Originally published in Shawati’ Issue 64, Winter 2023

*The 15th edition of Abu Dhabi Art took place 22-26 November 2023 at Manarat Al Saadiyat. Image courtesy of DCT - Abu Dhabi*

It’s been quite a trajectory for Hashel El Lamki, the Emirati artist whose star is on the rise. Born and raised in Al Ain in 1986, El Lamki went to New York to study at Parsons School of Design in 2007. Then, he travelled all over the world producing art before returning home to Abu Dhabi several years later. He was selected in 2021 for Abu Dhabi Art’s Beyond Emerging Artist programme, where he made a multidisciplinary work, addressing the subject of climate change and asking how it forces us to reconsider our existence and imagine new futures. But this year, for the 2023 edition Abu Dhabi Art, El Lamki takes even greater prominence with a survey show curated by Venetia Porter, an art historian and former Curator of Islamic and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art at the British Museum. It a true example of the role that Abu Dhabi Art – organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, plays within the cultural and creative ecosystem in the UAE. Since Dyala Nusseibeh took over the helm at the capital’s annual art fair in 2016, she has often spoken about how she wishes the fair to function not only as a single event but as an institution that recognises talent and fosters them, giving them a chance to shine and grow whilst also legitimising their practices for wider audiences.

Abu Dhabi Art brings together a number of local and international galleries offering artworks for sale which are shown alongside exhibitions, artist commissions and installations both at the fair and across the emirate.
Image courtesy of DCT - Abu Dhabi

El Lamki’s exhibition, titled Maqam, forms the Gateway exhibition at the fair and shows key pieces of work from across the realms of his practice, which fuses vibrant perspectives to focus on aspects of life in the UAE that also addresses social innovation, sustainability, environmental and philanthropic practices. Maqam is a form of Arabic musical scale and both curator and artist have worked together to embed a sense of rhythm in the presentation.

Alongside Gateway, Beyond Emerging Artists is an initiative that aims to provide three emerging artists in the UAE with a platform from which to develop their practice and realise ambitious art projects. The selected artists undertake a year-long programme of workshops and studio visits under the mentoring and the supervision of guest curators which leads toward the realisation of a project for the Abu Dhabi Art fair in November. The Beyond Emerging Artists for 2023 are Samo Shalaby, Almaha Jaralla, and Latifa Saeed. Samo Shalaby is an Egyptian-Palestinian artist based in Dubai, London, and Cairo. His work merges contemporary surrealism with antiquated traditions and blurs the lines between identity, culture, and couture, often using costumes, jewellery, and theatricality in his work. Almaha Jaralla, an Abu Dhabi-based Emirati artist, is interested in the architectural history of the region.

She fuses that interest with colour theory to delve into questions of identity in her practice that often starts with her own documentary photography. Latifa Saeed describes herself as a multidisciplinary artist whose interest in location and urban development underscores her practice that fuses design elements with conceptual fine art theory. In 2023, Saeed was the first Emirati artist to exhibit in Almaty, Kazakhstan with a solo exhibition curated by the renowned art historian, critic, and author Valeria Ibraeva. In addition to spotlighting and nurturing the growth of promising talent in the UAE and the region, Nusseibeh is a huge advocate for bringing art in the public space and engaging the public with thoughtful and meaningful artworks all year round. Each year, Abu Dhabi Art invites established and wellknown artists to create site-specific works in historic sites in Al Ain such as Al Jahili Fort and the Al Ain Oasis as well as some in the wider Abu Dhabi emirate.

Art and Galleries at the Abu Dhabi Art Fair. Image courtesy of DCT - Abu Dhabi

The commissions have a dual purpose, to activate these sites and draw new audiences to them as well as to allow several months for the public to interact with the art. The 2023 commissioned artists are Emirati stalwarts Nujoom Al Ghanem and Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, who are both known separately for their nuanced work that has greatly contributed to the canon of important work produced inside the UAE and have both represented the UAE at the Venice Biennale. Al Ghanem, a poet, painter and filmmaker, continually produces art that pushes her own practice forward. Ibrahim’s work, often sculptural, uses natural material and organic shapes to comment on what has become an instantly recognisable practice. This year, Ibrahim’s work comprises the visual identity of the fair. The images for the 2023 campaign are from his different projects and they reveal his own form of language - inscriptions, lines and abstract forms that are reminiscent of ancient cave drawings - marking time and memory through meditative repetition. Also commissioned by Abu Dhabi Art for 2023 is American artist Hugo McCloud, who has been delving into materiality over the past few years with a particular focus on plastic. All this is before getting into the main event – the art fair itself.

