Curiosity sparks growing demand for African art in the UAE

Curiosity sparks growing demand for African art in the UAE
BREAKING THE MOULD: New signatures from the DRC, Installation view courtesy of YETU gallery, Kinshasa. (Supplied) 
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Updated 18 December 2022
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Curiosity sparks growing demand for African art in the UAE

Curiosity sparks growing demand for African art in the UAE
  • Artists from Africa are making a name for themselves in Abu Dhabi and Dubai

DUBAI: In a warehouse at Alserkal Avenue — Dubai’s arts district — a group of 11 emerging artists from the Democratic Republic of Congo recently displayed their work in a week-long exhibition titled “Breaking the Mold.” The title was a reference to the attempts of the artists — all former students of the Academy of Fine Arts in the DRC’s capital, Kinshasa — to escape the restrictions of their academic training.

Artists on show included photographer Arlette Bashizi. Her series “Re-construction” uses self-portraiture to tackle stereotypes and misrepresentations of black, African (particularly Congolese) women. Multidisciplinary artist Chris Shongo, meanwhile, elevated Congolese women to the status of Egyptian queen Nefertiti — to whom he attributes the origin of African women’s lineage — in his work “Nefercongo.” 




BREAKING THE MOULD: New signatures from the DRC, Installation view courtesy of YETU gallery, Kinshasa. (Supplied) 

The exhibition was staged by Yetu Management, an organization that promotes Congolese art and which recently opened its own gallery in Kinshasa.

“It seems there’s a lot of curiosity about art from Africa. I heard people saying they don’t get to see enough of it in Dubai, which hopefully we can change,” the gallery’s director Daria Kirsanova told Arab News. “We are now thinking about coming back with another project in 2023 to keep the conversation going.”

“Breaking the Mold” was just one of an increasing number of art events in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in which African art has made an appearance.




BREAKING THE MOULD: New signatures from the DRC, Installation view courtesy of YETU gallery, Kinshasa. (Supplied) 

At the recent Abu Dhabi Art fair, there were several first-time participants from the African continent, signaling a growing appetite for art from Africa in the UAE.  For example, Kó, an art space in Lagos, Nigeria, run by Kavita Chellaram, participated for the first time physically, after a virtual participation in 2020.

“We want to engage in cross-cultural exchange between Africa, North Africa and the Middle East,” said Chellaram, who showed both modern and contemporary Nigerian artists.

Cape Town-based THK showed for the first time at the fair, presenting a solo booth by Abdus Salaam, an artist who converted to Islam at the age of nine. His sculptural works convey a “mystic abstraction,” according to the gallery.

Afriart gallery from Kampala, Uganda, participated for the second time, showing works by Uganda-based artists Mona Taha and Sanaa Gateja priced at between $4,000 and $30,000.




BREAKING THE MOULD: New signatures from the DRC, Installation view courtesy of YETU gallery, Kinshasa. (Supplied) 

Efie Gallery, founded by Ghanaian family Valentina, Kwame and Kobi Mintah, is a more-permanent fixture in the UAE art scene. It recently celebrated the first anniversary of its establishment at Dubai’s Al-Khayat Art Avenue. It is the city’s second African art gallery; the first — Akka Project — opened in 2016.

In the year since it opened, Efie Gallery has hosted seven exhibitions, including the acclaimed Ghanaian sculptor El Anatsui’s first solo show in the city, and a collaborative exhibition with the UK auction house Christie’s featuring work by El Anatsui alongside fast-rising Ghanaian artists Isshaq Ismail and Yaw Owusu.

Efie Gallery’s success is partly due to the increased demand for African art in the international art market.

According to a recent edition of ArtTactic’s Modern and Contemporary African Artist Market Report, exploring auction sales between 2016 and 2021, African art has increased in popularity, with sales increasing by 44 percent in 2021, from $50 million in 2020 to $72 million last year, and with contemporary art galleries around the world increasingly eager to show work from the continent.




