Abu Dhabi Art 2021 is now open
Some of the best contemporary artists in the region and beyond attend the event
Held under the patronage of Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Office, Abu Dhabi Art has returned to dazzle visitors. Running from November 17 to 21, 2021 at Manarat Al Saadiyat, the event will once again teem with artists, gallerists and curators from around the world.
The annual art fair, which opens every November is the culmination of the year-round visual arts programme. The fair will witness the convergence of local and international galleries, offering artworks for sale. These are showcased alongside exhibitions, artist commissions and installations, both at the fair and across the emirate.
The 2021 edition marks the 13th year of Abu Dhabi Art and the first with physical presence since the pandemic. This year the event will host four guest curators, Simon Njami, Rose Lejeune, and Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath, who will team up with galleries and artists to present their work at the fair.
Overall, Abu Dhabi Art will bring together as many as 49 galleries from 19 countries, representing over 190 artists. There will be as many as 600 artworks at the venue, as well as in different cultural sites across Abu Dhabi.
The diversity on offer is immense. For instance, just the Modern and Contemporary section features 26 galleries from 15 countries. Add to it, the Special Projects section, which boasts an additional 21 galleries from six countries and there is a vast array of art to drink in.
Furthermore, the In and Around section will display works by seven artists represented by seven galleries from six countries. Take Kind of Blue; it has been curated by Simon Njami and will showcase works by seven artists across four galleries from four countries.
“It’s been a challenging year for many,” commented Dyala Nusseibeh, the fair’s director. "It’s been a march towards completely unexpected consequences from the pandemic, and so it’s all the more meaningful to have this moment to come together."
As many as 600 artworks are on display across three galleries. These include regional galleries such as Agial Art Gallery from Beirut with works from sculptor Muatasim Alkubaisy, while Galerie Le Violon Blue from Tunisia has a large-scale painting by Iraqi artist Abdalrazzak Sahli.