09-10 NOVEMBER 2012 I ISSUE 4 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION

LENS MASTERS
09-10 NOVEMBER 2012 I ISSUE 4 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION
Photo-based works by several leading artists are
showcased at Abu Dhabi Art.
PHOTOGRAPHY AS AN artistic practice continues to solidify its significance as
a sought-after medium in the Middle East, largely due to a greater number
of artists working in the field, and in turn, their promotion through regional
and international galleries. Owner of her eponymous Cologne gallery, Brigitte
Schenk (2P10), says photography is no longer distinguished from fine arts
the way it used to be. “Twenty years ago, it was either you show painting or
photography or installation or video,” she says. “Today, you don’t find this
strict distinction of disciplines in programmes anymore.” Institutional efforts
have – and continue – to be made in promoting the discipline; a major show
presenting photographs by some of the region’s foremost artists will be staged
this month at the V&A, for example.
Schenk showcases two photographs by Halim Al-Karim, whose work is also
shown through AB Gallery (2P19/1S2). The pieces at Schenk’s booth see the
Iraqi-born artist toy with clichés prevalent in the genre of Orientalism. “Powerful
Continued on page 4 >
Marwan Rechmaoui. The Arab World. 2001–9. Rubber mild out. Variable dimensions.
Image courtesy Galerie Sfeir-Semler, Hamburg/Beirut.
Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige. (Detail) Restaged 6. 2011. C-print. 100 x 72 cm. Edition one of five. Image courtesy The Third Line, Dubai.
SOLD
Steady sales set a bright outlook for
the weekend.
FIRST-TIME PARTICIPANT Tokyo-based Ota Fine Arts (1M5) were all
smiles last night, having sold a signature Yayoi Kusama Pumpkin
to a private collector new to the gallery for $350,000. It was their
first sale at the fair. Other galleries continued to do well with midrange
works and expressed optimism for the last two days of the
fair.
Agial Art Gallery (1M6) sold three works to a prominent UAE
collector – two by Georges Cyr for $12,000 each and a linocut
by Khadhim Hayder for $8500. In the same hall, Dubai-based
The Third Line (1M13) reps remarked that they were having good
conversations about their works and had sold all the Rana Begum
works at the stand as well as The Blind Owl by Pouran Jinchi for
undisclosed prices. Another fair regular, Leila Heller Gallery (2P12)
had sold 21600 Pages by Hadieh Shafie to a Middle Eastern
collector for $33,000 and Petrol Pump IV by Ayad Al-Kadhi for
Continued on page 3 >

Left: Ebrahim Olfat. (Detail) Mowlana Poem. 2010. Acrylic and ink on canvas set in a lightbox. 150 x 100 x 10 cm. Image courtesy Artspace, Dubai/London. Right: Yayoi Kusama.
Pumpkin. 2012. Fiberglass reinforced plastic and paint. 120 x 100 cm. Image courtesy Ota Fine Arts, Tokyo. Below: Khaled Ben Slimane. Ceramics IV. 2012. 219 x 42 cm. Image
courtesy Galerie El-Marsa, Tunis.
Continued from page 1 >
$15,000 to another Middle Eastern buyer.
Beirut-based Galerie Janine Rubeiz (1M21/1S3) continued to have good sales with
serious interest in almost all the works at the booth, and a potential buyer for the Mazen
Kerbaj installation/performance, Don’t Feed the Artist. At the time of press the gallery had
sold a work on paper by Etel Adnan and an oil on canvas by Jamil Molaeb; both works sold
for between $20,000-30,000 to the same UAE-based collector familiar to the gallery. Tunisbased
Galerie El-Marsa (2P4) also had a good night, selling an untitled work by Mahjoub
Ben Bella for between $25,000-30,000, a piece by Atef Maatallah for $3000 and an edition
from Halim Karabibene’s untitled series for $5000. The gallery also sold Ceramic I by Khaled
Bin Slimane for $80,000 to an Emirati collector.
Galleria Continua (1M19), which has outposts in San Gimignano, Le Moulin and Beijing,
had a number of reserves and sold a steel-module work by Loris Cecchini for $38,265.
London and New York-based Waterhouse and Dodd (1M17/1S1) had a good day, securing
a commission for a work by Justine Smith for a collector new to the gallery, and sold Knight
in White, a collage on board by Robi Walters for $7500 to a collector familiar to the gallery.
Dubai's Artspace (1M3) sold a work they had only hung yesterday morning; Mowlana (Rumi
Poem) by Ebrahim Olfat. The lightbox sold for $10,000 to a regionally based collector.
Hamburg and Beirut-based Sfeir-Semler (2P14/B3) sold The Arab World, a rubber map by
Lebanese artist Marwan Rechmaoui for an undisclosed amount to a Saudi collector. Riyadhbased
Lam Art Gallery (2P2) sold a work by Bassem Al-Sharqi for an undisclosed amount
along with two works by Marwah Al-Mugait for between $4000-4500 to an Arab collector.
Muscat-based Bait Muzna Gallery (2P5) had a number of reserves and sold Blue Moon in the
Jungle by Anna Dudchento for $8000 to UAE-based collector.
London's October Gallery (1M9) sold three works by Nepalese artist Govinda Sah for
mid-range prices to UAE-based buyers, while Dubai-based Meem Gallery (1M15) had sold
four more works by Kamal Boullata for an undisclosed sum, along with a Gazbia Sirry,
entitled Women Talking, for $40,000 to the Sharjah-based Barjeel Foundation.
ERRATUM: Canvas Daily's issue 3 illustrated and reported on the sale of Mohammed Melehi's Pink Flame at Dubai's Meem Gallery
(1M15). The gallery had in fact sold a different work , Croise B, by the same artist.
