Held in Dubai in early March, the Gulf Art Fair was the first international art fair to take place in the Middle East.
Gulf Art Fair venue -
The first Gulf Art Fair at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai.
Top galleries from around the world participated, showing art worth a total of $1 billion. While Dubai has welcomed Western culture in recent years, some aesthetic friction was evident; exhibitors only brought artwork appropriate for an Islamic state, meaning no nudity or religious imagery. Many Western works — such as Damien Hirst's medicine cabinet — left viewers puzzled and bored, while Arab, Indian, and Chinese art sold briskly. The event comes at a time when Dubai and Abu Dhabi are competing for cultural cachet — the wealthier Abu Dhabi is currently planning its branches of the Louvre and Guggenheim museums.
For more information visit: www.gulfartfair.com
Nadim Karam's Installation -
Installation by Lebanese artist/architect Nadim Karam.
