Calling all art lovers. The Middle East’s leading international art fair is making a comeback this week and you are all invited.
In its 17th edition, Art Dubai 2024, which runs from Friday March 1 to Sunday March 3, will see more than 120 presentations from more than 60 cities and 40 countries this year.
These presentations fall into one of four categories: Contemporary, Bawwaba (made for Art Dubai or in the past year), Art Dubai Modern and Art Dubai Digital.
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Besides talks, there are new commissions that will be showcased and well-known artists who will debut some of their work during this time.
Art Dubai is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. It will see exhibitions and events happening in more than 50 institutions, galleries and independent art spaces across the UAE.
Here’s everything you need to know about Dubai’s biggest art show.
When and where is Art Dubai 2024 taking place this year?
It will run in Madinat Jumeirah from Friday March 1 to Sunday March 3.
How can I get tickets to Art Dubai 2024 and what do they cost?
You can get your tickets from Platinumlist.net. Two types of tickets are available:
One-day ticket: Dhs100
Three-day ticket: Dhs180
Tickets for Art Dubai are only available online, so book yours before you go.
What are the timings of Art Dubai 2024?
It’ll be accessible from 2pm to 9pm.
How do I get there?
By metro and bus: Hop on to the Red Line and get off at Dubai Internet City Metro Station 2. Walk to the Dubai Internet City Metro bus stop and take bus line 88 to Madinat Jumeirah 2, which is a five-minute walk from Madinat Jumeirah.
Or, get off at Mall of the Emirates Metro Station, take bus line 81 at Mall of the Emirates Bus Station 4 and get off at Dubai Police Academy 2.
By car or taxi: If you prefer driving, once you are on Sheikh Zayed Road, take the exit toward Al Sufouh Road/D94 and merge onto Al Sufouh Road. Follow the signs for Madinat Jumeirah.
Free parking alert: For the duration of Art Dubai, free parking will be available for visitors at the Dubai Police Academy parking lot. This is a 10-minute walk from the fair. Shuttle buses are available from here too.
What’s in it for the kids?
This is the perfect time to get kids on the art appreciation train. The A.R.M. Holding Children’s Programme, led by Indian artist Sahil Naik, will see workshops and activities exploring the question ‘How do younger generations imagine future cities and what they will comprise?’
What are some of the collections and exhibitions I can see at Art Dubai?
Dubai Collection
Dubai Collection is a collection of modern and contemporary art. It will showcase Encounters, curated by Alia Zaal Lootah, during this period. Emirati artists including Hassan Sharif, Mohammed Kazem, Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, Shaikha Al Mazrou, Afra Al Dhaheri, Maitha Abdalla, Hashel Al Lamki and Sarah Almehairi are part of the exhibition.
Art Dubai Commissions
Under the umbrella of the theme ‘Sanación/Healing’, this show, curated by Emiliano Valdes, will have performances and activations focusing on introspection, spirituality, community and the power of art to help us navigate challenging times and make a stance towards embracing unity.
Participating artists include Cecilia Bengolea, Sajan Mani, Debashish Paul, Mirna Bamieh, Mithu Sen and Hashel Al Lamki.
Julius Baer & Krista Kim
Swiss Wealth Management Group Julius Baer will present a digital installation by contemporary artist Krista Kim titled Heart Space. This installation visualises each visitor’s heart rhythm and displays it across a dynamic LED canvas, promoting the concept of ‘oneness’.
Piaget House of Gold & Shamsa Alabbar & Razan Alazzouni
Piaget’s exhibition, The House of Gold, will centre around gold. As for what you can expect on display, there will be private collections and high-end jewellery and watches. There will also be a launch of a limited-edition Limelight Gala watch, which has been reimagined by Emirati designer Shamsa Alabbar.
The exhibition will feature a central textile embroidered installation by Saudi Arabian fashion designer and artist Razan Alazzouni, inspired by another version of the Limelight Gala made of gold and ornamental stones, in a booth that will host workshops and other immersive experiences.
HUNA Cultural Programme & Sculpture Park Launch
HUNA and Art Dubai launched a year-round HUNA Cultural Programme in November 2023. The programme aims to transform living spaces into creative community hubs, hosting insightful dialogues and talks by prominent figures.
During the fair, HUNA Sculpture Park will be unveiled at H Residence in Dubai. Entitled Objects In Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear, this outdoor sculpture park will feature works by international artists such as Rana Begum, Shaikha Al Mazrou and Pablo Reinoso.
Clinique La Prairie & Sara Naim
Clinique La Prairie is returning to the fair this year with its Longevity Lounge. Clinique La Prairie will commission a new artwork for the Lounge. Syrian multidisciplinary artist Sara Naim has been chosen to create a large-scale sculpture.
Ruinart & Pascale Marthine Tayou & Marcus Coates
Ruinart will launch Conversations with Nature at the fair as part of Ruinart Carte Blanche 2024, a project aimed at engaging artists in a dialogue with nature in the Champagne region and challenging their relationship with the living world.
The showcase will feature a large-scale installation of a tree adorned with deer antlers and colourful fruits by Cameroonian artist Pascale Marthine Tayou, along with nature calendar posters by British artist Marcus Coates displayed at the Ruinart Lounge.
These artworks, created as a tribute to nature, will also be unveiled at the Maison’s historic site in Reims, France, later this October.
BMW & Asma Belhamar
BMW’s showcase will feature the BMW i7 as the centrepiece within an installation created by Emirati artist Asma Belhamar.
What are some of the talks I can attend at Art Dubai 2024?
Global Art Forum
Art Dubai’s Global Art Forum titled Whether or Not will explore the cultures, technologies, sciences, and initiatives related to extreme weather and change. The two-day summit, which begins on Thursday February 29 and is hosted by Commissioner Shumon Basar and Curator Nadine El-Khoury, will feature artists, architects, academics, curators, and thinkers.
Speakers include Dr Stephanie Rosenthal, Director, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Project (Abu Dhabi); Anne Holtrop, Architect, Muharraq (Amsterdam); Monira Al Qadiri, Artist (Berlin); Samir Bantal, Architect and Director AMO at OMA, (Rotterdam); Nadia Christidi, Researcher and Arts Practitioner, MIT, Cambridge (Massachusetts) and others.
Art Dubai Modern Talks
These talks will focus on the impact of Soviet education and exhibitions on artists from the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa.
Art Dubai Collector Talks
These will feature leading voices from the global art community including Sunil Munjal, Mohammed Afkhami, Nisreen Bajis and Hiba S Nesr. Together, they will explore the evolving landscape of art collection, the role of patrons in creating and sustaining dynamic art ecosystems, as well as address topics such as identity, representation and cultural heritage.
Digital Summit
A new Digital Summit at Art Dubai will bring together international and local industry leaders to discuss the expanding digital art ecosystem and Dubai’s place within it. The programme will comprise public talks, lectures and break-out sessions, and participants will include museum directors and independent curators, as well as the artists and creative minds who are shaping the global digital art landscape. The summit will run from Thursday February 29 to Saturday March 2.
The Art Business Conference Dubai
The conference returns to Art Dubai with a focus on advanced technologies and their influence on Collections Management and the impact of Web3, AI and Blockchain on the contemporary digital art market.
Dhs100 (one-day ticket), Dhs180 (three-day ticket). Fri Mar 1- Sun Mar 3. Madinat Jumeirah, artdubai.ae
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