Artparis-AbuDhabi opens at the Emirates Palace with 3000 modern and contemporary artworks

The three day event, which takes place from November 27-29 at the Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, is being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. Artparis-AbuDhabi is being organised in partnership with Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) and Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC).

In the words of His Excellency Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) and Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (Adach): "Artparis-AbuDhabi is the result of an exclusive partnership based on a strategic spirit of cultural development. Today, more than ever, we wish to make Abu Dhabi the cultural destination of the Middle East. The Cultural District of Saadiyat Island is the most emblematic of cultural and economic development in Abu Dhabi. Through these initiatives, we aim to involve arts and culture in education and public life as far as possible and to position creativity as an active driver in our human, economic and industrial development."

Artparis-AbuDhabi is expected to attract art lovers from across the region and the fair aims to strengthen the cultural ties between Europe and the Middle East. Simultaneously, the event is expected to energize the Middle Eastern art market and cultural industries through a dedicated program of events and activities including exhibitions, networking events, educational workshops and courses and special tours of local art galleries and culture institutions.

"Infused with the desire to export the artparis spirit to other countries, and after an in-depth analysis of cultural evolution and the international market as it is developing at the present time, we decided to look toward the United Arab Emirates and more specifically its capital: Abu Dhabi," said Caroline Clough-Lacoste, the fair Director.

Of the 46 participating galleries, 11 hail from the Middle East, with the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Bahrain, Syria, Oman, Iran and Tunisia all represented. The Middle Eastern galleries will be offering a broad panorama of modern and contemporary Arab art. Additionally, the Pundole Art Gallery from Mumbai will be showcasing the works of artistic legend Maqbool Fida Hussain as well as Sakti Burman and Ram Kumar.

Four galleries from the United Arab Emirates will be bringing brilliant artists onto the international scene: Fereydoun Ave, Rokny Haerizadeh, or Jeffar Khaldi for B21 Progressive Art Gallery, Dia Azzawi, Ismail Fattah, or Abdul Qadir Al Rais for Green Art Gallery, Hassan Hajjaj, Farhad Moshiri, and Youssef Nabil for The Third Line.

The Occidental artworks that will be shown during the event include works by greats such as Karel Appel, Arman, Jean Arp, Jean Michel Basquiat, Daniel Buren, Christo, Constantin Brancusi, Alexander Calder, Marc Chagall, Salvador Dali, Robert and Sonia Delaunay, Sam Francis, Alberto Giacometti, Keith Haring, Robert Indianna, Yves Klein, Fernand Léger, Man Ray, Kasimir Malewitsch, André Masson, Joan Miro, Pablo Picasso, Pierre Soulages, Kees Van Dongen and Andy Warhol, among others.

The special program developed around the art fair aims to foster local knowledge about, and sensitivity and appreciation for, the visual arts.

Special Programme of related events include:

Education Programmes

Paris-Sorbonne-Abu Dhabi Conference

Paris-Sorbonne-Abu Dhabi University in conjunction with Artparis-AbuDhabi, will present a conference by Serge Lemoine, Director of Paris' Musee d'Orsay, about the history of modern and contemporary art. "Abu Dhabi, Artparis and Paris-Sorbonne: three prestigious names that have a wonderful ring together. The first because it is a land of openness with a focus on the future, the second because it is a place where scholars and collectors will find the classical art of tomorrow, and the third because, through its teaching of Art History and the conferences that accompany it, it offers an indispensable enlightenment on how to approach art in the modern day," explains Jean-Claude Joulia, Office Director at the Sorbonne-Paris.

Sotheby's Institute of Art Course

Sotheby's Institute of Art - London will present a three-day intensive course including subjects such as: Modern and Contemporary art history, collecting art and investing in art. Aligned with Artparis-AbuDhabi, the course offers special lectures, panel discussions with guided visits to the fair by experts in the field, gallery directors, dealers and leading institutions. In addition to focusing on modern and contemporary art, the participants will be given guided tours of the show that will lead the way to a general analysis of the Middle Eastern art market.

Exhibitions

"Signs and Calligraphy" Exhibition:
In parallel with the fair, Artparis-AbuDhabi and the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage will present an exhibition, organised by Lebanese art specialist Amal Traboulsi, showcasing artists from the Arab world. The exhibition aims to show the path followed by expression through signs, writing, and calligraphy, which is also based on plastic creation. The "Signs and Calligraphy" exhibit will see UAE-based artists, including Abdel Kader Al Rais, Youssef Dweik and Faisal Samra, showcasing their talent on an international scale.

Pleyel Pianos Performances and Exhibition:
Another highlight of Artparis-AbuDhabi will be an exhibition of the latest creations of Pleyel pianos. Pleyel is the sole manufacturer of pianos in France and the oldest in the world. A unique collection of artist's piano made to only 8 copies will be their highlight at Artparis-AbuDhabi. For the past two years, Pleyel has participated in the artparis exhibition in Paris. The company has therefore had the privilege of being among the select few who inaugurated the Grand Palais, even installing a Café Pleyel there last March. This year, Pleyel pianos will follow artparis to Abu Dhabi, where they will play at the Foyer of the Emirates Palace. The artists that will perform are - Marco del Ré, Aki Kuroda, Jean Cortot and Andrée Putman.