DUBAI ANNOUNCES FULL PROGRAMME F OR LARGEST EVER EDITION TAKING PLACE 1st to 5th MARCH 2023  

Dubai, United Arab Emirates – 3rd February 2023

Art Dubai, the leading international art fair for the Middle East and Global South, today announced full programme details for its 16th edition. The fair will take place at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai from 3rd to 5th March 2023. Previews will take place on Wednesday, 1st and Thursday, 2nd March.

A Collaborative Effort with Local and International Partners

Art Dubai developed its 2023 programme in collaboration with a wide range of local and international cultural partners. Consequently, this marks the fair’s most extensive and ambitious programme to date. Moreover, it celebrates Art Dubai’s increasing importance as the meeting point for the Global South’s creative communities.

Over 130 Presentations from Six Continents

Art Dubai 2023’s gallery programme will feature over 130 presentations from more than 40 countries and six continents. These presentations span four sections: Contemporary, Modern, Bawwaba (featuring exclusively new work) and Art Dubai Digital. Additionally, the fair will include more than 30 first-time participants.

Exciting Highlights Include Premieres and Performances

Further highlights of the 2023 programme include artwork premières by some of the art world’s most exciting names. The fair will also present a series of 10 newly commissioned performance works by artists from across South Asia. Art Dubai produced these works in partnership with its galleries and several leading South Asian cultural organisations. These new site-specific works will comprise daily performances and food-based experiences. They will explore themes of community, celebration, hope, and connection.

The Largest Thought-Leadership Programme to Date

Art Dubai’s artistic programme is complemented by the fair’s largest ever thought-leadership programme. This programme convenes a broad cross-section of the brightest cultural and creative minds. The fair continues its long-standing commitments to dialogue, diverse voices, and development of Dubai’s cultural infrastructure. Therefore, the 2023 programme will feature more than 50 sessions in an ambitious daily conference, talks, and education programme.

Key Conference and Summit Highlights

Highlights include the 16th edition of Art Dubai’s flagship Global Art Forum. Additionally, the fair will host the first Dubai edition of Christie’s Art+Tech summit. A series of Modern and Collector talks will take place in partnership with Dubai Collection. Finally, a new event in partnership with the Art Business Conference will focus on sustainability.

Patronage and Partnerships

Art Dubai takes place 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 takes place in partnership with A.R.M. Holding. Swiss Wealth Management Group Julius Baer sponsors the fair. Culturally rich developer HUNA partners with Art Dubai. The Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) serves as the fair’s strategic partner. Madinat Jumeirah remains the home of Art Dubai.

Executive Director Comments on Reframing the Art Fair

Art Dubai’s Executive Director Benedetta Ghione commented:

“Art Dubai has always tried to reframe what an art fair can be. This year’s expanded programme fully reflects our role as a meeting point for the region’s creative industries, both commercial and not-for-profit. As an innovative public-private partnership, we have incubated talent. We have catalyzed the creative economy here in Dubai. We have convened great minds. And we have served as an entry point to this vibrant ecosystem for the wider cultural sector.”

Artistic Director on the Global South’s Growing Importance

Art Dubai’s Artistic Director Pablo del Val commented:

“As the global art fair landscape shifts, Art Dubai continues to play an important role. We profile and support the cultural ecosystems of the Global South. The programme this year fully reflects this region’s growing importance, energy, and vibrancy. We have one of our strongest ever gallery line-ups. An expanded commissioning and thought-leadership programme complements this line-up. Together, they highlight the breadth of discourse happening here. They also offer a glimpse into the past, present, and future of this important region.”

Media Accreditation and Gallery List

Media accreditation for Art Dubai 2023 closes at noon (GST) on 24th February. Please register here. View the list of galleries participating in Art Dubai 2023 here.

Not-for-Profit Programming Takes Centre Stage

At the centre of the fair’s not-for-profit programme sits Art Dubai Commissions. This platform invites artists to produce site-specific works at the fair. It supports artistic production by local and international artists. The 2023 Commissions programme will take place in a purpose-built space. It will comprise daily performances and food-based experiences. These works will explore themes of community, celebration, hope, and connection.

Featured Artists in the Commissions Programme

Featured artists will include Prajakta Potnis, Rathin Barman, Gunjan Kumar, Anoli Perera, Tayeba Begum Lipi, and five others. The programme developed in close collaboration with several of Art Dubai’s exhibiting galleries and leading institutions. These partners play a key role in supporting artists and artistic production in South Asia.

