Artistic evolutions in Dubai

People who claim they are never able to understand art will be helped along next month at Art Dubai.

One emerging trend at the annual art fair, which runs from March 17 to 20, will see participating galleries create artist-focused stands that feature the work of only one or two artists.

These will enable collectors and visitors to see a progression in a specific artist's work over time, creating a greater sense of depth and meaning rather than a quick snapshot of several artists represented by the gallery.

"Galleries taking this approach at Art Dubai have opted either for well-known Indian and North African painters for whose work there is an existing appetite, or artists from the Middle East and beyond who warrant more regional and international interest," said John Martin, Director and Co-Founder of Art Dubai.

Among the artists whose work is being presented in such a format are modern Indian art legend MF Husain, being presented by London's Grosvenor Vadhera gallery and contemporary Egyptian painter Adel El Siwi, being presented by Artspace gallery. Compatriot Chant Avedissian, whose work is in museums around the world, is being represented by Rose Issa Projects, London.

"With single artist-focused representations that range from Finnish to Iranian to Turkish artists, Art Dubai will provide enthusiasts with a cross-section of work that highlights the depth of international and regional work being created and collected today,"?Martin said. "This new trend by our participating galleries also points to the relative maturity of Art Dubai as the Middle East's longest-standing art fair."

The work of several up-and-coming artists are also being showcased this way, including Lebanon's Ayman Baalbaki and Iraqi painter Mahmoud Obaidi, both from Agial Art Gallery in Beirut; Sudanese artist Mohammed Omer Khalil and Faisel Laibi Sahi from Iraq, both represented by Bahrain's Albareh Art Gallery; Pakistani artist Naiza Khan at Rossi & Rossi from London; and Turkish lensman Nazif Topcuoglu, represented by Green Art Gallery.

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