9 NOVEMBER
15:00 – 16:00
16:00 – 16:30
17:00 – 18:00
18:00 – 18:30
18:30 – 19:30
Abu Dhabi Art Conversation with
Marina Abramovic
Manarat Al-Saadiyat Auditorium
A talk by one of the key figures in
performance art history. Moderated
by Valerie Hillings.
Abu Dhabi Art Book Launch: Halim
Al-Karim
Abu Dhabi Art Library
Art for All: Between Public
and Private
Manarat Al-Saadiyat Auditorium
A panel presented by Sheikha
Salama Bint Hamdan Al-Nahyan
Foundation with Emirati artists Alia
Lootah, Dana Al-Mazrouei, Hamdan
Al-Shamsi, Maitha Demithan and
Shamsa Al-Omeira, who participated
in Between Private and Public,
an exhibition touring UAE malls.
Moderated by Haitham Zamzam.
Abu Dhabi Art Interview with
Tina Kim
Inside Chairs for Abu Dhabi by
Tadashi Kawamata
Abu Dhabi Art Conversation
with Abdulnasser Gharem and
Ghada Amer
Manarat Al-Saadiyat Auditorium
A discussion with two important
Contemporary artists from the Arab
world. Moderated by Anna
Somers-Cocks.
10 NOVEMBER
15:00 – 16:00
16:00 – 16:30
16:30 – 17:00
17:00 – 18:00
18:30 – 19:30
Abu Dhabi Art Talk: The Future
is Handmade
Manarat Al-Saadiyat Auditorium
A panel that looks at the
relationship between craft and
design with focus on the aesthetics
of UAE design. Speakers include
Stuart Haygarth, Khalid Shafar and
Peter Di Sabatino. Moderated by
Deyan Sudjic.
Abu Dhabi Art Book Launch: Mitra
Tabrizian: Another Country
Abu Dhabi Art Library
Abu Dhabi Art Interview with
Darragh Hogan
Hall 1 – Art Lounge
Abu Dhabi Art Talk: Curating The
Contemporary Art Scene in the UAE
Manarat Al-Saadiyat Auditorium
A conversation between curator
Reem Fadda and artist Mohammed
Kazem, the appointed curator and
artist selected to represent the
United Arab Emirates in the UAE
National Pavilion at the 55th
Venice Biennale.
Abu Dhabi Art Talk: Our
Responsibilities/Supporting Art in
the Presence and
Absence of Cultural Institutions
Manarat Al-Saadiyat Auditorium
A panel about the complimentary
roles played by non-profit and
commercial entities in the region.
Speakers include Zeina Arida, Dr
Salvatore LaSpada, Salwa Mikdadi
and Stephen Stapleton. Moderated
by Ayeh Naraghi.
For the complete programme, please visit
www.abudhabiartfair.ae
09-10 NOV 2012 I CANVAS DAILY I ISSUE 4 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION
03

PANELS AT ABU DHABI ART
1. Education, underlined New York dealer Leila Heller in an interview at the Art Lounge
yesterday, is a key component to the success of the Middle Eastern art market. The Iranian-born
gallerist discussed the establishment of her space and its promotion of regional art and the
growing importance of the Middle Eastern art scene vis-à-vis the Contemporary art market.
2. Art power couple Subodh Gupta and Bharti Kher participated in a conversation yesterday
moderated by The Art Newspaper's Anna Somers-Cocks. The pair offered an overview
of their works and delved into the creative and conceptual processes behind their
practices and their relationship with their native India. "There has to be a dialogue with the
material," said Gupta.
3. In a conversation with French art critic Judith Benhamou, Iraqi multimedia artist Adel
Abidin discussed the reasons which led him to become an artist and his venture towards video
installation. He went on to explain the artistic process through which he reaches his final
creations, and how his inspirations come about. His work, said Abidin, provides an argument
and not necessarily a solution.
4. "If you look up the word 'island' in the dictionary, it has a standard definition but an artist
can take the concept of an island from anywhere," said Subodh Gupta in yesterday's panel
discussion featuring the artists partaking in Art, Talks and Sensations – Camille Zakharia, Fabrice
Hyber, Tim Noble and Sue Webster moderated by exhibition curator Fabrice Bousteau. "I
wanted to make something with the material of the desert and painted with crude oil to make
a special installation," said Hyber. The artists discussed the works, their creative processes and
thoughts on the developments of the Saadiyat Island Cultural District.
3 4
LENS MASTERS (CONT)
Halim Al-Karim. (Detail) New Orientalism 4. 1997. Photograph covered with black silk.
120 x 200 cm. Image courtesy Galerie Brigitte Schenk, Cologne.
Continued from page 1 >
colours tell us that we have arrived in the 21st century, but the
selection of the image, its placement and perspective tell us that
we haven’t,” explains Schenk. “He has covered the lambda prints
with a super-thin silk fabric that operates as both a physical veil
that masks portraits, and a metaphorical filter.” The photographs
of Hassan Hajjaj, Youssef Nabil and multimedia artist duo Joana
Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige at The Third Line (1M13), dip into
Arab culture albeit in various respects. Renowned Iranian artist
Shirin Neshat also taps into her culture – her photographs at Galerie
Jerome de Noirmont (2P1) are inspired by the Shahnameh (Book of
04
09-10 NOV 2012 I CANVAS DAILY I ISSUE 4 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION
Adel Abidin and
Judith Benhamou.
Leila Heller.
Kings) by celebrated Persian 10th century poet, Ferdowsi.
