[World Art Dubai 2017] Opening Approaching! Middle East art market report full of updraft energy

The Middle Eastern art scene is brimming with new possibilities

Dubai in the Middle East is known as a world city rich with oil money, with numerous skyscrapers, led by the world's tallest skyscraper “Burj Khalifa,” which was built by investing 140 billion yen. Abu Dhabi also belongs to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and thrives as a center of business and administration.
Both countries are currently receiving intense attention from around the world as curious emerging markets where demand for new art and new customer development can be expected.

I will introduce “now,” a scene wrapped in updraft energy that is different from European and Asian countries, which already have mature art markets.

Dubai, an emerging country developing at a breakneck speed

As one of the world's leading cities in the Middle East, Dubai has made a name for itself along with rapid economic development through finance, tourism, and IT. The country, which has developed as a transit point for East-West trade, is now gathering new art every day from countries around the world, and a market full of possibilities is being developed.

Among them, the largest art fair in the Middle East region”World Art Dubai” has increased the number of participating galleries every year since it started in 2015, and the level of attention is outstanding, with curators visiting Western museums such as MoMA and London's Tate Modern for inspection. In 2017, the venue area will be further expanded compared to the past, and it is expected that the event will be scaled up in terms of both the number of works and content.

＞＞＞Click here for last year's 2016 event report (PDF)

Meanwhile, it is said that the welcoming mood for “made in Japan” has been growing steadily in Dubai over the past few years.
Starting with the candy manufacturer YOKUMOKU, several famous Japanese companies such as Kinokuniya, Sony, MUJI, Canon, and Asics have entered the Dubai Mall, which is boasting the largest shopping mall in the world, and it is bustling.
Also, the most popular Japanese restaurant “Zuma” in the area is so successful that there are queues every day. Sake worth 3000 yen per cup is being ordered one after another in Japanese yen, and it is gaining popularity among celebrity customers. The delicate and delicious Japanese food and SAKE culture seem to be widely accepted by the people of Dubai.

The Dubai Expo is also scheduled to be held in 2020, and it is expected that the country's efforts for culture and art will accelerate more and more.

Abu Dhabi, an emirate with a sense of superclass style

Abu Dhabi is the emirate of the UAE known as an oil powerhouse. While boasting a top-notch format that sets it apart from others, the same country tends to have a slightly rigid image ahead, but it began development projects centered around art, education, environmental protection, etc. about 10 years ago, and is trying to change its image into a center of culture and art.
Art markets rich in diversity are being developed one after another across the country, such as “Abu Dhabi Art,” where world-class modern contemporary art gathers from cutting-edge galleries in Europe, Asia, North America, and the Middle East, and “Louvre Abu Dhabi,” which is rumored to be close to opening, and is showing unprecedented excitement.

The rich scent of art also wafts through the grounds of Abu Dhabi's world-class seven-star Emirates Palace Hotel. Solo exhibitions by talented artists are held from time to time, inviting visitors to a special art experience.
Also, inside the same hotel, there is a golden tea room that was donated by the Japanese tea ceremony Urasenke. This space, which is wrapped in profound brilliance, is named “green oasis” in Arabic (Japanese name is “Ryokusuian”), and tea ceremony classes for local people are also held regularly.

Compared to Dubai, I have the impression that Japanese culture is still about to advance, but it seems that a positive attitude towards domestic and international culture and art can be said to fully anticipate future developments.

Top artists representing the Middle Eastern art scene

Three artists exhibited at “Abu Dhabi Art” this year. They have attracted a lot of attention from home and abroad as essential key figures in the modern Middle Eastern art scene.

■Najat McKee
It is said that Najat, the first female doctor in the UAE, has continued to take on new challenges in recent years, such as working not only on oil painting but also on creations with crystal glass motifs.

“I always want to continue creating works on the theme of women's growth, power, and sociability. Next year, I want to try new works again, and I want to further expand the possibilities of expression with materials I have never used before” (from an interview conducted at “Abu Dhabi Art 2016.” (Same below)

■Abdul Kader
Abdul is known as a master of the Dubai art world. This year, too, they exhibited at both World Art Dubai and Abu Dhabi Art, and attracted attention.

“I'm aiming for a fusion of realism and abstraction. In particular, in the new work announced this year, we were particular about the expression of details such as fine wood grain in order to pursue realistic expressions. The abstract part used Arab calligraphy and aimed for expressions that touch the doors of the human heart and the secrets each one holds.”

■Saif Ali
Saif is based in Dubai and exhibited at Abu Dhabi Art for the first time this year. Based on British culture and art, we are pursuing fusion with Middle Eastern art.

“This year's production theme is 'travel'. The connection between the Middle East and the world was shown by drawing Dubai's skyscrapers with a unique touch against a world map in the background. I want to focus on connections and spirituality between people and express love and feelings through my work.”

In Japan Promotion, new and old art from around the world gathers, focuses on the Middle Eastern art scene, which continues to actively expand new possibilities, and promotes artists who are considering working overseas, as well as disseminating the various charms of Japanese culture.

The event is coming soon! World Art Dubai 2017

“World Art Dubai” is getting a lot of attention from all over the world. 24 groups of artists from Japan Promotion will also be exhibiting at the same event in 2017, which is about to be held.
Amidst the exciting Middle Eastern art scene, attention is drawn to the activities of Japanese artists with solid abilities.

＞＞＞Click here for last year's 2016 event report (PDF)

World Art Dubai 2017
‍Period: 2017/4/12 (Wed) -15 (Sat)
Venue: DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE International Convention and Exhibition CentresHEIK Saeed Hall 3 Stand: F10-F16