Oman based artist showcases work to the world

Muscat-based artist Ibrahim Gailani has returned to Oman after successfully exhibiting from December 4- 9 in Miami, Florida, at one of the several art festivals taking place during the internationally acclaimed Art Basel Miami Beach Art Week, the biggest celebration of art anywhere in the world. The entire city of Miami is transformed into a showcase of art and artistic performances. It’s as if the entire world of artists, art curators and collectors from Europe, South America and the Far East all descend at the same time.

The city is dotted with large white tents that showcase different art shows such as Context, Untitled, Scope Miami, Aqua Miami, Red-Dot, Spectrum and others.

Artist Gailani was chosen by art gallery Steidel Fine Arts to represent their international artists’ collection at the Red Dot Miami Art show. Gailani along with a Dubai-based artist were the only Middle East-based artists selected by Steidel to be showcased.

For Gailani, this was something beyond a dream.

He stated, “To be in Miami during art Basel and showcase at RedDot was something that I couldn’t have even dreamt of when I started professionally exhibiting my art five years ago. I would stand during the festival and pinch myself to see if it was true.”

Elaborating further on the perception of art and artists in the GCC and the region, he said, “What was wonderful is how well the art was received and a chance to talk to such a large group of people about Oman and the art scene in general of the Middle East.

“For me, it was all about representing a positive image of this region to the west and proving that there are artists who live here who have a modern contemporary voice and a unique aesthetic that is on par with the tastes of the west — so in a way, one has to be an ambassador of awareness.”

Gailani attributes his participation to good timing and a bit of luck, as the co-owner and curator of Steidel Fine Arts, Maxwell Chapman, was going through the show catalogue of Art-Vancouver, where Gailani had won the Best International Artist Exhibitor Award and that caught his eye and he booked Gailani for Red Dot Miami at Art Basel week.

With over 5,000 galleries exhibiting during that week and an estimated 85,000 customer visits, this festival is like the “Oscar Awards Night” for any artist who exhibits his/her work and Gailani hopes to use the platform to reach a wider western audience.