Cultural oasis The hub of Dubai's art scene, Gate Village, is home to several prominent galleries
The wood beams and leafy walkways of Gate Village, in the Dubai International Financial Centre, look incongruous amid the emirate's trademark neon glitz. But housed there — and a quick cab ride away, in the industrial al-Quoz strip — is one of the world's fastest-growing art scenes, especially popular with younger collectors looking to break away from staid powerhouses London and New York City. From March 21 to 24, the city will put on the biggest show of the year, Art Dubai, welcoming more than 20,000 visitors from the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe. "The fair has become a platform for culture in the United Arab Emirates," says its director, Antonia Carver. Four days of shopping for art not enough for you? Then check out Dubai's thriving array of galleries. With more than 40 to choose from, Dubai, says Carver, has "become the commercial art center for the region." Here are five of the best.
CUADRO GALLERY
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This avant-garde space, occupying center court at Gate Village, opened in 2008 and is known for its politically charged photography exhibits and a devotion to mixed media.
In the wake of the Arab Spring, Cuadro has focused on mixing art and social conscience. Last year it featured the striking work of female Saudi Arabian photographer Manal al-Dowayan and hosted an exhibition by the Beirut artist Nadine Kanso in which Kanso's color photography of present-day Lebanon was juxtaposed against found black-and-white images from earlier decades.
Recent events in the region "have sparked more interest in Middle East art," says Cuadro's Bahraini director, Bashar al-Shroogi. "Before my eyes I can see the collector base here becoming more sophisticated. It's changed the way the artists here produce." At the same time, the line between politics and sellable art can be a fine one. "Some people don't want that reminder in their face," al-Shroogi says of politically charged art. "They don't want a photo of a decaying building on the wall."
OPERA GALLERY
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With branches long popular in global art hubs like London, Paris and New York City, this renowned gallery's decision to open two premises in the emirate— one at Gate Village in 2008 and the other in the sprawling Dubai Mall in 2010 — attests to Dubai's burgeoning status as a global cultural player.
The most international of Dubai's galleries, Opera is currently showing work from France and Italy as well as the Persian Gulf. Its emphasis on kitsch — think vast, neon-hued and anime-inspired paintings — is unique to the city's scene. Near the black-leather-upholstered sitting room downstairs, the wall is adorned with a giant deconstructed oil portrait of the designer Coco Chanel. Upstairs, a sculpture has been painted to look like the Qatari flag.
More than 300 artists from Asia, South America and Europe are represented at Opera Gallery. At its mall location, fast-thinking galleristas work to sell fine art to shoppers and tourists on the spot. "We've had Picassos, Renoirs, Monets, Dali, Impressionism from the 19th century," says sales representative Sebastian Faure. "We brought these things to the Middle East. Most collectors here had never seen a Picasso in front of them before. Everyone else here focuses on Middle Eastern art, and that makes us different."