Our take on Design Days Dubai and Art Dubai 2017

Outside daytime image, clear canal water, colourful transparent triangles on a floating white platform art piece, palm trees, canal bank, bars and tall buildings in the backdrop, clear blue sky

Rana Begum’s piece at the Abraaj Group Art Prize 2017, as seen at Art Dubai. Courtesy of Photo Solutions

(Image credit: TBC)

last updated 25 August 2022

The very international Art Dubai returned for its 11th edition this month, under the new direction of Myrna Ayad at the Madinat Jumeirah. This year's fair saw a growing plethora of galleries and countries represented – over 500 creatives expressing themselves through varied media including dance, sculpture, food and music. And this is exactly why the only truly international art fair of the Middle East is thriving. There is a flexibility seldom seen at similar initiatives, as architect Philip Michael Wolfson pointed out on arrival (it was his first visit to the Middle East despite his long association with the late Zaha Hadid, who clearly remains the doyenne of the region).

He's right. Like Miami, Basel and Hong Kong's equivalents, there is a design show – now in its sixth addition – that runs alongside the art fair. But in Dubai it is possible to show art pieces at Design Days Dubai, which took place in a structure within the massive d3 district (Dubai Design District) for the first time. This makes commercial sense where design is business, gallerists have pledged hard cash for square metres purchased for the fair duration and where gallerists are professionals who know how they want to curate. Setting a scene should present no difficulties and find no boundaries.

Rustic white and blue painted bricked walls, concrete floor, red and white metal column to the right, tall white framed windows letting in light, shiny silver, metal, curve lined sculpture at the front of the shot — *’E-Turn’, by Brodie Neill for Kundalini, 2017. As seen at the ’Britain Takes Shape’ exhibition at Design Days Dubai*

With regards to the content at 2017's Design Days Dubai, the development of initiatives by the British Council and Dubai Culture – the government body in charge of design as business – meant invitations to the British Crafts Council, as well to ten designers from the UK in celebration of the UK and UAE year of cultural collaboration for an exhibition entitled 'Britain Takes Shape'. This is not a post-Brexit comment; rather, it's an exploration of how British-based creatives have pioneered design through process, whether thought or in production. Pieces on show by Fredrikson Stallard, Brodie Neill, Bethan Gray and Philip Michael Wolfson, among others, echoed similar work by local MENASA (Middle East, North Africa, South Asia) producers, showing a touch of hand and spirit that mass production does not always offer. This is a show for collectibles after all. (Downtown Design in November is more about mass manufacture.)

A lively talks itinerary initiated by Rawan Kashkoush, the mind behind the Abwab programme (Arabic for 'gateway' and a project that continues to pick up momentum) took conversations between Emirati- and British-based designers to a whole new level of cultural cross reference, with some held at the magnificent, Moriyama & Teshima-designed Etihad museum.

It is clear that the efforts of both government and cultural institutions locally – as well as the business of Art Dubai, which umbrellas both these events as well as the November Dubai Design Week – are going great guns. Wallpaper's own support of contemporary Middle Eastern design through 'Middle East Revealed' over the years has also had resonance with its emotional support of talent from the region. There were many thanks from designers such as Khalid Shafar, Aljoud Lootah and Fadi Sarieddine for continued exposure. Lets just hope it leads to business.

Left image: Marble and gold bowl and cake platter design without lid, Right image: Marble and gold bowl and cake platter design with clear dome lid, white background, grey stand — Bowl and cake platter, by Fadi Sarieddine, 2017. Part of the ’Damascus Revisited’ collection, as seen at Design Days Dubai

Long white room, ceiling lights, wall of windows right wall, rows of black walls hooks on left, grey marble effect floor, three wooden art pieces on black stands placed around the room — *I Am Sick But I Am Alive*, installation by Haig Aivazian at Sfeir Semler Gallery, 2016, as seen at Art Dubai

Outside daytime image, lawn area, grey patio space, white building with windows and exit door, close up of a tall purple and pink clock style exhibit, seating incorporating a ladder pink, green and grey art work — Art Dubai Bar – 'Ghariba' by Meriem Bennani for Art Dubai Projects, 2017. Courtesy of Photo Solutions

Gallery room, grey marble effect floor, white ceiling iwth metal framing and spotlights, black partition wall to the right, small white columns with art exhibits on top, large white screen with grey diagram — Installation view of the Damascus Revisited stand at Design Days Dubai

White background, two angles of a wooden Rock &lsquo;n&rsquo; Roll Chair exhibit piece — 'Rock ‘n’ Roll Chair', by Fadi Sarieddine, 2017. Presented in collaboration with The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), as seen at Design Days Dubai

Neutral wall with two scrunched up shiny silver art exhibits, below two white tables, one with black various size sculptured bowls and the other with white bowls cups and jugs — 'Hurricane Mirror Silver', by Fredrikson Stallard at Design Days Dubai

Left image: white wall and floor, white vases of different shapes, three long white flower with green stems in one of the vases, Right: Layers of white plates with gold circular patterns — 'Tebr' porcelain collection, by Aljoud Lootah, 2017, as seen at Design Days Dubai

Art piece, multiple different types of red shapes on a transparent background — A solo show from artist Nicène Kossentini, at Sabrina Amrani Gallery, as seen at Art Dubai

Gallery room, art exhibit suspended from ceiling on wires, white platform below with a small brown circle underneath, white partition walls with written information, black partition wall in the distance, white ceiling with black frames and spotlights — 'Sonuslexica', by Apical Reform, as seen at Design Days Dubai

Various size stone plant pots of natural multicolours, white table top, grey concrete wall — Six pots, by A Hypothetical Office, 2017. Part of the 'Strata' collection, as seen at Design Days Dubai

White natural wash walls, grey marble effect floor, white table, two benches, two stools with marble stone tops and gold frames, white stone potted plants and small trees, white bowl on the table top — Bench and table, by A Hypothetical Office, 2017. Part of the 'Strata' collection, as seen at Design Days Dubai

Left image: Three round stools with rustic design tops and black leg frames, grey floor, Right: Two rectangle stools, custom design tops and black leg frames, grey floor — Left, 'The Triplets'. Right, 'Pompeii'. Both by Aperçu Designs, 2017. As seen at Design Days Dubai

Left Image: close up of opague tops stools with wood design, Right: white wall room, wooden floor, wooden stools, wooden log lights suspended from the ceiling — Left, 'Pompeii'. Right, 'Sky Drops'. Both by Aperçu Designs, 2017. As seen at Design Days Dubai

White walls, shiny dark marble floor, three wooden stand exhibits in dark wood and gold — 'The Sanctuary' by Ayah Al Bitar, 2017. As seen at Design Days Dubai

Close up Images of dark wooden beams and archways, books on shelf, white pot with green plant — 'Qaws' by Dahr Design, 2017. As seen at Design Days Dubai

Grey marble effect floor, dark wooden exhibit table and four benches — 'Qaws' by Dahr Design, 2017. As seen at Design Days Dubai

Two art exhibits in a white background, Left: curved wooden piece, Right: Grey stone piece — 'Qaws' by Dahr Design, 2017. As seen at Design Days Dubai

INFORMATION

Art Dubai ran from 15–18 March. Design Days Dubai ran from 14–17 March. For more information, visit the Art Dubai website, or the Design Days Dubai website