With hundreds of major new commissions and premieres by internationally renowned artists and the most extensive education, talks, and thought-leadership program of any international art fair, Art Dubai buzzed with activity, with hundreds of people ebbing and flowing throughout the different galleries. It was easy to get lost in the labyrinthian maze that demanded attention.
"Our program this year reflects the increasingly diverse and multicultural communities of our home city, providing more opportunities than ever for artists from across the Global South. Dubai is a place of relentless reinvention, possibility, and opportunity, and these commercial and institutional partnerships are central to all our activity, supporting our world-class non-commercial programs," shared Pablo del Val, Art Dubai’s Artistic Director.
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 was evident that the expanded program of collaborations with local and international partners helped underscore the fair’s position as the meeting point for the Global South’s creative communities and its mission to redefine the role an art fair can play in supporting local and regional ecosystems.
Despite the busy programming, the Global Art Forum 2024 proved to be one of the most timely and relevant portions of the fair. Titled Global Art Forum 17: Whether or Not, Art Dubai’s flagship transdisciplinary summit looks at the relationship between extreme weather and extreme change. This edition, organized by Commissioner Shumon Basar and Curator Nadine El-Khoury and taking place on 29 February and 1 March 2024, was well-attended primarily because it collected some of the best speakers one can ask for in a gathering, including Dr. Stephanie Rosenthal, Director of Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Samir Bantal, Director of AMO at the Office of Metropolitan Architecture, Rotterdam, Anne Holtrop, Founder of Studio Anne Holtrop, Bahrain, Monira Al Qadiri, Artist, Kuwait, and Berlin, Gabriel Alonso, Artist, and Researcher, Madrid, amongst others.
"In the 21st century, extreme weather - from floods, droughts, and storms to smog - is no longer limited to 'the developing world,' but is now happening everywhere. Meanwhile, the threat of extinction elicits urgent innovations — and imagination," the forum teased.
As the commissioner who gave life to the forum, Basar was methodical in his approach to making the event a success. It was evident that he placed a lot of thought into the programming, and getting El-Khoury to curate was a strategy that made the event a topic among the media on its own.
"I discovered art as a teenager, and what was so exciting about it was the fact that it opened up portals and doorways to other parts of the world, whether that was in the past or towards the future, and it provided alternative pathways to imagine how the world could be," Basar shared on the sideline of the forum.
"For me, art is a point of confluence between different disciplines, whether it's literature or history or technology. And so that has very much influenced me as a commissioner. We see art in a much broader context and never in an isolated way," he added.
Regarding putting the focus on climate change in this year's edition of the forum, he explained, "I think art and culture have a responsibility to deal with the world as it is. Realities of our present moment are the changes in our weather as they become more and more extreme, and one of the problems about that is that the weather and the climate crisis are very abstract."
He added, "They're almost too overwhelming for us to conceive. And so what art and culture can do is humanize them into languages that we can relate to in a more direct way. And I think this is a very important responsibility that art and culture have."
Explaining how the forum was put into shape, he said, "The first part of the process was appointing my curator Nadine El Khoury, here in Dubai, and she focuses on botany and ecology and plant life, and so together we brought together a group of artists, curators, philosophers, architects who all deal with the question of extreme weather and extreme change. And one of the things we like to do in the Global Art Forum is combine different people from different backgrounds."
The combined experience, according to Basar, allows "you [to] get a very holistic view of the contemporary condition [and] how different people are approaching some of the most important questions of the day.
Comprehensive Programming
"Art Dubai Group is committed to laying foundations for a thriving cultural and creative ecosystem, inspired by and responding to our home city of Dubai. The cultural scene here is maturing rapidly, and we are proud of the role we play in engaging and inspiring audiences of all ages and backgrounds, and in supporting the next generation of cultural professionals," shared Art Dubai’s Executive Director Benedetta Ghione.
She added, "Our year-round education, scholarship, and thought-leadership programs, developed alongside our long-term partners, create significant opportunities for people from all over the world to build careers in the creative industries in Dubai.”
Art Dubai 2024 offers comprehensive programming that encompasses various facets of the art world, highlighting both traditional and innovative forms of artistic expression. One significant aspect is the Public Art Strategy, a collaboration between Dubai Culture and Art Dubai, which introduces the 'Union of Artists' sculpture, inaugurating the Dubai Public Art Initiative. This initiative aims to transform Dubai into a vast artistic canvas.
Another highlight is the Dubai Collection, the city's first institutional art collection, presenting the 'Encounters' exhibition curated by Alia Zaal Lootah, featuring celebrated UAE artists.
Additionally, the A.R.M. Holding Children’s Programme, led by Indian artist Sahil Naik, offers workshops at the fair and extends to schools, engaging 15,000 students across the UAE.
The Digital Summit brings together global and local industry leaders to discuss the evolving digital art ecosystem and Dubai’s role within it, building upon the foundation laid by Art Dubai Digital.
The Bawwaba exhibition, curated by Emiliano Valdes, invites introspection and healing through ten powerful artist presentations. Art Dubai Modern, curated by Dr. Christianna Bonin, explores new modernisms from the Global South, featuring works from Syria, Egypt, Uganda, and Sri Lanka. Art Dubai Digital provides insight into the digital art world, showcasing pioneers and emerging trends.
Finally, the Contemporary Galleries expand perspectives on the Global South with presentations from cities like Sao Paolo, Tehran, Dubai, and Mumbai, showcasing contemporary artists and galleries. Together, these elements create a diverse and immersive experience at Art Dubai 2024, reflecting the city's commitment to artistic innovation and cultural exchange.
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