Partners on This Ambitious Project

Partners on this ambitious project include Durjoy Bangladesh Foundation in collaboration with Britto Arts Trust, Ishara Art Foundation, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, Kochi-Muziris Biennale, and Samdani Art Foundation.

Campus Art Dubai Celebrates Its 10th Edition

Art Dubai 2023 marks the 10th edition of Campus Art Dubai (CAD). CAD stands as Art Dubai’s flagship initiative to develop the region’s future cultural leaders. It also serves as a core component of the fair’s extensive year-round education programme. CAD was the first programme of its kind in the region. It developed to provide existing and aspiring members of the region’s cultural and creative community with educational and professional opportunities.

Two Concurrent Strands for 2023

The 2023 edition will feature two concurrent strands. The first strand, CAD Public Art, aims to build sector knowledge and capacity in the rapidly developing field of public art commissioning.

Professional Development Expands with New Placements

The second strand, CAD 10.0 Professional Development, will expand to include placements at both Art Dubai and other leading UAE cultural institutions. These include Alserkal Avenue and Art Jameel in Dubai. They also include Abu Dhabi’s independent platform for emerging artists, 421.

A Group Exhibition Explores Time

In the second year of collaboration with Art Dubai, 421 will present a group exhibition curated by UAE-based artist and researcher Dania Al Tamimi. The exhibition will feature artworks that pose the question: does time move through you, or do you move through time? The exhibition will explore time as “the binding element of the biography of objects, the active archive of lives, and the solidifying catalyst of experiences.”

Art Dubai Digital Returns for Its Second Year

Art Dubai Digital launched as a new physical fair section in March 2022. It provides an annual 360-degree snapshot of the digital art landscape. The fair aims to build bridges between the world of art and technology. It also explores how artists utilize new, immersive technologies to collapse the boundaries of the traditional art world.

Curator Clara Che Wei Peh Leads the Expanded Edition

Singapore-based educator and arts writer Clara Che Wei Peh curates the expanded 2023 edition of Art Dubai Digital. The section welcomes a selection of participants with innovative new media programmes. It also includes a range of digital platforms building virtual art spaces alongside artist collectives, new institutional models, and more traditional bricks and mortar galleries. Together, these platforms challenge and push forward new models for artistic production and support.

First-Time Presentations at Art Dubai Digital 2023

First-time presentations will include Lian Foundation. Private collector, patron, and expert in Blockchain Technology Fiorenzo Manganiello established this foundation. Another first-time participant is 6529 with their decentralized Open Metaverse project. Additionally, UAE First Immersion will present new artworks by some of the leading names in crypto art. These artists produced the works after they visited the UAE for the first time in November 2022. MORROW Collective collaborated on this presentation.

New Works from Leading Crypto Artists

The presentation will feature new works by artists including Coldie, Colborn Bell, Monaris, Bryan Brinkman, Kirk Finkel, and Raphael Torres. Collectors will have the first opportunity to acquire these works at Art Dubai 2023.

Over 50 Sessions Across Five Days

Each year, Art Dubai invites leading artists, curators, technologists, and thinkers to the city to exchange ideas. This year’s programme will expand significantly to include more than 50 sessions across the five days of the fair.

Global Art Forum Explores “Predicting the Present”

Art Dubai’s celebrated transdisciplinary conference Global Art Forum, commissioned by Shumon Basar, will explore the theme “Predicting the Present.” It will consider the central question: if it’s the end of history and the end of the future, what happens next?

Confirmed Speakers for the Forum

Speakers will include Lukas Amacher, Head of Art at Dialectic and 1of1 works. Sumayya Vally, Principle of Counterspace and Architect of the 2021 Serpentine Pavilion, will also speak. She also serves as Curator of the 1st Islamic Biennale in Jeddah. Chiara Costa, Head of Programmes at Fondazione Prada, will join them.

Collector and Modern Talks Return

Art Dubai’s 2023 edition will also feature a series of Collector and Modern Talks, presented in partnership with Dubai Collection. The Collector Talks will focus on the collectors and patrons who drive the development of art scenes across the Global South. They will also explore how these patrons support the redistribution of cultural centres across the world.

Sessions Focus on Emerging Trends

Sessions will focus on emerging trends in both traditional and digital collecting across the region. They will also explore what it means to be an arts patron in a place that develops and implements new institutional models. Panellists will include noted collectors Qinwen Wang, Fiorenzo Manganiello, and Teo Yang.

Modern Talks Explore 20th Century Art

Accompanying Art Dubai’s Modern section, a series of Modern Talks will invite guest speakers to explore topics of 20th Century artists and art forms from the Middle East and North Africa. They will hold critical discussions on current trends in collecting across the region. They will also discuss the decolonisation of our art-historical canon.

