Art Dubai
Things to do in the UAE this week, from Cirque du Soleil to World Art Dubai
Following the downpour that kept residents home for the better part of last week, the UAE events calendar is back in full swing. On offer is a mix of indoor events and outdoor fun even as the summer starts to set in.Here, The National rounds up seven things to do around the Emirates, from Monday, April 29, to Sunday, May 5.
Every day can be Ripe Market day this week, as the popular concept collaborates with Dubai Food Festival to further support its home-grown vendors. Not only is the original Academy Park venue open until May 31 (Saturdays only), but visitors to Etisalat Beach Canteen, part of the ongoing DFF, can shop and eat at Ripe Market kiosks each day of the week until next month. The market will also pop up at the Springs Souk every Saturday until the end of September and at Times Square Centre every Sunday until the end of October.
Expect to see several fresh faces at Art Dubai 2025.
The fair will be returning to its home in Madinat Jumeirah once again between April 18 and 20, this time featuring exhibitions from more than 100 galleries, 20 per cent of which will be showcasing work in the international art fair for the first time.
The list of participants was devised with the “DNA of the city” in mind, says Pablo del Val, artistic director of Art Dubai.
“The biggest responsibility that an art fair has is towards its own community,” he says. “The better galleries that you bring and with more exciting works, the better acquisitions and the better collections that the city will have.”
Read more: https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/art-design/2024/12/30/what-to-expect-art-dubai-2025/
Held from February 28-March 3, 2024, Art Dubai’s 17th edition showcased more than 100 galleries, with over two-thirds representing the Global South. Despite a challenging geopolitical landscape, the fair enhanced its regional presence in West Asia and broadened its influence across continents, extending from East Asia through Africa to Latin America.
The Global South and the Art Market
The concept of the ‘Global South’ has gained prominence in the curatorial approach of major biennials and triennials in non-Western countries, especially in Asia from Sharjah to Jogja Biennale in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, through Kochi and Kathmandu, contributing scholarly insights in art and socio-cultural history to the politico-economic origins of the term. Museum and gallery exhibitions have followed suit and now the semantic extension of the Global South to art aligns with Art Dubai’s aim to platform non-Western art within decolonial narratives and challenge the Western-centric paradigm in the art world. Leveraging its strategic geographic location as at the nexus of five continents and its highly cosmopolitan society, with up to 88.5 per cent of its population being non-Emirati,Art Dubai has positioned itself as the centre of gravity in the Global South’s art market. The fair distinguishes itself from competitors such as Art Basel and Frieze, by emphasising truly global exchanges and decentralisation from major art trade hubs like New York, London and Paris.
Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and Member of the Dubai Council, today opened the 17th edition of ‘Art Dubai,’ the premier international art fair for the Middle East and Global South. Hosted under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the exhibition runs from 1 – 3 March at Madinat Jumeirah, with VIP previews on 28 and 29 February. Featuring over 120 contemporary, modern, and digital galleries, the event solidifies its status as a leading international platform that blends digital art with contemporary art, enriching Dubai’s creative landscape and affirming its role as a regional and international hub for cultural innovation.
Sheikha Latifa highlighted Art Dubai as a premier international platform for artistic innovation. She applauded it as an intellectual and artistic platform drawing creatives worldwide to share their experiences and pioneering ideas, thereby spotlighting breakthrough artistic trends. “Innovation is at the core of Dubai’s essence, as we continually shape the future of cultural and artistic creativity through our dynamic initiatives, programmes and events, reflecting our city’s forward-looking approach. By leveraging our distinctive cultural diversity and the prowess of our creative community, Dubai will continue to empower the cultural and creative industries sector towards the emirate’s sustainable development,” Her Highness said.
