Central Bank of the UAE and banks operating in the UAE to sponsor major art exhibition in association with Dubai 2003

The event, generously sponsored by the Central Bank of the UAE and Banks operating in the UAE, will be an excellent platform to highlight Middle Eastern art and culture, and will feature the works of many artists, each representing a different region of the Middle East.

Mohammed Bin Zayed AlFalasi, Deputy Governor, Central Bank of the UAE, said, "We are pleased to be sponsoring this important event where international Arab artists will have the opportunity to showcase the rich artistic heritage of our region to both UAE residents and the participants of the Annual Meetings."

The exhibition will be open the evening of the 18th to 25th September, at the Sheraton Creek Hotel and will feature 26 paintings by 26 artists from 16 different Arab countries.

Ibrahim Belselah, General Coordinator, Dubai 2003, said, "One of the exciting things about this exhibition is that it will be open to the UAE public and they will have the chance to rub shoulders with participants in the Annual Meetings who visit the exhibition. This artistic display will be one of the most significant held to date in Dubai, with several renowned artists showcasing their work."

The idea behind the exhibition came from the Dubai 2003 Steering Committee, and it has received the full support of the Central Bank of the UAE and banks operating in the UAE to enable it to happen. The exhibition aims to speak of the art and culture of even the far lying Arab lands, and Saleh Barakat, renowned Art Dealer from Beirut, Lebanon, has been chosen as the exhibition coordinator.

The show will feature exhibits by renowned international Arab artists, and will be conducted in two phases. The first phase will feature the works of Azzawi from Iraq, Yousef Abdelki from Syria, Adel Siwi from Egypt, Faisal Smra from Saudi Arabia and Abdulqader Al Rais from UAE. Respected art critic Nazeh Khater will be attending the exhibition during the first phase. The participants of the second phase will be announced soon.

Popular local artist Abdulaqader Al Rais will be representing the UAE in the exhibition, and serious art collectors worldwide know his creations. Apart from expressing happiness at being chosen to represent UAE to the world, Al Rais is delighted that local and regional art and culture is being showcased to delegates and visitors. "This is a great initiative, and the exhibition will complement the economic and financial discussions of the Annual Meetings."

"It fills me with pride that Dubai 2003 is making such a focused effort to showcase our rich culture and heritage, and to show the world the existence of a strong Fine Arts base in the region. I believe that culture has an impact on economy and vice versa. I am thrilled that my works will be exhibited alongside the creations of other contemporary artists from different Arab countries. The exhibition will represent some of the best art of the Arab world which represents a respectable chunk of the world's art", he added.

The aims of this exhibition are to raise global awareness of the rich Arabian heritage, art and culture, as well as to provide regional and local artists with a sounding board on how the international community of art lovers reacts to their work.

The Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund were first held in Washington DC in 1946. They are hosted by an international city one year in three. The UAE and Dubai were selected because of their highly developed transportation and logistics infrastructure, growing importance as a financial hub and its established position as an oasis of opportunity.