In with the New
Looking for the next big thing in design? This UAE exhibition is a good place to start
We wanted to give a platform to emerging and early career designers who are living and working in the UAE,” says Ghassan Salameh, curator of the UAE Designer Exhibition, which presented its second edition during Dubai Design Week. “These designers may not necessarily have marketing budgets or the investment required to participate in a commercial fair like Downtown Design that could help raise their visibility. That’s where we step in.”
The open call sought out creatives who haven’t been exhibited extensively before, are not represented by galleries or art institutions, are operating or producing locally in the UAE, and most importantly, have market-ready products to sell on the spot. “We look for designers and creatives who draw inspiration from the culture and context they are exposed to in the UAE,” explains Salameh. “Most often, such designers are collaborating with resident craftspeople or utilising manufacturers and production techniques available in the country. In that respect, we are uplifting the UAE’s local making scene together, from the ground up.”
Be it rugs inspired by the UAE’s Mars Mission, furniture celebrating regional traditions, materials drawn from the Arabian desert or forms achieved through 3D printing, the UAE Designer Exhibition 2.0 offered an exciting glimpse of the potential of the local design scene and the nascent talents waiting to make their mark. “Many of the designers managed to sell their work or get commissioned for new pieces,” adds Salameh. “There is a gap in the market when it comes to supporting creative start-ups. Of course, overarching solutions lie at the policy-making level, but we can begin right here by mentoring and purchasing from emerging, local talent.” dubaidesignweek.ae