The inaugural Galleries Week starts in Abu Dhabi this week. It is the chance to see some of the leading galleries in the region, display their emerging artists with art at great prices. The galleries are: Salwa Zeidan from Abu Dhabi; Cuadro Fine Arts Gallery and El Marsa from Dubai; Athr and Hafez Gallery from Jeddah and Galleria Continua, an international giant with branches in Italy, France, China and Cuba. All these galleries are regular participants at Abu Dhabi Art and the event is a collaboration between Abu Dhabi Art and Warehouse 421. Here, Dyala Nusseibeh, the director of Abu Dhabi Art tells us more.
Q: What prompted this tie up with Warehouse 421?
Warehouse421 which is an initiative by Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, is at the forefront of bringing the arts to wider audiences in Abu Dhabi. From film screenings to informative talks, exhibitions to workshop events, to say nothing of their vitally important artist residencies - they are really at the heart of the art ecosystem here. We have previously collaborated on events with them during our Fair in November and share their core values and vision. The time was right to broaden our engagement with them and together to reach out to new audiences in Abu Dhabi and the UAE during the year as well
Q:How was selection of galleries made?
All of the galleries participating in Galleries Week also do our November event and have done so for the last few years. They are already familiar with the market here. We offered the opportunity to existing exhibitors with Abu Dhabi Art, as they are all strong galleries and we wanted to ensure the quality of work was maintained. We invited them on condition that they brought exciting works by emerging artists at low price points.
Q: Is the idea to function as a kind of affordable art fair in the future?
No. Affordable art fairs tend to show a wide range of art with no restrictions on which works are exhibited, in terms of quality. By partnering with galleries that have a serious programme and that support their artists, rather than bringing in unknown exhibitors with less of a proven record in working with good artists, we have already ‘filtered’ which works are on offer. We are bringing good artists who are at the start of their careers or more established artists whose works on paper come at a more affordable price point.
Q:How hopeful are you in breaking down some of the barriers surrounding art and buying it?
Very. Gallerists love nothing more than to talk about the work of their artists and in this informal setting, which is effectively a pop-up, targeting a wide audience, it should be much easier for buyers to come and speak with gallerists informally and connect with them (as opposed to in a gallery space or at a large scale event like Abu Dhabi Art)
Q: Is it your hope that this will be reflected at Abu Dhabi Art later this year?
Absolutely. All the galleries participating in Galleries Week also do Abu Dhabi Art but for those based in Dubai or further afield, they don’t have any opportunities during the year to make new contacts, keep up with existing ones or build up awareness of their gallery locally. This offers a chance for them to do so. We would hope that all the visitors at Galleries Week also attend Abu Dhabi Art and that they reconnect with the participating gallerists there. We would also hope that more conversations happen between gallerists and the public in general as a result of Galleries Week.
Galleries Week will be held at Warehouse421 in Abu Dhabi between April 12-19. www.warehouse421.ae
