The annual Art Dubai, which was the first major international art event to cancel last March amid the onset of the pandemic, has now become the first to resume in-person operations, signaling the resurgence for the global art market that had been in a lull due to the Covid-19 pandemic that ensured that for much of 2020, the world practically stopped as countries went into long periods of lockdown while economic activities took a back seat. 

Now, as countries tentatively exit the critical period of the pandemic and vaccines are being rolled out on a large scale, the United Arab Emirates is leading the charge for the revival of the global art market by spurring the re-emergence of art galleries from all over the world, showcasing their collections for art lovers and patrons to buy and acquire at market–competitive prices.

Sheikha Latifa Bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), on Wednesday, April 7, inaugurated the 7th edition of World Art Dubai 2021 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) to the glee of the local, regional and international art community.

More than 2,000 pieces from over 27 countries are on display at the four-day art fair, with some galleries joining remotely. To ensure the safety of visitors, and in line with all government guidelines, a range of measures have been implemented, including social distancing, mandatory mask-wearing, regular disinfection, and clearly marked and defined entry and exit areas. 

In addition, participating gallerists had to take two PCR tests—one the day before the fair and another the day after it opened. Only visitors who had booked an appointment were permitted to enter, and the fair limited attendance to 600 people at once (250 fewer than the government-issued cap).

For the preceding Art Dubai Fair that ran from 29 March – 3 April 2021, to compensate for the peculiarity of the time, fair organizers adopted an unprecedented profit-sharing model. Galleries did not need to pay a fee upfront to participate. Instead, they paid Art Dubai 50 percent of sales made during the fair, up to the cost of the booth. Dealers that had put forward the traditional 50 percent advance for the canceled 2020 fair had the option to apply the fee to this year’s event or to the 2022 edition. 

Art Dubai also instituted a remote participation program for galleries that were unable to attend in person due to travel restrictions. Seven dealers, including Kolkata’s Experimenter gallery and Beirut’s Sfeir-Semler, oversaw their installations via Zoom. The fair hired a representative to man their stands and QR codes enabled collectors to WhatsApp the remote gallerists directly. 

It was certainly a happy week for many dealers, who reported swift sales from the fair’s first day. On view was a mix of work by established and emerging artists with a focus on the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia. 

Several galleries went home with a huge killing, including first-time exhibitors Perrotin who sold a work by French photographer JR for $65,000, and Comptoir des Mines from Marrakech who sold a work by Moroccan-born Fatiha Zemmouri for $32,000. Custot Gallery Dubai sold two works by British artist Ian Davenport in the range of $120,000 and $150,000, one by Fabienne Verdier for $150,000, and two by Sophia Vari for between $45,000 and $70,000, while Dubai-based Meem Gallery sold two works by revered Iraqi artist Dia Azzawi in the range of $55,000 and $90,000.

Recently, the fair has adopted a growing focus on art from Africa and its diaspora, and this year’s crowd was obviously receptive to this trend as they readily doled out money to acquire the African art on display. Gallery 1957, with bases in London and Accra, sold four works by Ivory Coast-based artist Joana Choumali in the range of $10,000 to $16,000, while Addis Fine Art, of Addis Ababa and London, sold works by rising Ethiopian star Tizta Berhanu in the region of £4,000 to £6,000.

World Art Dubai will conclude on Saturday, April 10. For the four days of the fair, exhibitions will run from 1 pm until 9 pm daily, except on Saturday when the show will run until 8 pm. Tickets for the fair cost Dh20 (about $5.45) for adults and Dh10 (about $2.72) for children, with family packages available. Tickets can be purchased online through the World Art Dubai website. 

If you can’t make it for the World Art Dubai Fair and you’re shaking your head at the incredible African art you are missing out on, don’t sweat it! Just head on to Aworanka.com and feast on the richly varied artworks by African artists and artists of African descent on display. What’s more? They are price-tagged, affordable, and you don’t have to worry about the process of shipping or certification as all will be organized by the Aworanka team and you will get your purchased artwork right in your living room or office without you breaking a sweat!