The entrance to Manarat Al Saadiyat, the venue for the Abu Dhabi Art Fair. Image courtesy of DCT - Abu Dhabi

Dyala Nusseibeh is a huge advocate for bringing art in the public space and engaging the public with thoughtful and meaningful artworks all year round. Each year, Abu Dhabi Art invites established and well-known artists to create site-specific works in historic sites in Al Ain such as Al Jahili Fort and the Al Ain Oasis as well as some in the wider Abu Dhabi emirate.

Art and galleries at Abu Dhabi Art. Image courtesy of DCT - Abu Dhabi

Over the past decade and a half, the fair has been garnering not just regional but international attention. The 15th edition of Abu Dhabi Art will be the largest fair to date, showcasing 92 galleries from more than 31 countries. Taking place from 22-26 November 2023 at Manarat Al Saadiyat, the fair with 92 galleries, which represent countries from around the globe – including, for the first time, galleries from Georgia, Mexico, Brazil, Singapore and Chile.

Nusseibeh said: “This year’s Abu Dhabi Art represents a significant moment in the fair’s history due to its sheer size, with double the number of galleries participating since its early days. We are delighted to be able to attract such a diverse range of artists and galleries from around the world, in part thanks to the important contribution and research of our global gallery representatives. The presence of so many new galleries at the fair signifies how dynamic the local and regional art market has become over the last 15 years. By working closely with curators, gallery representatives, galleries and artists, we are also ensuring that our gallery presentations offer unparalleled access to art histories and research, ensuring visitors have the opportunity to better understand these wide-ranging global positions.”

Hongkong Sector at Abu Dhabi Art. Image courtesy of DCT - Abu Dhabi

Representing some of the participating galleries are: Maneli Keykavioussi, who will focus on South America with participating galleries including Dan Galleria, Pablo Goebel Fine Arts, Praxis, Galeria La Cometa and Casa Zirio; visiting professor Riccarda Mandrini focusing on sustainability with participating galleries including Kó, LIA RUMMA, THK Gallery, and ADN Galleria; Founder and Director of Le Violon Bleu Gallery Essia Hamdi, who will focus on female artists from the Arab World with galleries including Agial Art Gallery, Galerie Krinzinger and Wadi Finan Art Gallery; and Chris Wan Feng - who will bring together galleries that reflect on Hong Kong’s historical and contemporary art landscape, including Rossi & Rossi, and HANART TZ.

Art Installations at Abu Dhabi Art. Image courtesy of DCT - Abu Dhabi

Among the 37 new galleries are LIA RUMMA [Italy], De Sarthe [Hong Kong], Leo Gallery [Hong Kong], and Pablo Goebel Fine Arts [Mexico]. Returning galleries include: Gallery Isabelle Van Den Eynde [UAE], Sean Kelly [USA], Hakgojae Gallery [South Korea], Mazzoleni [Italy], HANART TZ Gallery [China], and Galerie Krinzinger [Austria], among many others. The Modern & Contemporary section of the fair will see 41 participating galleries including Rossi & Rossi [Hong Kong], Selma Feriani Gallery [Tunisia], and Bernier/Eliades [Greece].

Q&A with Dyala Nusseibeh, Director, Abu Dhabi Art, Culture Programming Department

Dyala Nusseibeh, Director of Abu Dhabi Art, Culture Programming Department. Image courtesy of DCT - Abu Dhabi

How has Abu Dhabi Art contributed to the growth of the cultural ecosystem over the years?

Abu Dhabi Art has been a mainstay of the cultural eco-system since it was first created by the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi [then the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage] over a decade ago – from supporting the growth and success of regional galleries to being a place for research and knowledge development. A number of ancillary Abu Dhabi Art programmes that take place year-round also support the local eco-system, from commissioning local artists, to working with guest curators each year, from our Education Outreach initiatives like Art + Tech and the Pavilion Prize to our Talks programme. These initiatives, together with the annual fair, create a space for cultural professionals and enthusiasts to connect and become further networked, with an impact far more enduring than the five-day event itself.

Visitors to the Fair. Image courtesy of DCT - Abu Dhabi

How does the fair define itself in the context of other art fairs and biennials in the region?

In terms of other art fairs - the key differential is that we are organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi meaning we have a wider mandate than most commercial fairs – in the sense that we are here to support the growth of the creative and cultural industries, this ambition is not a by-product but a core objective for Abu Dhabi Art. In terms of biennales - these are of course widely noncommercial, although collectors often buy works from the relevant galleries after seeing them in biennales! But we are different to biennales in that we are structurally commercial, visitors know that the works they discover at Abu Dhabi Art are for sale.

What do you consider as a measurement of success?

The satisfaction levels of galleries, collectors, curators, artists, the community – we do our best to engage diverse audiences and support the eco-system and these are our key stakeholders in these efforts.

You have now reached 15 years of the art fair, what are the aims for the next few years?

To keep supporting the cultural and creative industries – as our department mantra goes, collectively we thrive.

From Local to Global, How Abu Dhabi Art is Shaping the Region