Christie’s Hosts Its First Regional Art+Tech Summit

This year, Christie’s will host its first regional Art+Tech summit in partnership with Art Dubai. The summit established in 2018. This sixth iteration will take place in conjunction with Christie’s annual summit in New York. It aims to bring together regional and global leaders, innovators, artists, and visionaries. Together, they will foster meaningful dialogues on the intersection of art and technology.

A One-Day Conference Blends East and West

The one-day conference will blend east and west by bringing in both regional and global voices. It will survey trends. It will hear from artists who incorporate technology into their practices. It will also explore current challenges and future opportunities to collaborate. Organizers will announce confirmed speakers shortly.

Art Business Conference Collaborates on Sustainability

In another first, Art Dubai will collaborate with the renowned Art Business Conference on a special session at the fair. This session will focus on exploring topics of sustainability in the art world.

Partner Programming

A.R.M Holding Children’s Programme Returns for Third Edition

The third edition of the A.R.M Holding Children’s Programme has developed by Swedish artist Jacob Dahlgren. Entitled The Flag Project, this programme of immersive workshops suits children of all ages. The programme will commence at Art Dubai before expanding to over 90 schools and 8,000 children over two months. This makes it the UAE’s largest cultural education programme.

Children Create Flags from Scrap Fabrics

Using everyday craft materials and scrap fabrics, participating children will think creatively about their environments. They will collage together designs. Later, organizers will sew and transform these designs into flags. This extends the artist’s ongoing project Signs of Abstraction.

Julius Baer Renews Partnership Until 2027

The leading Swiss wealth management group Julius Baer has renewed its long-standing partnership with Art Dubai for a further five years, until 2027. The group will première a major new commission by internationally acclaimed new media artist, director, and pioneer in the aesthetics of data and machine intelligence, Refik Anadol.

Glacier Dreams Inspires Awe and Reflection

Glacier Dreams draws inspiration from the beauty and fragility of the world’s glaciers. The work will unfold as a series of multisensory artworks over multiple chapters. The work will debut in the Julius Baer lounge at Art Dubai. This marks the first activation of Julius Baer’s new NEXT initiative. NEXT aims to foster collaboration between forward-thinking artists and institutions committed to new forms of cultural production.

Boghossian Returns with a Cabinet of Curiosities

Returning fair partner Boghossian’s presentation at Art Dubai will present a selection of the house’s newest and most exquisite High Jewellery creations. The installation takes the form of a ‘cabinet of curiosities’ that takes centre stage. Danish Kufstudios and Lebanese designer Nada Debs collaborated on the booth display. The display will highlight the dialogue between cultures and the extraordinary beauty that can result from multicultural influences.

A Retrospective Documents Villa Empain’s Evolution

Alongside the one-of-a-kind jewellery pieces, a retrospective display will document the evolution of Villa Empain. This building serves as headquarters of the philanthropic Boghossian Foundation. The display traces its journey from its beginnings in the 1930s to the present day.

Guerlain Premieres a New Bee Bottle

First-time fair partner Guerlain will première a new iteration of its iconic Bee Bottle. The release features Guerlain X Maison Matisse The Art of Happiness. Visitors to the booth will also explore a unique collection of Guerlain’s most coveted fragrances.

Collaborations with Artists and Designers

These fragrances include collaborations with Jon One, Tarek Banaoum, and Li Hongbo. They also include Dubai-based jewellery designer Nadine Kanso, who will preview her latest creation Rêve D’Amour. A series of photographs and stories will support this one-off display of exceptional pieces.

Guerlain Shows Interactive AR Work

In Art Dubai Digital, Guerlain will show the interactive AR work “De Nectar at d’Ambroisie.” Young artist Constance Valero created this piece. It is a tribute to life and its tenacity. It also stands as an ode to the supremacy of organic functioning.

Maison Ruinart Presents Environmental Photography

Maison Ruinart will present a series of images by photographer Matthieu Gafsou. The series bears the title “Cette constante brûlure de l’air” (This Constant Burning of the Air). These images evoke contemporary concerns about the environment and biodiversity.

Artist Stains Images with Crude Oil

Gafsou took these images in France during the intense heat of summer 2022. At first glance, the images show banal scenes of light-hearted tourists, arcadian landscapes, and a welcoming town. However, the artist has stained them with crude oil to represent the burning heat experienced at the time. By using a hydrocarbon as pigment, the artist reveals what remains invisible. He also expresses the paradox of our times: everything seems so normal, yet our environment is brutally changing.

