The tenth edition of Art Dubai opened yesterday at Madinat Jumeirah and runs till March 19, 2016.
With new galleries exhibiting in the Contemporary and Modern Halls, a look at Manila artists at the Marker exhibition, a total of 500 artists from 70 nationalities, [45% of which are women], it is set to have you reeling with delight.
This year, the entire Madinat Jumeirah space turns into a myriad of complex, simple and thought-provoking art; there’s one around every corner as you walk about.
Emerging artists have received an envious platform for their work.
Art Dubai Projects, part of Art Dubai’s extensive not-for-profit programme, includes new works and performances that explore the theatrical nature of the fair.
This year, Art Dubai Projects features eight new site-specific projects developed through Artists-in-Residence (A.i.R.) Dubai and Art Dubai Commissions, curated by Yasmina Reggad; a new project developed by the Campus Art Dubai Core class of 2015-2016 supported by Maraya Art Center; and 89plus Dubai.
Read: 5 Ways to Take Quoz Arts Fest 2016 Home With You
Here are some note-worthy artworks to whet your appetite:
1. PLOT by Sreshta Rit Premnath
Located outside Gallery Hall 2, Premnath’s banner titled ‘Projections’ presents the contradiction of ownership: workers physically occupying land at construction sites [by using it as a temporary habitat] and the abstract ownership of land on paper.
The banner presents two interweaved photos taken 10 seconds apart, featuring the Donald Trump ads that were taken down by DAMAC after his comments about muslims.
The back of the banner shows a different picture, with tired and slumping cardboard figures squatting, representative of the workers.
Worth a look and some reflection.
2. The Sleepless Pe-Tal by Jumairy
Breaking down the conventional image of art on a canvas, Emirati artist Jumairy has created a clinic with functional sleeping space sculptures.
It is dedicated to the analysis of your brain activity while you sleep and dream, complete with furniture and carefully-studied frequency sounds.
Fancy attending a silent dance party? Titled ‘An Introvert’s Dream Party’, the artist sets up an antithesis to annual parties at Art Dubai: a sound performance with Jumairy’s original compositions.
You want to book a session at this clinic before it’s full: thesleeplesspetal.com
Read: Over 60% of Local Art Revenue During Art Week Dubai
3. We See Better by Massinassa Selmani
Exploring photography in architecture, Selmani collected pictures of architecture projects and future buildings, focusing on the moment when an idea gets its first expression and becomes discernible on paper.
This ‘speculation’ of what a future building will look like embedded in a photograph is an object in itself, a construction of an architect and designer’s imagination.
If you’re an architect, this is a must-see.
Also watch out for: Marker exhibit curated by Ringo Bunoan, with the work of twenty Filipino artists from Modern master Roberto Chaet to a new generation of radical contemporary young artists in their 20s and 30s.
Did you attend Art Dubai 2016? What did you think of this year’s fair? Join the conversation below.