Hadjithomas and Joreige have created a series of works centring
on the Lebanese Rocket Society – a hopeful space rocket project
initiated in Beirut in the 1960s, which ‘failed to launch’. Essentially,
the duo revives this forgotten mission, reflective of the aspirations
of some of Lebanon’s dreamers. An extension of this project is seen
through their photographic series, Restaged, which documents the
re-enactment of the rocket’s transportation through the streets of
Beirut. For many multimedia artists, such as the latter, Neshat and
Marina Abramović, photography offers a distinct form of expression,
which other genres perhaps do not. In the case of Abramović,
for example, it is a means, says Lisson Gallery’s (2P15) Claus
Robenhagen through which she presents herself as an artist. “In
this sense, the media is borne out of her work with performance,”
he says. “But where performance is temporal, photography allows
us to capture a certain moment in time forever.” Lisson showcases
Abramović’s Looking at the Mountains, a work from the artist’s Back
to Simplicity series, which, adds Robenhagen, “arose from the need
to re-establish the artist’s contact with nature, in its simplest and
most immediate forms.”
Where Abramović reconnects with nature, Hajjaj revisits his
native Moroccan culture, which comes to the fore through his
vibrant portraits from his My Rock Stars VI series. Similarly, Nabil
reflects on the golden age of Egyptian cinema through his The
End (Al-Nihaya). “I think in time, we will come to understand that
photography plays a major role in chronically distilling notions of
identity in the region,” says The Third Line’s Claudia Cellini.
1
Anna Somers-Cocks and
Bharti Kher.
Shirin Neshat. Ahmed from The Book of Kings series. 2012. Ink on LE silver gelatin print.
152.4 x 114.3 cm. Image courtesy Galerie Jerome de Noirmont, Paris.
2
Camille Zakharia, Subodh Gupta, Fabrice
Bousteau and Fabrice Hyber.

Feng Mengbo. (Detail) Restart: Gate. 2012. Edition of nine. 3D lenticular print. 36 x 120 cm. Image courtesy Hanart Gallery, Hong Kong.
THE CHINESE CONTINGENT
This year’s Abu Dhabi Art showcases an increased amount of Contemporary
Chinese art.
WHILE MUCH HAS been reported on the wealth of the Chinese art
market, the many rising stars and the new collectors within the Asian art
scene, it is not so often that the Middle East gets a chance to observe the
startling work of the country’s artists. A few opportunities have arisen,
such as Saraab by renowned artist Cai Guo-Qiang last December and Yan
Pei-Ming’s current show Painting the History, both in Doha. Apart from
these, there has yet to be more interaction between Chinese dealers and
the Gulf. However, this year’s Abu Dhabi Art sees an increase in Chinese
artwork on show, principally from Hanart Gallery (2P8); Hauser & Wirth
(1M12) and Tina Keng Gallery (1M7).
Hanart, which has participated at Abu Dhabi Art since the fair’s
inception, presents a booth displaying work by celebrated artists, Fan
Lijun and Feng Mengbo. “We’ve found the response fantastic,” says
the gallery’s Johnson Chang. “Abu Dhabi itself is like an art project; it
underlines a utopian vision of creating an art capital. This fair is one of the
principle fairs in which a public can find artwork that can enter museums,”
adds Chang. The exhibited works at Hanart make poignant references
to China’s society under communism, such as found in Mengbo’s Long
March: Restart (Arcade Version), an interactive sculpture in the form of a
video game which recalls the Long March, a military retreat undertaken
by the Red Army of the Communist Party of China and is, according to
Chang, “the now founding myth of China.”
First-time participant, Tina Keng Gallery, brings a variety of works
spanning the early and mid-20th century Chinese art, including works by
Wang Huaiqing, Zhang Hongtu and Xiaobai Su, all of which are abstract
in style and incorporate painting, mixed media and sculpture. “We’ve
shown at many fairs throughout Asia, but this is our chance to establish a
Wang Huaiqing.
(Detail) Self and Self
Shadow. 2011–2.
Aluminum alloy.
210 x 145 x 45 cm.
Image courtesy Tina
Keng Gallery,
Taipei/Beijing.
06
09-10 NOV 2012 I CANVAS DAILY I ISSUE 4 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION
Zhang Enli. Mosaic. 2006. Oil on canvas. 60 x 60 x 3 cm. Image courtesy the artist and Hauser &
Wirth, London/Zurich/New York.
“Abu Dhabi itself is like an art project;
it underlines a utopian vision of
creating an art capital,“ Hanart Gallery’s
Johnson Chang
platform outside of China,” says the gallery’s Shelly Wu. “We have already
successfully promoted these artists in Asia and in Europe. While Asian art is
certainly new to the region, we’ve found that some Abu Dhabi clients have
heard of our artists.”
Several subtle and ethereal works of Zheng Enli are exhibited at Hauser
& Wirth. Lemon depicts the contours of extensive green leaves juxtaposed
with ripe lemons on an unprimed canvas. “We are a Western gallery and
Zheng is our only Chinese artist,” says Hauser & Wirth’s Florian Berktold.
“We work with him because you wouldn’t need to have a background
in Chinese culture and art history in order to understand his work. Like
Subodh Gupta, he has a visual language which is globally recognised.
We do not show him because he is Asian or Chinese, but because of the
quality of his work.” Certainly, the formal qualities of a work of art are
what give it its meaning, and bring it away from a mere cultural or societal
reading. Nevertheless, the increase in Chinese art on show this year
represents a unique platform through which Asian galleries can partake, in
addition to showcasing art from this genre in the Middle East.
ART NEWS
ADU LAUNCHES ART DEGREE
ABU DHABI – In line with the UAE’s aim of positioning
itself as the region’s premier art hub, Abu Dhabi
University has announced its offering of a Bachelor’s
degree in Arts, Culture and Heritage Management.
The four-year programme, which is set to begin
in February next year, will include a focus on Arab
and Islamic as well as Western art. The aim of the
programme is to provide students with the necessary
skills for careers in the realms of art and culture, such
as project development, journalism, curating and
public relations, among others.
MOMA SHOWCASES THE SCREAM
NEW YORK – Edvard Munch’s iconic The Scream,
which sold for about $120 million, is on view at the
Museum of Modern Art until 29 April. Considered
one of the most celebrated works in art history,
Munch’s 1895 pastel on board work is part of the
artist’s Frieze of Life series and currently sits alongside
a series of prints by the artist selected from the
Museum’s collection of his works.
