Frieze Abu Dhabi Unveils 84 Galleries For Inaugural November Edition

(MENAFN- USA Art News) Frieze Abu Dhabi has announced the 84 galleries participating in its debut edition, scheduled for November 19–22 at Manarat Al Saadiyat within the city's Saadiyat Cultural District. The fair will feature exhibitors from 63 cities across 36 countries, with 36 galleries, approximately 43 percent, having locations in the SWANA region.

Galleries from the SWANA region include Carbon 12 (Dubai), The Third Line (Dubai), Dastan (Tehran and Toronto), Gypsum (Cairo), Loft Art Gallery (Casablanca and Marrakech), and Sfeir-Semler Gallery (Beirut and Hamburg). These will exhibit alongside international blue-chip galleries such as Gagosian, Pace Gallery, Thaddaeus Ropac, Victoria Miro, Galleria Continua, and Perrotin, which opened a Dubai space in 2022.

Beyond the main Galleries section, Frieze Abu Dhabi will feature a Focus section for solo or dual presentations by emerging artists exploring experimental practices. The six galleries in this section will receive bursaries to help offset participation costs, according to a press release. These include works by Dala Nasser at Commonwealth and Council, Tahir Karmali at Management, and Jawad Al Malhi at Iyad Qanazea Gallery.

A new section, Global Futures, curated by independent curator and writer Tarini Malik, will showcase artists“whose practices engage with histories and ideas that resonate across the UAE and the wider region,” as stated in a release. Highlighted artists include Abdullah Al Saadi (at Aisha Alabbar Gallery ), Ala Younis ( Taymour Grahne Projects ), and Seta Manoukian (at Marfa' ).

The Frieze Masters section in Abu Dhabi, organized by independent curator Marika Sardar, will present art and objects from antiquity to the 20th century. This section will focus on the Indian Ocean as a theme,“encompassing the historic movement of objects, people and ideas through trade, collecting and cultural exchange,” a release noted.

Dyala Nusseibeh, Director of Frieze Abu Dhabi, said:“Across the main section and Focus, galleries will present ambitious, thoughtfully considered booths, while the curated sections – Global Futures and Frieze Masters Abu Dhabi – will introduce fresh perspectives and avenues for critical inquiry. Frieze Abu Dhabi will be a catalyst for knowledge production, art market integration and meaningful participation in global discourse for the whole region.”

The fair, established with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, succeeds the Abu Dhabi Art fair, which ran for 17 years in the city. It marks the second fair to launch in the region this year, following the debut of Art Basel Qatar in February.

Kristell Chadé, Executive Director of Fairs for Frieze, stated:“The inaugural edition of Frieze Abu Dhabi begins with the depth and ambition of the UAE and wider WANASA art scene and reaffirms our commitment to fostering meaningful dialogues on the global art stage. Complementing Frieze's expansive reach, the fair amplifies voices from the region in an international context, establishing a key moment of convening and exchange for galleries, artists, institutions and collectors from across the world.”

Source: ARTnews

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