BREAKING THE MOULD: New signatures from the DRC, Installation view courtesy of YETU gallery, Kinshasa. (Supplied) 

“The rapid expansion of the gallery’s extensive program is testament to the contemporary art scene here in Dubai,” Kwame Mintah told Arab News. “The collaborative approach of government, institutions, private stakeholders and collectors alike further positions art as a key contributor to the region’s (cultural) and economic development.”

The gallery is currently showing El Anatsui’s monumental bottlecap work “Detsi” at the Arts Club in Dubai and a solo show by Yaw Owusu — running until Dec. 20 — which includes work he created during a residency at the gallery over the summer.

Next up, Efie Gallery will show “The Art of Advocacy” — an exhibition of images by Ethiopian photographer Aida Muluneh, including an exclusive never-before-seen photograph — that runs from Jan. 12 until Feb. 24.


Yara Shahidi jets to Paris for ‘bittersweet goodbye’ at Alexander McQueen show

Yara Shahidi jets to Paris for ‘bittersweet goodbye’ at Alexander McQueen show
Updated 51 min 13 sec ago
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Yara Shahidi jets to Paris for ‘bittersweet goodbye’ at Alexander McQueen show

Yara Shahidi jets to Paris for ‘bittersweet goodbye’ at Alexander McQueen show

DUBAI: Part-Middle Eastern actress Yara Shahidi was on hand as designer Sarah Burton presented her final collection as the creative head of Alexander McQueen in a Paris Fashion Week show attended by the who’s who of Hollywood.  

“Bittersweet Goodbye @alexandermcqueen. I’m grateful to have witnessed (and worn) Sarah Burton’s magic on the McQueen runway … until her next adventure,” Shahidi, whose father is Iranian, posted on Instagram on Sunday.  

Burton, with a profound respect for legacy and an unmistakable innovative touch, presented her magnum opus for Alexander McQueen Saturday night, the Associated Press reported.  

Her task had always been titanic – to step into shoes left empty by the enigmatic genius of Lee Alexander McQueen. The fashion maestro’s unexpected departure wasn’t just a personal loss; it marked the end of an era of theatrical, emotion-laden masterpieces. But Burton, rather than just filling a void, lit it up. She wielded her tapestry of design, interweaving McQueen’s audacious spirit with her softer, more feminine aesthetic. This dance of duality was evident in her farewell collection, where each piece told its story. The slashed bodices, the evocative blood-red laced spines, and the influence of Polish artist Magdalena Abakanowicz’s work showcased an artistry that was both fierce and tender. 

No detail was left untouched. From the profound artistry of British royal Kate Middleton’s wedding gown — a garment that transcended expectations — to her final collection’s poignant motifs, Burton proved her mettle time and again. The iconic rose, emblematic open-heart embroidery, and the magnetic close by Naomi Campbell in a sculpted silver bugle bead dress, all converged in a collection that was both homage and evolution.

And as the last piece sashayed down the runway, the room — filled with powerful editors and actresses like Cate Blanchett and Elle Fanning — rose in a rousing standing ovation. 

For her part, Shahidi showed off a red, sculptured dress from the new collection as she sat on the front row. According to the label, Burton’s “McQueen Anatomy II” collection was inspired by female anatomy, Queen Elizabeth I, the concept of the blood rose and the work of Polish sculptor Magdalena Abakanowicz. 


Lebanese label Elie Saab shows Spring 2024 ready-to-wear collection at Paris Fashion Week

Lebanese label Elie Saab shows Spring 2024 ready-to-wear collection at Paris Fashion Week
Updated 02 October 2023
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Lebanese label Elie Saab shows Spring 2024 ready-to-wear collection at Paris Fashion Week

Lebanese label Elie Saab shows Spring 2024 ready-to-wear collection at Paris Fashion Week

DUBAI: Saudi model Amira Al-Zuhair had all eyes on her as she walked the runway for famed Lebanese designer Elie Saab as he showcased the label’s Spring 2024 ready-to-wear collection at Paris Fashion Week on Saturday.