LALLA ESSAYDI AT THE NATIONAL
MUSEUM OF AFRICAN ART
WASHINGTON DC – Lalla Essaydi: Revisions presents
recent work by the Moroccan-born artist at the
National Museum of African Art in Washington
DC, on until 23 February. On display are selections
from each of Essaydi’s photographic series, as well
as a few rarely exhibited paintings and a multimedia
installation. Having relocated from Saudi Arabia to
the USA, Essaydi believes that the intimate nature of
Moroccan women portrayed in her works would not
have been possible had she not left her homeland.
It is through the subversive and challenging nature
of her work that this internationally prominent artist
manages to tell her story and the experiences she
goes through as a liberal, Moroccan, Arab and African
woman passing through a medley of cultures.
ADEL ABDESSEMED AT
CENTRE POMPIDOU
PARIS – The Algerian-born artist presents his work in
Je Suis Innocent running until 7 January. Showcased
are works done in the beginning of Abdessemed’s
career as well as more recent pieces, whereby he uses
art to portray the power of violence and destruction
through his monumentally sized creations. Included
in the show are works such as Décor (2011–2), Telle
mère tel fils (2008), Usine (2008), Bourek (2005) as
well as a new large-scale sculpture, Coup de tête,
which features a bronze Zinedine Zidane in one of his
career’s epic moments at the FIFA World Cup 2006.
THE PRESENT AT MARAYA ART CENTER
SHARJAH – Showcasing works by 13 young Emirati
artists, the Maraya Art Center in Sharjah introduces
The Present: Contemporary Art from the Emirates, an
exhibition that runs until 28 November. These young
artists are introduced to a local and international
audience through their understanding and exploration
of the word ‘present’ with their current geographic and
cultural contexts. Curated by Contemporary Emirati
artist Noor Al-Suwaidi, the show creates a platform for
communication, exploration and interaction with the
audience. Presented in the form of a publication, as
well as a media and public programme, participating
artists include Khalid Al-Banna, Alia Lootah, Hind
Mezaina and performance artist Hala Ali.

����������������������
Our Planet, Your Choice
Eco Future, an interactive, family-friendly
exhibition about the environment
Visit now at Manarat Al Saadiyat
Saadiyat Cultural District, Abu Dhabi
Open Daily 10am-8pm
SAADIYATCULTURALDISTRICT.AE
��������������������� �
�������������������
����������������������������������������
���������������������
�����������������������������������������
�����������������������
�����������������������������

ISLAMIC TREASURES
Recent sales of Islamic art in addition to
new institutional collaborations point to an
increased interest in the genre.
OVER THE LAST decade, Sotheby’s has sold more than $316 million
worth of classical and Contemporary Islamic art, rising from $10.4
million in 2001 to $71 million last year. Such numbers come at a
time when there’s been a noticeable increase within the Gulf and
internationally of museums dedicated to Islamic art. Last year, the
Metropolitan Museum of Art inaugurated its new wing dedicated
to art from the field, and last September saw the Louvre unveil its
Islamic art wing. The increased exposure for the genre has been felt
within the Gulf as well, through the planned Abu Dhabi Louvre as
well as Doha’s IM Pei-designed Museum of Islamic art.
Just last week, Gary Tinterow, Director of the Museum of Fine
Arts (MFAH) in Houston, and Kuwait’s Sheikha Hussah Sabah Al-
Sabah, Director of the Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyaah (DAI) in Kuwait
City and co-owner with Sheikh Nasser Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah of The
Al-Sabah Collection, announced that they would sign an agreement
between both institutions. Privately held, the Al-Sabah Collection
houses one of the world’s greatest collections of Islamic art and
will place around 60 objects on long-term loan in a dedicated gallery
at MFAH.
“The Gulf has brought Islamic art to the fore of their cultural
identity,” says Benedict Carter, Specialist of Islamic Art at Sotheby’s.
THE ART OF SCRIPT
Myriad artworks which draw inspiration from the age-old practice of calligraphy reveal Contemporary twists.
AN ARRAY OF Contemporary calligraphic works including those
by Pouran Jinchi and Golnaz Fathi at The Third Line (1M13), Nja
Mahdaoui at Galerie El-Marsa (2P4), Hadieh Shafie at Galerie Kashya
Hildebrand (2P11/1S4) and Ghada Amer at Kukje Gallery/Tina Kim
Gallery (2P13), celebrate the art of script in a variety of forms.
The inspirations behind these works stem from a commemoration of
the Farsi or Arabic letter, the region’s poetry, spirituality and
even abstraction.
Jinchi, a classically trained calligrapher, combines Eastern and
Western ideals within an increasingly minimal form. Her work,
Transparency, references the Cyrus Cylinder, a clay cylinder from
Ghada Amer. The Words I Love The Most. 2012. Bronze with black patina. 152.4 x
152.4 x 152.4 cm. Edition one of six. Image courtesy Kukje Gallery/Tina Kim Gallery,
Seoul/New York.
08
09-10 NOV 2012 I CANVAS DAILY I ISSUE 4 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION
Above: An installation view of the courtyard of the Louvre’s new Islamic art galleries. ©
M Bellini – R Ricciotti / Musée du Louvre © 2012 Musée du Louvre / Antoine Mongodin.
Below: A large ‘Abraham of Kutahya’ Blue and White Iznik Pottery Ewer. Ottoman
Turkey. Circa 1510. Height: 32 cm. Image courtesy Christie’s.
539 BC inscribed with an account by the King of Persia, Cyrus, of
his conquest of Babylon. The repetition of text on the three
cylinders have no beginning and no end, and the work
highlights how age-old texts can still be relevant
today. Like many Contemporary Iranian artists,
Fathi, like Jinchi, revisits the seminal poem by
Ferdowsi, the Shahnameh (Book of Kings).
