UAE Press Conference Release, 7 Sep 2009
Abu Dhabi Reveals Plans For The Inaugural Edition Of Abu Dhabi Art
A New Model Art Fair In Line With Abu Dhabi’s Cultural Agenda
The UAE Capital, Emerging as an International Hub of Arts and Culture, to Present an Innovative Four Day Platform of Modern and Contemporary Art 19-22 November 2009 ABU DHABI, UAE, 7 September 2009—Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) and Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture & Heritage (ADACH), today revealed details of Abu Dhabi Art, an innovative new platform for modern and contemporary art. Bringing together an exclusive selection of high-level art galleries from the four corners of the world within an ancient and modern crossroads of culture and trade, Abu Dhabi Art will be a new-model curated art fair, which will reflect the dramatically changing geography of today´s art world.
Organised exclusively by TDIC and ADACH, Abu Dhabi Art will be presented under the patronage of His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
Featuring an extraordinarily rich roster of special exhibitions, public programmes and cultural events to complement a boutique-style art fair with leading galleries from America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, Abu Dhabi Art will take place in the capital of the UAE where the already renowned Saadiyat Island Cultural District is taking shape. Abu Dhabi Art will be the must-see event for collectors, artists, designers, art dealers, curators, critics and art lovers from around the world and an integral part of Abu Dhabi’s long-term cultural vision as the Zayed National Museum, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Museum and the Louvre Abu Dhabi rise on the shores of the Arabian Gulf and build their world-class collections.
“Abu Dhabi Art will be a compelling new cultural offering, providing Emiratis and visitors with an entirely new experience of modern and contemporary art,” stated His Excellency Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of TDIC and ADACH. “Abu Dhabi Art, paired with the unparalleled experience of the Saadiyat Island Cultural District museums will secure Abu Dhabi’s position as a vibrant cultural hub regionally and internationally.” A number of committees have been formed in support of Abu Dhabi Art, including a Host Committee chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Salama Bint Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Nahyan; an International Patrons Committee drawing on the talents of renowned figures in the world of modern and contemporary art; an Abu Dhabi Board, made up of government and cultural leaders; and a special group, which will provide guidance to young and beginning collectors. Abu Dhabi Art is a rich platform of cultural events created specifically for the inaugural edition. Many of the programmes have been developed with Abu Dhabi’s partners, including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, the Louvre, New York University Abu Dhabi and Paris Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi as well as number of other cultural institutions. Middle Eastern art will be highlighted through an exhibition of works from Middle Eastern artists and curated by Sharjah Biennial Artistic Director Jack Persekian; a showcase of works by leading Middle Eastern galleries; an interactive multimedia archive on Middle Eastern contemporary art, The Bidoun Library and Project Space; and a gallery dedicated to Emirati artists curated by Anne Baldassari, Director of the Musée National Picasso, Paris. Design will also be featured through workshops led by top international designers, the first public atelier for emerging Middle Eastern designers, and panel discussions. Exhibitors, collectors and special guests will also be invited to enjoy the Abu Dhabi Art Majlis: a unique lounge opening onto the beach, featuring views of the Arabian Gulf and a menu developed by three-star Michelin chef Alain Passard. Visitors wanting to learn more about the host city may participate in an Abu Dhabi Tour, offered in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority. A full Abu Dhabi Art catalogue will be available, and an Abu Dhabi Art retail shop will offer art and design objects.
Additional Abu Dhabi Art programme details:
Exhibitions The main show:
Confirming Abu Dhabi’s emergence as a new hub of the art market, around 40 outstanding galleries from the Middle East, Asia, Europe and the United States will present displays at Abu Dhabi Art, including some which will be exhibiting in the Middle East for the first time.
“Beyond,” an outdoor exhibition of sculptures, site-specific installations and public artworks, will be presented on the grounds of Emirates Palace. ·
“Signature,” an ensemble of solo exhibitions by emerging artists, will be presented under the auspices of both participating galleries and Abu Dhabi Art. ”Signature” will also include the Emirati Expressions Booth, curated by Anne Baldassari, Director of Musée National Picasso, Paris. The focused exhibition will include works by five to six Emirati artists who were featured in the landmark 2009 exhibition Emirati Expressions. ·
“Disorientation II” Jack Persekian, the distinguished artistic director of the Sharjah Biennial, will curate an exhibition of works by artists from Middle Eastern countries, which explore Arab cities from the perspective where both unity and division co-exist. Presented by TDIC in cooperation with the Sharjah Art Foundation, it will be the first show to take place at Manarat Al Saadiyat, the new exhibition centre developed by TDIC on Saadiyat Island
An exhibition in collaboration with the Guggenheim Museum is also scheduled, and leading art world thinkers with representatives from the Guggenheim will take part in a panel discussion “From Private to Public: Patronage and the Museum in the Modern Era”. Public Programmes and Workshops ·
As the next stage in the evolution of his innovative programme “Abu Dhabi Art, Talks and Sensations,” Fabrice Bousteau, international curator and editor of Beaux Arts magazine, will organise “The Wings Party”: an experimental mixture of artworks, performances, discussions, music, and dining, featuring artists, architects, designers, choreographers, DJs, musicians, actors, poets and philosophers from around the world, based on the thematic of “Abu Dhabi on the crossroads of the silk road”.