Clinique La Prairie Invites Guests to Relax

New fair partner and wellness destination Clinique La Prairie will invite guests to take a moment to relax and rejuvenate. They will offer a series of complimentary experiences in their Luxury Longevity Lounge.

Art Dubai Week

Cultural Organisations Across the Emirates Expand

Across the Emirates, cultural organisations are expanding, rebranding, fostering partnerships, and cultivating new spaces and ideas.

Jameel Art Space Opens New Artist’s Rooms

At Dubai’s cultural institutions, Jameel Art Space has opened the latest iteration of their Artist’s Rooms series. This features Daniele Genadry, Ayesha Sultana, and Risham Syed. It also includes the group show An Ocean in Every Drop.

Major Shows at Alserkal Avenue

Major shows at Alserkal Avenue will include Dappled Light by Rana Begum at Concrete. Notions on Time at Ishara Art Foundation will reflect on truly universal subjects.

Sikka Art and Design Festival Returns

Also in Dubai, Sikka Art and Design Festival, a highlight of Dubai Art Season, returns to Al Fahidi for its 11th edition.

Solo Exhibition Highlights Across the City

At galleries across the city, a range of solo exhibition highlights will include Hayv Kahraman at The Third Line. Chafa Ghaddar will show at Tabari Artspace. Amba Sayal-Bennett will exhibit at Carbon.12. Sadik Kwaish Alfraji will present at Ayyam Gallery. Daniel Buren will show at Gallery Continua.

Sharjah Biennial Begins Early This Year

The season begins early in Sharjah this year with the highly anticipated 15th edition of the Sharjah Biennial. The late Okwui Enwezor conceived this edition under the title Thinking Historically in the Present. The biennial includes over 300 works by 150 artists and collectives, installed across 5 cities.

Sharjah’s Other Institutions Offer Strong Programming

Sharjah’s other institutions also offer strong programming this spring. Barjeel Art Foundation will exhibit at Sharjah Art Museum until 30th May. Calligraphy will take place at The Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization until 19th March. Two solo exhibitions will run at Maraya Arts Centre from 27th February to 3rd August. These include a mid-career retrospective for Sama Alshaibi – Tell it to the River. They also include dichroic works by Chris Wood – Liquid Light. This exhibition accompanies the opening of a newly commissioned public artwork on Al Noor Island.

Louvre Abu Dhabi Puts Bollywood Centre Stage

In Abu Dhabi, the Louvre Abu Dhabi puts Bollywood centre stage with their latest exhibition in partnership with the Musée du quai Branly.

NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery Surveys Contemporary Works

Maya Allison curates an exhibition at NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery entitled The Only Constant. This forms part of an ongoing series that surveys works by artists who confront our contemporary landscape.

421 Presents RE/COLLECT THIS Programme

Independent artist space 421 has a full winter programme entitled RE/COLLECT THIS. The programme integrates contemporary modes of memory-making via workshops, talks, and exhibitions.

Group Show and Solo Debut at 421

The programme includes the group show And The Mirrors Are Many. It also includes the first solo by Mahshid Rafiei (Of Mythic Proportions). 421 developed this exhibition in collaboration with The Institute of Emerging Art.

About Art Dubai

Founded in 2007

Art Dubai founded in 2007. Today, it stands as the premier platform to see and buy modern and contemporary art from the Global South.

Four Gallery Sections

Across its Contemporary, Modern, and Digital gallery sections, annual artist commissions, and year-round collector and education programmes, Art Dubai champions art and artists from across the Global South. Consequently, it provides a relevant and increasingly important alternative to mainstream, largely Western-led narratives.

The Leading Global Platform for the Global South

As the leading global platform for art and artists from the Middle East and Global South, Art Dubai’s 16th edition will present over 130 participants from more than 40 countries and six continents. These span four gallery sections: Contemporary, Modern, Bawwaba, and Art Dubai Digital.

Commissioned Artworks and Talks Programme

The gallery programme is complemented by newly commissioned artworks by the region’s leading artists. It also includes an extensive and multidisciplinary talks and education programme.

Year-Round Education and Commissioning

Alongside the annual Art Dubai art fair, which takes place each spring, Art Dubai maintains an extensive year-round education and commissioning programme. The fair works in close collaboration with local and regional partners to deliver ambitious cultural programming across the city.

Partnerships and Sponsors

Art Dubai takes place in partnership with A.R.M. Holding. Swiss Wealth Management Group Julius Baer sponsors the fair. Culturally rich developer HUNA partners with Art Dubai. The Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) serves as the fair’s strategic partner. Madinat Jumeirah remains the home of Art Dubai.