“The actual text is very abstract but also
includes a figurative element to create
a dynamic interaction,” says The Third
Line’s Dina Ibrahim. “You can barely see
figures; it’s almost like reading a book
and visualising them in your head.”
Kashya Hildebrand says she’s
intrigued by artists who make classical
reference points to their culture in their
own contemporary way. “Hadieh doesn’t
think of herself as a calligrapher, but the
repetition of the Farsi word for love in her
tightly wrapped scrolls is a very contemporary
and fresh reference point,” she says. Also in
the name of love is Amer’s The Words I Love the
Most, a bronze off-centred sphere with a black patina,
inspired by whirling dervishes. “The surface of the sphere
is drawn with words, which are inspired by the existence of 100
words to express love in the Arabic language,” says the artist. “I
chose the ones I like the most and wrote them in reverse so that you
are only able to read them from inside.”
Tunisian Mahdaoui uses calligraphy, but says it was always crucial
for him not to fall into the trap of replication, and to develop a fresh
way to use this age-old art form. “I used to criticise folklore and
Orientalist and colonial paintings,” he adds. “But then I observed the
Arabic script in its aesthetic identity, not in its nationalistic identity, and
I immediately separated the two.” Mahdaoui says his work is founded
on liberating the art form from its Middle Eastern identity and
opening it up to other cultures. “Calligraphy is modernity through
tradition and vice versa,” adds Ibrahim. “Whether aesthetically or
conceptually, there is innovation that went into bringing an age-old
tradition to a contemporary platform.”
“Islamic art has traditionally been an undervalued section of the art
market; one can easily put together a collection for a lesser price
than that of Modern and Contemporary art.” On the contrary,
recent sales point to a steady increase in prices. Sotheby’s recent
Arts of the Islamic World sale brought in a grand total of $6.2
million this autumn, while Christie’s London auctions of Islamic
and Indian Art realised a combined total of $15.4 million. “The
results of the sale indicate a renewed vigour in the market for
Islamic works of art and works on paper,” commented Head of the
Christie’s Islamic Department Sara Plumbly. Such successful prices,
in addition to the increased exposure of Islamic art from the world’s
most esteemed art institutions, underline a growing interest in
the genre not just limited to the Middle Eastern collector, but also
found among international buyers.
Left: Hadieh Shafie.
22150 Pages. 2012.
Ink and acrylic on
paper with printed
handwritten Farsi text
Esheghe (love in Farsi).
122 x 122 x 9 cm. Image
courtesy Galerie Kashya
Hildebrand, Zurich.
Below: Nja Mahdaoui.
Graphemes on Vellum.
2012. Indian ink and
acrylic painting on
vellum. 85 x 85 cm.
Image courtesy Galerie
El-Marsa, Tunis.

IRAN : RPM
05.11.12 – 29.11.12
VERNISSAGE & BOOK LAUNCH ON 10.11.12 AT 12:00-18:00
A PROJECT SUPPORTED BY SALSALI PRIVATE MUSEUM
WWW.SALSALIPM.COM

Q&A WITH BHARTI KHER FRESH TAKES
THE RENOWNED INDIAN-BORN artist discusses
the influences behind her startling bindi pieces, as
well as her first visit to Abu Dhabi Art. Bharti Kher's
work is often described as radically diverse through
its combination of multiple cultural, metaphysical
and aesthetic references. Here, she shares the
influence behind her artistic process, the use of
bindis within her oeuvre and what happens when
she creates a work of art.
What was your inspiration behind the
Redemption is Not the Only Reason You Look
Up At the Night Sky, the four-panel wall bindi
work at the Hauser & Wirth booth at Abu
Dhabi Art?
The piece is essentially a continuation of the mirror
works I have been making for the past few years,
which are about the reflection of the self, what the
mirror is and what it stands for. I began researching
the history of the mirror as well as the idea of
reflection and the self and saw how well such
concepts worked with the bindi and its reference to
the third eye. This is the first time I have worked in
this kind of scale.
Apart from the piece’s obvious Indian
references, does the work carry any elements
which may be linked to Middle Eastern culture?
I had this impression of Saudi Arabia being endless
within the physical and theoretical sense, and this
was another influence for the piece. The title,
which refers to the sky, underlines how it doesn’t
matter whether you are in Saudi Arabia, Timbuktu
or London – the sky is the same for me and it is the
same for you. At night, when you look up at the
sky, thousands of people are also looking up at the
night sky, too.
You are known for your works incorporating
the bindi. What prompted you to use such
a cultural symbol and what does the bindi
express when you place it within your work?
The bindi now is like a tool. It represents a
metaphor for the third eye – this idea of being
blind but your eyes are open, or your eyes being
closed but you can see, meaning that there is
a contradiction in the way of looking. People
often categorise the bindi as being a reference to
marriage or a confrontation with feminism; this is
all OK, but I look at the bindi in a conceptual sense
– I have taken it out of its cultural context. One
of the principle elements in being an artist is to
take something which is so cliché and recognised,
10
09-10 NOV 2012 I CANVAS DAILY I ISSUE 4 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION
When you make art, I
don’t think you are
human anyway – you
are going outside
of yourself.
such as the bindi, and turn it on its head, and this is
what I’ve done.
Your work has been termed as ‘radically
heterogeneous’ due to its combination of
masculine and feminine forms and at times,
animal references. What inspires you to create
such forms?
My work is full of contradictions; if there’s
masculine, then there’s feminine and if there’s a
peaceful image, there could also be an element
of violence, and so forth. When you make art, I
don’t think you are human anyway – you are going
outside of yourself and communicating with your
body, similar to how animals communicate. You
don’t know what it is that makes you feel good
or sick when you look at a work of art – but it is
the artwork that takes you away from yourself,
whether you are creating it or observing it. This is
something that I am interested in – investigating
the other part. I need to be the other part.
