Homegrown talents
The latest iteration of Art Dubai, which is taking place in a new location in Dubai International Financial District (DIFC) from 29 March to 3 April 2021, is perhaps the only physical art fair that is being hosted in the world at the moment, which is exciting in itself. What is more exciting still is the growing plethora of artists from the Gulf region whose works are being showcased across both regional and international galleries alike. This year sees a strong presence of Emirati and Saudi artists, represented by the likes of international gallery Galleria Continua and Perve Gallery from Portugal as well as regional galleries such as Hafez Gallery, Mono Gallery and Athr Gallery from Saudi Arabia and Dubai’s Lawrie Shabibi and Gallery Isabelle van den Eynde – both of which are located in Alserkal Avenue.
Exciting names include Ahmed Mater – a physician turned artist, and one of the most significant cultural voices documenting and scrutinising the realities of contemporary Saudi Arabia. Forging an ongoing, complex mapping of the Kingdom, his practice explores collective memories to uncover and record unofficial histories. Part of the earliest contemporary art movements in the Kingdom – with Edge of Arabia, the seminal Shatta and Mostly Visible exhibitions and then with his Pharan Studio in Jeddah – Mater’s creative career has been at the forefront of the transforming Saudi cultural sector. His work is being presented by Galleria Continua.
Other notable Saudi artists include: Sarah Abu Abdallah (Athr Gallery), whose works explore issues of obscurity and value, probing the social and cultural conditions of contemporary Saudi Arabia; Mahdi Al-Jeraibi and Rashed Al-Shashai (Hafez Gallery); as well as Mono Gallery’s Reem Al Faisal, whose photographic works explore solitude in modern society and within ourselves.
A strong representation of Emirati and UAE-based artists will also be making their mark on the fair this year, including the likes of Hussain Sharif (Salwa Zeidan Gallery), whose artworks experiment with the concept of ‘recycling’, conceptual artist Zeinab Alhashemi, known for her large-scale contemporary sight-specific installations and Hashel Al Lamki (both represented by Leila Heller Gallery), as well as Shaikha Al Mazrou and Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim (Lawrie Shabibi).