Art Dubai has returned for its 20th anniversary special edition, adopting a more intimate and pared-back format that still attracted enthusiastic crowds from the moment doors opened. The event, taking place at Madinat Jumeirah, brings together collectors, curators, artists, and art enthusiasts who gathered to celebrate the UAE's cultural evolution over the past two decades.
A Focus on Regional Art
This year's edition, running until Sunday, features over 100 presentations from commercial galleries, institutional participants, and creative partners. The fair places a strong emphasis on the artists, galleries, and initiatives that have shaped the region's art scene and market. Despite the reduced scale, the atmosphere remained energetic throughout opening day, with visitors clustering around installations, lingering in front of modern Arab masterworks, and packing discussion spaces in the central majlis.
Installations and Exhibitions
Large-scale installations and site-responsive commissions are integrated throughout the venue, including works by Khalid Al-Banna, Hashel Al-Lamki, Kevork Mourad, and Sudarshan Shetty. One of the busiest sections on opening day was "Pulse," an exhibition of modern Arab masterpieces from the Barjeel Art Foundation collection, featuring works by pioneering artists such as Mahmoud Said, Samia Halaby, and Safeya Binzagr. Nearby, audiences explored "Made Forward," a display of works from the Dubai Collection, the city's first institutional collection of modern and contemporary art.
Collaborations and Forum
Screenings and performance works are unfolding across the fair through collaborations with Alserkal Avenue and the Sharjah Art Foundation. The fair's flagship Global Art Forum has returned under the title "Before and After Everything," commissioned by Shumon Basar, adding a layer of intellectual dialogue to the event.
