Art is poised at the crossroads in the United Arab Emirates, particularly in Abu Dhabi.  Abu Dhabi, the important political hub of the Emirates, has arrived at the contemporary art scene very recently, unlike Dubai, with its history of involvement with exhibition spaces and setting for important auctions of Middle Eastern art, or Sharjah, site for the Sharjah Biennale that greatly expanded its offerings under the direction of Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, daughter of the ruler of Sharjah.

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Abstract:
Abu Dhabi has worked frenetically to establish itself as a world class centre for the fine arts.  From the much-touted museums to the international film festival, from a classical music series to literary awards, from the architectural experimentation to major international exhibits and auctions of art, Abu Dhabi appears to be wholly committed to becoming a major player on the globalized fine arts scene.  What is to be gained and at what costs and sacrifices?  This essay explores the rationale behind this cultural boom and wonders about both the risks and benefits of this concerted—and hugely costly—endeavor.

It’s not new that Abu Dhabi is working on becoming the cultural capital of the Middle East.  Another sign of that is the return of ArtParis-Abu Dhabi for the second year, bigger and organizers say better than last time with 57 galleries from around the world exhibiting more than 3300 works of art.

2007 was a monumental year for art – and indeed, all things cultural – in Abu Dhabi. In a short space of time, the city has seen real progress in terms of cultural maturity. The Saadiyat Island project – complete with Louvre and Guggenheim museums - was announced to the world in February; the Tourism Development Investment Company (TDIC) created a dedicated exhibition space within the Emirates Palace hotel organising such prolific exhibitions as the Arts of Islam – Treasures from the Khalili Collection; three contemporary galleries, Ghaf Gallery, Al Qibab Gallery and Contempo Art Gallery, welcomed audiences for the first time; the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) brought heavyweight archaeological and anthropological exhibitions such as the British Museum’s Sudan, to the halls of the Cultural Foundation and, Art Paris-Abu Dhabi held a successful, glamorous inaugural edition in November. The city’s cultural calendar was increased ten-fold. However, is it also valid to look at Abu Dhabi one year on and question why there isn’t yet a contemporary commercial art scene to match the very one which has been blossoming, not so quietly, up the Sheikh Zayed road for the past three years?

Iranian art does well in the UAE – especially in Dubai where exhibitions of contemporary Iranian art can be found in a number of galleries including several located in the Al Quoz industrial area close to Sheikh Zayed Road. The work of some artists, such as the calligraphic paintings of Mohammad Ehsai and the sculptures of Parviz Tanavoli, commanded significant sums at Christie’s Auction in Dubai in the spring 2008 auction.(1)

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has only been established as a country for 36 years, and to date has had a very short and modest history in the visual arts, art education and art appreciation. Printmaking, which is a relatively new medium in the UAE, is not widely practiced. The few printmaking studios in the country are situated within a small number of institutes of higher learning in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. Because there are no private or public print shops artists can access once they have graduated from university, the expansion of this medium is adversely affected. 

Last year you created the Young Press Leaders Program (YPL) which has been extended and expanded into 2009. Why did you start it?

To give national students the opportunity to interact with professional journalists and to focus their creativity in producing something special. It is a platform in which they can voice their opinions.

Layla Bahussain's series, Shadows results from her questions about the way in which Emirati women, when clothed in the traditional abaya, may be perceived by others.  Are they seen as oddities or exotic beings by tourists unfamiliar with the local culture simply because of what they are wearing?  Shadows is a playful exploration of the relationship of form to shadow with perception and misperception.

Ayyub bin Russell Hamilton constructs complicated landscapes which are comprised of a multitude of images from photographs taken throughout the United Arab Emirates – from Abu Dhabi to Ras al-Khaimah; Dubai and Sharjah to Umm al-Qaiwain and all the points in between.

“Reflections” is an exhibition of work created in my drawing classes and showcases the creativity of Zayed University Art and Design students.  Using various techniques, exploring surface and drawing media, students created a dynamic body of work that related to themselves and developed a visual language which explored issues of subjectivity and perceptions of the other, memory, narrative, gender and the environment. These drawings remind us of the past, connect us to the present and move us beyond the moment.  They give us an insight into the process of drawing and the freedom of thoughts and dreams. 

Young artists in the UAE have witnessed a continual change in landscape and culture in what is an apparent fusion of east and west. Photography is the tool of choice for many young artists whose main circuit of communication is though the virtual conduits of the Internet. Instantly they can cross borders and communicate with others across the globe.

Young female artists, trained in academic institutions in the United Arab Emirates, have a powerful presence in the art arena. Some exhibit in art galleries even before their student training is completed.  Others are introduced to art aficionados through their university Bachelors of Fine Arts Thesis exhibition, or come to the attention of the public by entering and winning competitions.  However, regardless of the way in which their work first becomes known, each of them has to find the way to navigate between traditional culture and creative impulse.  As Lamya Hussain Gargash states in a 2005 interview