The affordable art fair with a difference, World Art Dubai concluded its four-day run with strong sales and a compelling message that there is a growing appetite for contemporary, accessible paintings, photography, sculptures and installations in the Middle East.

Anna Dudchenko, a Russian artist who is based in Muscat, Oman, has sold more than 100 new limited edition prints of her work depicting a range of animals, particularly gorillas, valued at Dh250 ($68).  “The fair has been very successful for me and interest in the prints, as well as the original pieces of work, has been very good.  I have sold to a wide range of customers – all sorts of different nationalities such as Peruvian, Lebanese, Spanish, English, Turkish, Korean.

“My work has a global appeal. This new range is based on literature characters from some of my favourite books such as Alice in Wonderland, Lolita, The Little Prince and 100 Years of Solitude.”

The second edition of World Art Dubai, which ran at the Dubai World Trade Centre from April 6 to 9, featured an affordable collection of contemporary artworks comprising paintings, prints, photography, sculptures, mixed media and installations, as well as music performances, prominent talks and interactive workshops delivered by international speakers, all created to make the art world more accessible to everyone.

Maria Correas, owner of standARTe Gallery from Madrid in Spain, has been pleased with the number of leads generated by potential new buyers as well as the pieces she has sold so far.  A large scale art work by Teresa Calderon was sold to an English-German couple who live in Dubai for AED25,000 ($6,804.3), while the vibrant Pink Panther in Pink Armani, by artist ‘mon’ – Juan Ramon Garcia – has caught the attention of many visitors to the fair.

The event has brought exclusive, extraordinary, and affordable contemporary art to the UAE by more than 140 prominent local, regional and international galleries and artists, and is reducing the pricing gap in the contemporary art sphere between the UAE and other countries.

In keeping with the aim of World Art Dubai to introduce art as an affordable luxury to a wider audience rather than to limit it to a certain niche, a number of pieces were sold to people looking to expand their burgeoning collections.

Thejamjar, the Dubai-based art studio created a series of workshops to offer a unique opportunity for visitors to unleash their creativity through the use of mixed media in age-specific groups led by artists. Each ‘hands on’ experience was preceded by a presentation of well-known art works, explained in their historical and cultural context.

The Interactive Graffiti Art & Canon Activity Wall was another new feature at the show, hosted by Canon - World Art Dubai’s Official Imaging Partner. The interactive wall that provided the audience with the opportunity for a creation of virtual graffiti using a specially designed spray to make their own vibrant and colourful work of art.  

The Ripe Contemporary Design and Craft Market, which ran alongside the event, offered an eclectic mix of innovative handmade, unique crafts and gifts, which offered art buyers an al fresco festival vibe outside of the traditional art fair show floor.

World Art Dubai 2016 was supported by Dubai Culture, was part of the Dubai Art Season and hosted at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The fair is set to return in April 2017. - TradeArabia News Service