What is the role of the ‘self’ and the
‘collective’ within your oeuvre and how, if
so, are they inextricably linked?
I think the ‘self’ is really important. I’ve made
works with titles such as All Sheep Are Not the
Same, all of which reference how an individual is
different amidst the collective; you have something
in you that belongs entirely to you. But yes, we
do function as a collective: we are all moving and
breathing beings, but it is important to realise that
you are entirely unique and different from anybody
else and this is what art is about anyways – no artist
wants their work to be like anybody else’s.
Left: Bharti Kher. Photography by Anay Mann. Right: Bharti Kher. Indra's Net mirror 5.2010. Bindis on mirror and wooden frame
192 x 109 x 6.4 cm. Photography by Mike Bruce. Images courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth, Zurich/London.
Four artists make up Abu Dhabi Art’s Signature
section this year.
Ammanda Seelye Salzman and Kate Seelye. (Detail) Grandfather with Students from American University of Beirut, Tripoli, Lebanon,
1925. 2012. Photo collage. 61 x 107 cm. Image courtesy Kashya Hildebrand, Zurich.
FOR THE FOURTH consecutive year, Abu Dhabi
Art invites galleries to present one work by an
emerging artist in the capacity of a solo
show. Kashya Hildebrand, Founder of
her eponymous gallery (1S4) showcases
Traces of History: Colouring the Past, a
large multimedia installation comprised
of photo-collages, artefacts, video and
soundscapes by Ammanda Seelye Salzman
and Kate Seelye. The piece explores
and also critiques the duo’s family’s
engagement with the Middle East as
first, Protestant missionaries, academics,
diplomats and later, journalists. “What
is pivotal is how the work emphasises a
centuries-old dialogue between the East
and the West,” says Hildebrand. The
piece, presented for the first time, offers
viewers an eye-opening depiction of
American experiences within the Middle
East, as well as new perspectives on the
history of such relations.
Similarly questioning established
conventions and social ideologies,
Beirut’s Galerie Janine Rubeiz
(1M21/1S3) presents Don’t
Feed the Artist, an installation
and performance work by
Mazen Kerbaj. In an intriguing
display, the Lebanese artist
retreats from everyday life
into a glass cage where he
works fully exposed. Known
for his comics and drawings
depicting Lebanese society
and the influence of politics
on daily life, Kerbaj will remain
locked within his cage, where he can
watch spectators around him, who in
turn inspire the drawings that he is making.
“He draws daily about how his personal life in
Beirut is directly affected by the political turmoil
in the Middle East,” says the gallery’s Nadine
Begdache. “With this performance, Mazen will
be even closer to the public, sharing his questions
and thoughts on being an artist in the region.”
Gradually, the finished works will be hung across
the cage walls, until the last evening, when the
installation will be completely covered by Kerbaj’s
drawings, thus hiding the artist from view.
Another multimedia installation is presented
by Swiss AB Gallery (2P19) consisting of video
work and sculptures by Egyptian artist Ahmed
Badry. Based on the idea of irony found
in the Middle East and throughout the
Mediterranean, the piece is created through a
convergence of found objects such as a toilet
brush or a Cairo bus ticket. Badry examines
how the function of such commonplace
objects plays an influential role within our
daily lives. These commonplace items,
believes the artist, take on an ironically larger
role within our increasingly fast-paced and
globalised societies.
Departing from the everyday world of
contemporary existence, South African-Berlin
Ahmed Badry.
El-Hilal Wa
El-Negma. 2011.
Cardboard, wire
and acrylic colour.
160 x 40 x 42 cm.
Image courtesy
AB Gallery,
Luzern/Zurich.
artist Nicky Broekhuysen’s
untitled work made
from ink hand-stamped
onto paper examines
the intricate relationship
between the cosmos, the
human brain and painting.
Displayed by London and
New York-based gallery Waterhouse
and Dodd (1M17/1S1), the piece
shows how the artist works with
binary numbers of 1 and 0 which
she then hand-stamps onto paper
as well as onto objects such as
books. “Our experience in
Abu Dhabi has been that
viewers like works with
a different twist. They’re
not just after a beautiful
landscape; they like to be
fascinated by an artwork,”
says the gallery’s Ray Waterhouse.
Broekhuysen’s piece is certainly
mesmerising; when looked at from afar, it is
seemingly made from entirely abstract pointillist
compositions. Yet upon closer inspection, the
piece shows its true constitution: numerically
configured with incredible attention to detail.
Similar to the rest of the works in Signature, there
is an unconventional and surprising element to
Broekhuysen’s work. The works by the Seelyes,
Kerbaj and Badry all ostensibly question their
contemporary society through unexpected visual
and theoretical statements.

������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
���������������
��������������������
������������
��������������������������
��������������
�����������������������������������������
�����������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������������������
���������������������������
cda@cda-projects.com www.cda-projects.com // zilberman@galerizilberman.com www.galerizilberman.com

12
5 MINUTES MI MINUTES TES WITH... WIT
THE ARTWORK I WOULD ROB A BANK FOR IS: Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon.
ARTISTS I’D LOVE TO HAVE LUNCH AND DINNER: Lunch with Forough Farrokhzad and
dinner with Louise Bourgeois.
FIVE PREREQUISITES FOR SURVIVAL IN THE ART WORLD: Be true to yourself; Seize the day;
Work hard and play hard; Acknowledge the contribution of others; and give back.
MY BIGGEST ART WORLD GOOF WAS: Not attending one of Louise Bourgeois’s Sunday
Salons at her home in Chelsea.
LOOKING BACK AT MY CAREER IN THE ART WORLD, I WISH I HAD: Trusted my
intuition earlier.
THE ART WORLD’S GREATEST UNSUNG HEROES ARE: Art handlers and studio assistants.