The model showcased two unique-but-breezy looks on the runway for the collection titled ‘Moonlight Shadow.’

In the show notes, the label described the Elie Saab woman as, “always ready for moonlight gatherings in radiant day looks that bring blissful glimmers to the evening.”

“Flowing open-back summer dresses with scalloped hemlines are garden-fresh in oversized white English lace. Wisps of citrus organza flowers flourish from the monochromatic hemlines of billowing silk bomber jackets. Chunky tromp-l’oeil sapphires, rubies and platinum chains trace a white kaftan with a sleek cape,” it continued.

“Of course, the party is never complete without raffia leather platforms, mini top-handle bags and extravagant gemstone jewellery.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by ELIE SAAB (@eliesaabworld)

Previously, Al-Zuhair also hit the runway for Japanese-helmed label Yohji Yamamoto and French jewelry brand Messika at Paris Fashion Week, just days after she walked for French label Balmain.

Japanese fashion designer Yamamoto, who is based in Tokyo and Paris, sent models down the runway in an assortment of all-black looks as part of the labels Spring/Summer 2024 collection.

Earlier in the week, Al-Zuhair opened the Balmain show during Paris Fashion Week. 

The rising star, who was born in Paris to a French mother and Saudi father, wore a white polka dot jumpsuit with colorful three-dimensional flower designs around the chest.  

When Gertrude Stein, a close confidant of house founder Pierre Balmain, penned “a rose is a rose is a rose,” she likely never envisaged its metamorphosis into a Paris runway’s guiding theme. Yet, designer Olivier Rousteing, embracing this iconic friendship, orchestrated a floral ode for Balmain’s Spring 2024 show. 

Rousteing channeled the essence of Balmain’s couture from the late 1940s and early 1950s, celebrating Balmain’s architectural wizardry. With every fold, cut and stitch, he echoed the legacy of the maison, fused with his own brazen touch. Sprinklings of the petit pois (polka dot), a staple from Monsieur Balmain’s era, added whimsy amid the blossoming rose narrative. 


Rami Al-Ali is first Syrian designer to be recognized by Business of Fashion list

Rami Al-Ali is first Syrian designer to be recognized by Business of Fashion list
Updated 01 October 2023
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Rami Al-Ali is first Syrian designer to be recognized by Business of Fashion list

Rami Al-Ali is first Syrian designer to be recognized by Business of Fashion list

DUBAI: Middle Eastern designer Rami Al-Ali has become the first Syrian fashion designer to be included in the BoF 500 list, the Business of Fashion’s index of the people shaping the fashion industry.

“Privileged to be included in #BOF500 2023, thank you @imranamed for your trust and your vision,” posted Al-Ali on Instagram, acknowledging Imran Amed, the founder and CEO of BoF.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Rami Al Ali (@r_al_ali)

While Al-Ali has had a loyal celebrity and royal following in the Middle East for years, more recently he has dressed global stars including Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez and Naomi Campbell.

Al-Ali has demonstrated a commitment to nurturing young designers through mentorship programs with the Esmod Fashion Institute in Dubai and the Dubai Design and Fashion Council. He is the founder of Ard Dyar, an initiative dedicated to empowering upcoming Syrian talents by connecting them with accomplished leaders in the industry.


Amira Al-Zuhair walks for Yohji Yamamoto at Paris Fashion Week

Amira Al-Zuhair walks for Yohji Yamamoto at Paris Fashion Week
Updated 30 September 2023
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Amira Al-Zuhair walks for Yohji Yamamoto at Paris Fashion Week

Amira Al-Zuhair walks for Yohji Yamamoto at Paris Fashion Week

DUBAI: Saudi model Amira Al-Zuhair hit the runway for Japanese-helmed label Yohji Yamamoto and French jewelry brand Messika at Paris Fashion Week, just days after she walked for French label Balmain.

Japanese fashion designer Yamamoto, who is based in Tokyo and Paris, sent models down the runway in an assortment of all-black looks as part of the labels Spring/Summer 2024 collection.