In collaboration with Germany’s Vitra Design Museum (VDM), Abu Dhabi Art will present day-long workshops led by contemporary designers Max Lamb, Maarten Baas and Sevil Peach, followed by public presentations of the results and a panel discussion. British Designer Max Lamb will also be creating a new work using sand casting, and Dutch designer Maarten Baas will present a live theatre performance of his work Analog Digital Clock, from the series Real Time. ·
In response to the rise of young creative talent in the Middle East, Abu Dhabi Art will present five cutting-edge designers from the region working in open studios to create innovative new forms based on local traditions, techniques and materials as part of “Design Moment.” “Design Moment” will be the first public atelier for emerging Middle Eastern designers to create their work live and engage with the general public.
Faculty directors, special guests and staff from New York University Abu Dhabi and Paris Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi will offer a daily roster of talks, lectures and panel discussions about the meanings and techniques of modern and contemporary art, and will provide expert guides for tours of the Abu Dhabi Art displays.
Also as part of Abu Dhabi Art’s “Middle Eastern Platform,” Abu Dhabi Art will present “The Bidoun Library and Project Space”. Bidoun, a non-profit organisation supporting and promoting Middle Eastern contemporary art, will launch this project at Abu Dhabi Art. The interactive, multimedia archive on Middle Eastern contemporary art will include an extensive collection of rare books, exhibition catalogues, film, video and sound artworks and documentation, and is set within an innovatively designed space for browsing, relaxing or socialising. Abu Dhabi Art and Bidoun Projects will also present a panel discussion with leading advocates and experts in publishing and the art of archiving and documentation. For regularly updated information on Abu Dhabi Art, please visit www.abudhabiartfair.ae
About Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC)
Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC) is a master developer of key cultural, residential and tourism destinations in Abu Dhabi. The principal goal of its cultural programme, up to and including the creation of the Saadiyat Island Cultural District – the world’s largest single concentration of premier cultural institutions – is to establish an international platform in the UAE for arts and culture.
Unprecedented in scale and scope, the Saadiyat Island Cultural District will include museums such as Zayed National Museum, Louvre Abu Dhabi, and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Museum, all due for completion in 2012/2013. Education is essential to fulfilling TDIC’s mission, and this initiative provides opportunities for the local and regional community to participate in programming of the highest quality, to be engaged in the city’s urban, cultural and artistic development, and enables Emiratis and UAE residents to develop professional skills and knowledge through a dialogue with representatives from the world’s leading cultural organisations.
Alongside the Cultural District project, TDIC presents a diversified programme of art exhibitions, events and talks aimed at all levels to further engage audiences in the arts.
For more information visit www.artsabudhabi.ae ; www.tdic.ae
About Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH)
Established in 2005 as the cultural authority of the Government of Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) has far-sighted aspirations to harness the pride of the people of the UAE through the development of its cultural heritage and to be the leading cultural development organization in the region. ADACH is committing its resources to the preservation of heritage as well as to the development of Emirati, regional and international arts, music, literature, and cinema. This vision is open to everyone in the Middle East, the Arab world and beyond.
Through its major initiative entitled the ‘ADACH Platform for the Visual Arts’, the Authority will bring together important contributions from contemporary artists from the Gulf and from throughout the Arab World; it will also present a futuristic vision of Abu Dhabi as a place where living traditions and contemporary culture come together in a new dynamic space. ADACH has already lined-up a number of structures and initiatives to fulfill its strategic objectives in fields including green-building design, museum development, excellence in curatorial and museum studies, cultural infrastructure development, film industry, translation and the publishing industry among others. Abu Dhabi Art organized in partnership with TDIC, comes to serve the objectives of this strategy.
For more information on ADACH, news and initiatives please visit www.adach.ae
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