MY BIGGEST VANITY IS: Being in control.
IT WOULD MAKE MY MOTHER PROUD TO KNOW THAT: I am living my dream.
AT ART FAIRS, I WISH THEY WOULD SERVE: Foot massages.
IF I HAD TO SUMMARISE IN ONE WORD, I WOULD SAY THAT ART IS: Life.
IT MAKES ME UNHAPPY TO KNOW THAT: Life is so fleeting.
MANKIND IS CAPABLE OF GREAT: Kindness and cruelty.
LIFE WOULD BE MEANINGLESS WITHOUT: Sharing it.
I OWE MY SUCCESS TO: Freedom.
IF I HAD TO SPEND THE REST OF MY DAYS IN ONE PLACE, IT WOULD BE: In the
studio, working.
THE SONG I CAN LISTEN TO OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS: Autumn in New York
by Ella Fitzgerald.
THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE I WAS EVER GIVEN WAS: “Be the architect of your own destiny.”
THE WORST PIECE OF ADVICE I WAS EVER GIVEN WAS: “Don’t change; stay as you are.”
IF I WEREN WEREN’TT DOING DOING WHAT I DO, I WOULD HAVE BEE BEEN AN: Architect.
THE ARTWORK I WOULD ROB A BANK FOR IS: Everything by Fernando Botero.
ARTISTS I’D LOVE TO HAVE LUNCH AND DINNER WITH: Lunch with Frieda Kahlo and
dinner with Caravaggio.
IN THE ART WORLD, IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO: Start.
THE ART WORLD’S BIGGEST CRIME IS: Not protecting ancient forms of artistic expression
in Third World countries.
IF THERE IS ONE ERA I WOULD GO BACK TO, IT WOULD BE: Cordoba from 780-980.
YOU WOULD BE SHOCKED TO KNOW THAT I: Don’t own a watch.
MANKIND IS CAPABLE OF GREAT: Humour.
FOR INSPIRATION, I GO TO: Solitude.
LIFE WOULD BE MEANINGLESS WITHOUT: Passion.
I OWE MY SUCCESS TO: My mistakes.
MY BEST INVESTMENT IS: The courage to chase my ambitions.
THE SONG I CAN LISTEN TO OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS: Time to Say Goodbye by
Andrea Bocelli.
THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE I WAS EVER GIVEN WAS: “Sometimes silence is the
best response.”
THE WORST PIECE OF ADVICE I WAS EVER GIVEN WAS: “Do your job even though you
hate it.”
09-10 NOV 2012 I CANVAS DAILY I ISSUE 4 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION
HADIEH SHAFIE
IRANIAN ARTIST SHOWING THROUGH
KASHYA HILDEBRAND (2P11/1S4)
LAMYA AL-RASHED
FOUNDER OF LAM ART GALLERY (2P2)
LIBRARY
Hassan Sharif
Works: 1973–2011
Published by
Hatje Cantz.
Text by Catherine
David and Paulina
Kolczynska.
Presenting artworks
by pioneering Emirati artist Hassan Sharif
made between 1973 and 2011, this book
surveys the career of the man considered
‘the father of the UAE Contemporary art
scene’. Compiled by Cristiana de Marchi and
including texts by Catherine David and Pauline
Kolczynska, this publication offers insight
into Sharif’s techniques and inspirations
behind the works spanning his decades-long
practice. Comprising 317 pages juxtaposed
with beautifully rendered reproductions of
the artist’s oeuvre, Hassan Sharif Works:
1973–2011 offers a visually compelling and
intellectually stimulating examination of the
artist’s conceptual creations.
Price: AED 228/$62.
ARTBUS
From 7–10 November, the ArtBus departs daily at
14:00 from Dubai’s the jamjar to Abu Dhabi Art. As
part of the collaboration between ArtintheCity and
Abu Dhabi Art, the ArtBus will once again feature the
artwork made by the winners of the Wings Project.
It departs back to Dubai from Manarat Al-Saadiyat
each day at 21:00. Tickets priced at AED 50.
For more information call +971 43417303 or
email artbus@artinthecity.com
������ � �����
������������������������
�������������
����������
�����������
�������������
�������������������
The Complete
Zaha Hadid
Published by
Thames & Hudson
Text by
Aaron Betsky
This comprehensive
tome highlights a
selection of projects by Pritzker Prize-winning
architect Zaha Hadid. Replete with glossy images
of her creations in addition to in-depth text, this
hardcover takes readers through over 130 of
Hadid’s projects, exploring her earlier works as
well as more recent achievements. At 256 pages,
the book includes a thorough introduction
as well as chapters on Building and Projects,
Objects, Furniture and Interiors and Project
Information, relaying specific details on each of
Hadid’s creations. Through attractive design and
informative content, this publication is essential
for anyone seeking a greater understanding of
the Iraqi/British architect’s extensive projects.
Price: AED 171/$46.
Both books are available at Artyfact.

B2*
ABU DHABI ART MAP
1M15 1M16
1S2
1S1
B1
1M17 1M18 1M19 1M20 1M21
1M7 1M8 1M10 1M12
1M9 1M11
1M1 1M2
1M3 1M4 1M5
HALL 2 UAE PAVILION
2P19
2P20
2P1
2P2
2P4
2P5
2P15
2P3
2P6
2P7
2P16
2P10
2P12
2P14
2P17
B4
1M6
2P8 2P9
B3
2P18
2P11
2P13
1M13
2P21
2P22
1M14
1S3
HALL 1 MANARAT AL SAADIYAT
VIP Desk/
Majlis
MODERN & CONTEMPORARY GALLERIES
2P19 / 1S2 AB Gallery Lucerne/Zurich, Switzerland
1M6 Agial Art Gallery Beirut, Lebanon
1M11 Art Sawa Dubai, UAE
1M3 ARTSPACE Dubai, UAE / London, UK
2P3 Atassi Gallery Damascus, Syria
1M8 / B1 Athr Gallery Jeddah, KSA
2P21 Ayyam Gallery Dubai, UAE / Beirut, Lebanon / Damascus, Syria
2P5 Bait Muzna Gallery Muscat, Oman
1M14 CDA Projects Gallery Istanbul, Turkey
2P7 Edward Tyler Nahem Fine Art, L.L.C.
