ART DUBAI 2014

Confetti cube reminded of a yummy strawberry desert.   On display by a gallery from Italy.

Art Dubai 2014 kicked off on Tuesday, March 18th with the Collectors' Circle and Jumeirah Patrons' Preview and then the Art Dubai invitation only opening night on Wednesday, March 19th.

85 galleries from 34 countries and more than 500 artists participated in the Art Dubai this year.  Art Dubai 2014 opened its' doors to public on March 20th at Madinat Jumeirah.  It is the 8th annual edition of the fair.  

Here are the highlights of works that captivated me personally at the fair.

A visitor looks on to Lalla A. Essaydi's work on chromogenic print called "Bullets Revisited #3" displayed by Kashya Hildebrand Gallery. 

"Bullets Revisited #3", 2012.  Material/technique: Chromogenic print. 

Detail of Lalla A. Essaydi's work.

Each year there is a Marker section of the Art Dubai which is dedicated to a specific region.  This year it was dedicated to Central Asia and included Kazakhstan (Almaty), Uzbekistan (Tashkent), Northern Caucasus region of Russia (Vladikavkaz), Azerbaijan (Baku) and Georgia (Tbilisi).  The curator for this section Payam Sharifi is also a member of an art collective "Slavs and Tatars".

Gallery NCCA from Vladikavkaz (Northern Caucasus region) reflecting Soviet culture.

Gallery NCCA from Vladikavkaz.

Gallery NCCA from Vladikavkaz.

Yarat Contemporary art organization from Baku, Azerbaijan with works by Reza Hazare representing.

Payam Sharifi of the art collective "Slavs and Tatars" is giving an art tour of the Marker section of the Art Dubai.

Other sections' highlights included works by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama "Infiniti-nets", 2013.  On display by a London-based gallery Victoria Miro.

Material/technique:  Acrylic on canvas

 Work by Jose Bechara "All that there is inside II", 2014.

Material/technique:  copper and iron oxidation on tarp. 

Work Pieri Japonica (2013) by Valerie Belin is rumored to have been sold for 30,000 EURO

Art Dubai attendees were dressed to the nines making Art Dubai a fashion destination as well.

Dubai-based artist Kate Toledo wearing cardigan with fox shoulders

Guests fascinated by David Arsham's work, on display by a gallery from Brazil.

Sought-after Valentino rock-stud shoes. 

I have also included my personal favorites:

"No love lost" by Hossein Valamanesh in bronze, 2013, displayed by GAGPROJECTS gallery based in Adelaide/Berlin.  Some people on Instagram thought it says "no love last", which they thought were a very true statement.  Quite a possibility I guess!

A beautiful work by James Clar "One sun two times"

Now Here by Susan Hefuna, on display by PI Artworks gallery based in Istanbul/London

"Big watermelon" by Geynur Yunus.

Forever these words unsteadily will live by Fred Eerdekens, 2014

A gallery from Lagos, Nigeria, displayed an interesting work by Nenna Okore made of plastic bags

Among the VIP guests who attended the fair we spotted the Ambassador of the United States to the UAE His Excellency Michael H. Corbin.

 Guests are treated to a wide selection of food from the luxury restaurants in the Madinat Jumeirah.