Art Dubai 2015: Highlights
As Art Dubai 2015 is coming to an end we give bring you highlights from the art fair.
Wednesday 18 March Art Dubai opened its doors to the public after a preview Tuesday night graced by the presence of the Crown Prince of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Beside presenting 92 galleries from 40 countries the art fair has seen a range of events, arrangements and presentations take place since it commenced. Over 40 artists from Latin America visited Dubai to display their artwork for Art Dubai’s Marker 2015.
Art Dubai this year had an increased focus on performances including a musical performance by commissioned sound artists Fari Bradley and Chris Weaver as well as a long durational performance by Colombian artist María José Arjona’s shown in the Contemporary halls as part of Art Dubai’s Marker program.
Within the non-profit program of Art Dubai which spans across forums, children’s education program, conferences and presentations, the highly anticipated Abraaj Group Art Prize was presented featuring Moroccan artist Yto Barrada’s newly commissioned artwork Faux Départ which was developed in collaboration with guest curator Omar Kholeif. The Abraaj Group is unique in its awarding process at it awards artists on the basis of their proposals rather than complete works, the criteria being that they have pushed the boundaries of their chosen medium in a uniquely creative way.
The Global Art Forum saw the theme of technology and its impact on art and culture come to life including a discussion with Laurent Gaveau from the Google Cultural Institute and the highly anticipated 89plus presentation.
Yazan Khalili’s installation for Art Bar 2015 was revealed displaying a large mountain made of a 21 meter wooden frontispiece printed with colourful design. Visitors enter the bar via a tunnel-resembling doorway leading them into the back of the mountain revealing the jungle of blue scaffolding that supports the front piece. Khalili commented that he tried to play with the notion of past and future, turning the man-made Island, on which the installation is set up, into a more real one, giving it a past. The installation was made in collaboration with Icelandic Arnar Ásgeirsson and presented by Absolut.
Art Dubai will continue to spread wonder and amazement for another day before it comes to an end on Saturday 21 March. fluoro is a proud media partner of Art Dubai 2015.
—