Earlier in the week, Al-Zuhair opened the Balmain show during Paris Fashion Week. 

The rising star, who was born in Paris to a French mother and Saudi father, wore a white polka dot jumpsuit with colorful three-dimensional flower designs around the chest.  

When Gertrude Stein, a close confidant of house founder Pierre Balmain, penned “a rose is a rose is a rose,” she likely never envisaged its metamorphosis into a Paris runway’s guiding theme. Yet, designer Olivier Rousteing, embracing this iconic friendship, orchestrated a floral ode for Balmain’s Spring 2024 show. 

Rousteing channeled the essence of Balmain’s couture from the late 1940s and early 1950s, celebrating Balmain’s architectural wizardry. With every fold, cut and stitch, he echoed the legacy of the maison, fused with his own brazen touch. Sprinklings of the petit pois (polka dot), a staple from Monsieur Balmain’s era, added whimsy amid the blossoming rose narrative. 


K-Pop’s Super Junior ‘looking forward’ to performing at KCon in Saudi Arabia 

K-Pop’s Super Junior ‘looking forward’ to performing at KCon in Saudi Arabia 
Updated 30 September 2023
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K-Pop’s Super Junior ‘looking forward’ to performing at KCon in Saudi Arabia 

K-Pop’s Super Junior ‘looking forward’ to performing at KCon in Saudi Arabia 

DUBAI: South Korean boy band Super Junior are gearing up to perform at Saudi Arabia’s popular K-Pop music festival KCon, which will be held at Boulevard Riyadh City on Oct. 6 and 7. 

The group — which consists of Leeteuk, Heechul, Yesung, Shindong, Sungmin, Eunhyuk, Donghae, Siwon, Ryeowook and Kyuhyun — will hit the stage on Oct. 7.  

In an interview with Arab News, Shindong said that the group is looking forward “to proper fandom culture. I hope that singers and fans will work together to have a positive impact on society,” he said.  

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by KCON (@kconofficial)

 

For his part, Donghae, said:  “I am looking forward to performing in Saudi Arabia after a long time and I am glad to be able hear the cheering of Saudi fans again. I know that K-Pop is very popular in Saudi Arabia, so I want to perform there quickly.” 

“We will make you happy and (give you) precious memories  — as much as the time you waited,” he promised his fans.  

Ryeowook views art as a powerful connective tool.  

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by KCON (@kconofficial)

 

“We would be honored if many future artists were inspired by Super Junior and found themselves in great positions,” he told Arab News. “I want to show you songs and performances that can have a positive impact right here and now.”  

During the interview, Siwon said he would love to collaborate with local talent in the Kingdom. “I really hope this will happen. I believe that collaboration in the field of cultural exchange is a great development for both countries,” he said.  

Meanwhile, Leeteuk was surprised to learn that people in the Kingdom are fans of K-Pop. “I was very surprised and once again moved by their passion. I will do my best to repay their passionate love,” he said.  

Eunhyuk, who will perform twice at the festival, told Arab News: “We will be able to show you Super Junior and Super Junior-D&E’s performance together, so you will be able to see the charm of our diverse music and performances.” 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by KCON (@kconofficial)

 

Super Junior falls under South Korean multinational agency SM Entertainment, which manages groups like EXO, SuperM and Red Velvet.  

The first day of the festival will see performances by Riize, Everglow, Highlight, Hyolyn, Kard, Super Junior-D&E (which are members Donghae and Eunhyuk) and 8Turn.  

On the second day, Super Junior will perform alongside Dreamcatcher, El7z Up, Evnne, Oh My Girl, Tempest and TNX.  

The event, which launched in Los Angeles in 2012, is said to be one of the largest Korean cultural festivals worldwide.  

The Kingdom’s hosting of the event is part of an agreement signed between the Saudi Ministry of Culture and Seoul-based entertainment company CJ ENM in June 2022. It also reflects the ministry’s efforts to boost international cultural exchange in line with the goals of Vision 2030.