DTCM-backed 'Art and Antiques Dubai' 2008 gathers pace as international and regional galleries confirm participation

The event - which is being held under the patronage of His Excellency Abdul Rahman Mohammad Al-Owais, UAE Minister of Culture, Youth & Community Development, and with the full support of Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing - will showcase art and antiques valued at more than $200m.

And, say organizers, the confirmed participation of significant international and regional galleries points toward a regional event without precedent.

"It is with great excitement that the Mathaf Gallery is returning to Dubai - this time as a participant in Art & Antiques Dubai Fair in February 2008," stated Brian MacDermot, Chairman of the Mathaf Gallery.

"We feel that the time has come for a comprehensive fair to be held with dealers who are not just here today and gone tomorrow. People in the Arab world - both local citizens and those coming to live in the area - want to be reassured as to the real value of what they are buying. "Art and Antiques Dubai" hopes to achieve this," added MacDermot.

Paintings, sculptures, jewelry, glass, ceramics, and furniture will be on display for the more than 10,000 visitors expected to attend the February 2008 event. The fair opens on 21 February 2008 and runs up to 24 February 2008 with antiques on display.

"Dubai has become the epicenter of the Middle East's art world, and 'Art and Antiques Dubai' will soon establish itself as the gold standard", commented Brian Haughton about "Art and Antiques Dubai".

International Galleries to Participate in Inaugural 'Art and Antiques Dubai'

The exhibitor list participating includes:
Jewellery and works of Art: Rami Abboud International (Lebanon, USA, Paris) with contemporary jewellery; Alastair Crawford (New York) who specializes exclusively in Georg Jensen silver; Koopman Rare Art (London) with antique silver and works of art; Majilis Gallery (Dubai) with maps and weaving; Metal Gallery (London) with contemporary metalwork; Susan Ollemans Oriental Art (London) with Indian jewellery and works of art; Fulvio Granocchia (Italy) with jewellery; Samina Inc. (London) with Indian jewellery.

Paintings and contemporary Art: Ayyam Gallery (Damascus) with modern and contemporary Syrian art; Berry-Hill Galleries (New York) with American and European paintings; Lucy B. Campbell Fine Art (London) with contemporary British, European and American art, Dillon Gallery (New York) with Nihonga paintings; Galleria dei Coronari SRL (Rome) with Italian furniture, paintings and works of art; Peter Gant Fine Art (Carlton, Australia) with contemporary Australian paintings and works on paper; Bernard Goldberg Fine Arts LLC (New York) with American art, 1900-1950; Mathaf Gallery (London) with Orientalist paintings; Amir Mohtashemi (London) with Islamic art; Olyvia Oriental (London) with contemporary Chinese paintings; Top Time SRL (Milan) with clocks and contemporary paintings; Toninelli MF Art Moderne (Monte Carlo) with modern paintings and sculpture; Waterhouse & Dodd (London) with paintings from 1870 to contemporary, including leading European artists and contemporary Middle-Eastern; Whitford Fine Art (London) with 20th century British and European paintings and sculpture, including Post Cubist, Modernist and Post-war and Pop art.

Antiques and ceramics: Art Asiatique SARL (Marseilles) with Chinese ceramics and works of art; Bazaart (London) with rare, early Italian maiolica and contemporary Italian ceramics; Boccara (New York) with Modern and Art Deco rugs and tapestries; Nicholaus Boston (Co. Limerick, Ireland) with 19th century majolica; Galerie Dumonteil (Paris) with 20th century and contemporary sculpture; Brian Haughton Gallery (London) with fine English and Continental ceramics; Jason Jacques (New York) with art pottery including Art Nouveau masterworks.

Interior Design and books: Mark Hachem (New York and Paris) with contemporary sculpture and works on paper; Lesley Kehoe Galleries (Melbourne) Maison Gerard (New York) with French Art Deco from the 1920s-40s; Mita Arts Gallery (Tokyo) with Japanese woodblock prints; Potterton Books (Thirsk, N.Yorks.UK) with a wide selection of new and unusual out of print books on art, antiques, architecture and design. Among these, there is The Nassar D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, Vol. IV, The Decorated Word by M. Bayani, A. Contadini and T. Stanley; Bernard J. Shapero Rare Books (London) with antiquarian books, The Tolman Collection (Tokyo) with contemporary Japanese prints; Cristina Grajales (New York) with masterpieces of 20th century and contemporary design; Johnson Trading Gallery (New York) with decorative arts.