The Dubai Collection, an art initiative launched under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has picked 87 artworks to be a part of its initial acquisitions.
These artworks were chosen alongside the personal collections of founding patrons Sheikh Mohammed and Sheikha Latifa Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and Chairperson of the Dubai Collection Steering Committee.
According to a statement, the Dubai Collection “seeks to collect, promote and exhibit diverse artworks that have a connection with Dubai.”
For art lovers curious to get a peek at the collection, the first in-person exhibition will kick off later this year at the Etihad Museum. Artworks will also be accessible through a digital museum set to launch later this year.
“The innovative partnership model we have developed for the Collection reflects Dubai’s emergence as the nucleus of the region’s artistic renaissance and its role as a key player in fostering collaborations that advance cultural development,” Sheikha Latifa said in a statement. “We look forward to this project becoming another major milestone in Dubai’s journey to becoming the world’s leading cultural and creative hub.”
Pieces that are part of the acquisitions include works of leading modern Arab artists Baya Mahieddine (Algeria, 1931 — 1998), Fateh Moudarres (Syria, 1922—1999), Chafic Abboud (Lebanon, 1926-2004) and Adam Henein (Egypt, 1929 -2020). Leading Emirati artists such as Abdul Qader Al Rais (UAE, 1951) and Shaikha Al Mazrou (UAE, 1988) are also spotlighted.
Of the 87 artworks, 19 are part of the A.R.M. Holding Art Collection, a new corporate collection launched by the private investment firm and multi-focused economic enabler. Highlights include Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim (UAE, 1962), Lamya Gargash (UAE, 1982), Moath Alofi (Saudi Arabia, 1984) and Rathin Barman (India, 1981). The A.R.M. Holding Art Collection is displayed in the offices of A.R.M in Al Safa, Dubai.
