The Second Annual Edition Of The Region’s Leading Modern & Contemporary Art Fair Opens 18 November 2008
The second annual edition of artparis Abu Dhabi, organised in partnership with Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH), Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) and artparis, will open to the public on Tuesday 18th November at Emirates Palace and runs until Friday 21st November 2008.
Entrance to the fair is free and it will be open to the public from 3pm to 10pm each day, apart from the final day when it will close at 8pm.
Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the artparis Abu Dhabi international art fair firmly positions the UAE’s capital as the Middle East’s new cultural hub.
“The attention of the global artworld is now focused on Abu Dhabi, and artparis is widely recognised as the region’s leading modern and contemporary art fair,” said His Excellency Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of ADACH and TDIC.
“This is in line with Abu Dhabi’s overarching strategy to deliver unique and compelling cultural experiences ahead of the opening of Saadiyat Island’s Cultural District. Through our support of the annual artparis Abu Dhabi art fair, we aim to nurture a national and regional psyche of arts appreciation by stimulating dialogue between all cultures through economic, education and cultural exchange.”
artparis Abu Dhabi is part of the Emirate’s fast-growing schedule of exhibitions, concerts and other arts events in the lead up to the phased launch from 2012-13 of the Cultural District on Saadiyat Island, which will house the world’s single largest concentration of premier cultural institutions.
artparis Abu Dhabi has expanded by over 40 per cent this year to accommodate increased demand from international, regional and local exhibitors to participate. Over 15,000 visitors are expected to attend, underlining the growing significance of the event on the regional and international arts calendar.
58 modern and contemporary art galleries from 22 countries across the region and the globe will exhibit more than 3,300 artworks from over 700 artists during the region’s leading modern and contemporary art fair. Notable works include pieces from Alexander Calder, Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso and Paul Cézanne.
“artparis Abu Dhabi is now an established annual meeting point for the art market and all art collectors and art lovers of the Arab world,” said Caroline Clough-Lacoste, artparis Abu Dhabi Fair Director.
“While the fair is a chance for established international and regional galleries to showcase their artists and works, importantly we have focused this year on increasing interest and awareness for emerging local and regional artists. We have also provided an in-depth educational programme to stimulate and inspire local audiences.”
A new dedicated ‘Young Talent’ section has been created for artparis Abu Dhabi 2008 to showcase emerging new local and regional artists and galleries. In addition, an exhibition of emerging artists from the Arab world ‘Movement and Communication…travels through desert and sea’ curated by Amal Traboulsi will be a key feature of the programme.
‘Abu Dhabi Art, Talks & Sensations’ is a new cultural event dedicated to contemporary creation and thoughts, comprising of intellectual debates, artistic performances, video projections, poetry and a live DJ set to address the theme ‘What aesthetics is the Arab world creating today?’
This inaugural edition of ‘Abu Dhabi Art, Talks & Sensations’ will be moderated by Fabrice Bousteau, Chief Editor of leading French art magazine ‘Beaux Arts’ and will be presented in two acts of sixteen scenes on the evening of Tuesday 18th November at ADACH’s Grand Theatre.
Canvas magazine will hold two educational seminars – Contemporary Chinese Art and Modern & Contemporary Art from the Sub-Continent – on Monday 17th and Tuesday 18th respectively. The gardens of Emirates Palace will also be the setting for the ‘Monumental Art Garden’ sculptures throughout the exhibition, proving that art can also be an outdoors experience.
artparis Abu Dhabi follows other significant cultural initiatives introduced this year in Abu Dhabi such as the Middle East’s first exhibition of The Arts of Islam: Treasures of the Nasser D. Khalili Collection, the staging of the Arabian Gulf’s first Arabic performance of Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni and Picasso Abu Dhabi, Masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris.
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