Art fair redraws the line

Dubai's annual art fair hit new highs in both sales and volumes.

The four-day contemporary art show drew more than 18,000 visitors, up 28 per cent from last year, and featured more varied galleries and artwork.

"We've sold almost everything," said Raman Frey of New York-based gallery Frey Norris. The fair, which ended late on Saturday, featured pieces by world-famous contemporary artists and a wider geographical mix than earlier years, with 31 countries represented.

Some galleries, such as Saudi Arabia's Athr Gallery and Berlin's Galerie Christian Hosp, said they sold 90 per cent of their works.

Sales highlights at the event included the sale of Pakistani artist Sadquain Naqqah's The Three Graces by Grosvenor Vadehra Gallery for $200,000 (Dh734,700); the purchase of Snow White Without the Dwarves by Ghader Amer for $160,000; New York-based Leila Taghinia-Milani Heller Gallery's sale of a Reza Derakshani's piece for $80,000 and a piece by Saudi Arabian artist Abdulnasser Gharem, shown by Berlin-based Galerie Caprice Horn, which sold for $50,000.

"Generally, fewer people are buying globally, but here you still have a lot of interest from royal families and collectors," said Joan Lee, Head of Seoul-based Sun gallery.

The number of galleries this year rose to 72 from 67 a year ago. (With inputs from Reuters)

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