New York, USA
1M4 / B4 EOA. Projects London, UK
2P17 Gagosian Gallery London, UK / New York/Beverly Hills, USA
Paris, France / Rome, Italy / Athens, Greece /
Geneva, Switzerland / Hong Kong, China
2P10 Galerie Brigitte Schenk Cologne, Germany
2P4 Galerie El Marsa La Marsa, Tunisia
2P22 Galerie Enrico Navarra Paris, France
2P9 Galerie GP & N Vallois Paris, France
1M21 / 1S3 Galerie Janine Rubeiz Beirut, Lebanon
2P1 Galerie Jérôme de Noirmont Paris, France
2P11 / 1S4 Galerie Kashya Hildebrand Zurich, Switzerland
2P16 Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac Paris, France / Salzburg, Austria
1M19 Galleria Continua San Gimignano, Italy / Beijing, China / Le Moulin, France
2P8 Hanart TZ Gallery Hong Kong, China
1M12 Hauser & Wirth Zurich, Switzerland / New York, USA /
London, UK
1M16 Horrach Moya Palma de Mallorca, Spain
2P20 Hunar Gallery Dubai, UAE
2P18 / B2 kamel mennour Paris, France
1M1 Kerlin Gallery Dublin, Republic of Ireland
2P13 Kukje Gallery / Tina Kim Gallery Seoul, Korea / New York, USA
2P2 Lam Art Gallery Riyadh, KSA
1M2 Leehwaik Gallery Seoul, Korea
2P12 Leila Heller Gallery New York, USA
2P15 Lisson Gallery London, UK / Milan, Italy
1M15 Meem Gallery Dubai, UAE
1M9 October Gallery London, UK
1M5 Ota Fine Arts Tokyo, Japan / Singapore
1M10 Paul Stolper Gallery London, UK
2P14 / B 3 SFEIR-SEMLER Beirut, Lebanon / Hamburg, Germany
1M18 Simon Lee Gallery London, UK / Hong Kong, China
2P6 The Breeder Athens, Greece
1M20 The Park Gallery London, UK
1M13 The Third Line Dubai, UAE
1M7 Tina Keng Gallery Taipei, Taiwan / Beijing, China
1M17 / 1S1 Waterhouse & Dodd London, UK / New York, USA
1M # are galleries located in Hall 1 2P # are galleries located in Hall 2
1S # are galleries participating in Signature B # are galleries participating in Beyond
1S4
08
16
18
Art Lounges
Art Lounge Interviews
Design Programme
02
HALL 2
13
12
19
Eco Future Exhibition
FANR Restaurant
Cloak Room
VIP Car Park
Public Car Park and Valet
‘Chairs for Abu Dhabi’
by Tadashi Kawamata
Film Programme
17
11
27
05
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
24
06
22
14
15
06
04
01 09
07
03
Artyfact
Studio Manarat Al Saadiyat
Cafe Manara
Abu Dhabi Art Community
Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Ali Khadra
Editor Myrna Ayad
Consultant Editor James Parry
Editorial Assistants Rebecca Anne Proctor
and Rania Habib
Editorial Intern Dina Kadhr
Art Directors Kate Scott and Gyorgy Varszegi
Photography Siddarth Siva
Production Manager Parul Arya
Marketing & Distribution Fiza Akram
Finance & Administration Eid Sabban
Commercial Manager Lama Seif
Advertising Consultant Elias Mouawad
International Sales Manager Firas Khouja
IT Hussain Rangwala
Printers United Printing and Publishing, Abu Dhabi
Media Partner Booths
Press Office
The Saadiyat Story
28
23
20 21
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
HALL 1
Art, Talks & Sensations
Art Zone
Art in the Park
Abu Dhabi Art Majlis Entrance
BVLGARI Lounge At Abu Dhabi Art
Gourmet Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi Art Library
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
25
26
10
Hall 1
Hall 2
Auditorium
Main Entrance
Plaza
Registration
VIP Desk
Mixed Media Publishing FZ LLC
PO Box 500487, Dubai, UAE | Tel: +971 43671693
Fax: +971 43672645 | info@mixed-media.com
www.mixed-media.com | www.canvasonline.com
01
02
03
04
05
06
07

www.vacheron - constantin.com www.thehourlounge.com
Boutique
Mall of the Emirates, 1st Floor,
Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai
Tel: 04 222 1222
In 1839 Vacheron Constantin created several machines, among them
the famous pantograph, a mechanical device which meant that for
the first time in history principal watchmaking components could be
reproduced with total precision, raising the quality of its timepieces
once again. This invention carried the brand into the future and would
revolutionise Swiss watchmaking.
Faithful to the history for which it is renowned,
Vacheron Constantin undertakes to maintain, repair
and restore all watches it has produced since its
foundation: a sign of excellence and confidence which
still today gives the manufacture its reputation.
Overseas Chronograph
Pink gold case, Self-winding mechanical movement
Réf. 49150/000R-9454
Manufacture Horlogère, Genève, depuis 1755.
Distributor: Exclusive Agent:
DAMAS CUSTOMER SERVICE: 04 427 0336
Emirates Towers 04 330 3262 - Burj Al Arab 04 348 4816
Saks Burjuman 04 351 1980
UAE: Abu Dhabi, Al Fardan Jewellery,
Al Fardan Tower, Tel 02 674 5000
Dubai, Al Fardan Jewels and Precious Stones