Despite the fact that the main exposition was unfolded in the pavilions of the Madinat Jumeirah complex, lovers of the fine genre could also enjoy it at Fort Bastakia, where at the same time there was an exhibition of local artists SIKKA 2012, and at the foot of the tallest building in the world, the Burj skyscraper Khalifa, where Dubai Design Days first took place in a purpose-built pavilion. For all the days of work, more than 22.5 thousand people have become spectators of the global art exhibition, including famous gallery owners, collectors and museum workers. Over 500 artists from 32 countries of the world - from Europe, Asia and Africa, the USA and Latin America shared their work with visitors. According to the organizers, this year the fair won unprecedented success among the public and became a real world center of cultural development.
Art brings together
The exhibition was sponsored by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister, Vice President of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, and this year gathered a record number of galleries from around the world that presented their work in the genre of fine art, sculpture, installations and multimedia.
This year, special attention was paid to the support of talented authors from the countries of the Middle East and South Asia, who were given space for creation. Moroccan artist Uto Barrada and design team Zid Zid Kids presented the interactive educational installation “Morocco to the Moon”, in which children and adults could go on a real “space” journey and learn more from films about life outside the globe. The artist Faisal Bagrich created a “anti-monument” monolith from gypsum, which all the days of the exhibition welcomed guests at the entrance to the Madinat Jumeirah complex. In turn, Magdi Mustafa captured a real “living" city as part of his project. Watching the life of Dubai, he dressed modern skyscrapers in traditional forms that "invisibly" exist in every corner of the metropolis.
For the first time, the “The Hatch” project debuted at the art fair, in which an ordinary staircase turned into a space for watching videos, documentaries and creative thoughts of artists. Films were broadcast throughout the days of the exhibition. The real highlight of the annual event was the “Night of Creativity”, which gave a chance to reveal the talent of young artists and artists working in the genre of drawing, poetry, music and multimedia. Most of them, it should be noted, live and work in the UAE.
The World Art Forum was held in Dubai for the sixth time and became the largest regional platform for industry discussions. Specialists focused on issues affecting the contemporary development of art in the Middle East and Asia. One of the key topics of discussion was the interaction of art and media, their interpenetration and coexistence in the modern world. Representatives of both "fronts" - artists and publishers, journalists and directors, museum workers and critics shared their opinions on this matter. For the first time, the “Terrace Talks” project was included in the discussion program, in which participants could express their opinions on current issues.
"Art Dubai" is a demonstration of the great opportunities for contemporary art in the Middle East. Esthetes and connoisseurs of beauty from all over the world come to the exhibition and forum to discuss the latest trends in this field and get acquainted with best practices. Over the years, the exhibition has become a unifying platform for the global world of art, a platform for developing young talents and bringing fresh ideas to life, "said Antonia Carver, director of Art Dubai.
