From Riyadh's youngest gallerist to inspiring political expressionism, Bazaar meets the Middle Eastern trailbazers revolutionising the Arab art scene.
Whether it's the transformation from a small fishing village to a cosmopolitan metropolis or the growth of a powerful economy, the pace of change in the Gulf is thrilling. What takes the rest of the world centuries to achieve, the UAE often does in mere decades. And the recent boom in the art world is no exception. In less than a ten years, it has grown from humble beginnings to become one of the fastest growing markets of the art world. The focus isn't just on the Gulf but the region as a whole, with artists from countries such as Lebanon, Syria and Iraq helping to put the Middle East's creatives firmly on the international radar.
With the likes of Sheikha al-Mayassa Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani leading the way through her role as chair of Qatar Museums (and world’s biggest art buyer), women are key to the burgeoning industry. Artists such as Iraqi-Palestinian Sama Alshaibi and Syrian Sara Shamma are producing thought-provoking works to international acclaim, while the region’s three influential annual art fairs are all spearheaded by women; Antonia Carver is fair director of Art Dubai, Rita Aoun-Abdo is executive director of Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, the body behind Abu Dhabi Art, while Laure d’Hauteville is the founder of the Beirut Art Fair.
