Event Item: 00051

Abu Dhabi hosts major Art and Antiques Fair

Fair: 21st Nov 2007 to 24th Nov 2007

Source: http://www.emiratesartandantiquesfairs.com

Leading art and antique galleries from across the world will be exhibiting at the first Abu Dhabi International Fine Art and Antiques Fair, to be held at The Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Fine art and antiques valued at more than $100million will be on sale at this inaugural event that is expected to attract connoisseurs and collectors from all over the world.

The Abu Dhabi International Fine Art and Antiques Fair will take place under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage.

Galleries from Paris, Rome, Vienna, Abu Dhabi, Tokyo, Cairo, Bangkok, Brussels and Florence will be among those taking part and visitors can expect to view and purchase a wide range of the world's finest art and antiques, from 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th century furniture, clocks, jewellery, sculpture, ceramics, glass, bronzes, photography and tapestries to Old Masters, contemporary art and ancient Islamic art. More than 20,000 individual exhibits will be on display.

Most importantly all exhibits will have been passed for quality and authenticity by the fair's Standards Committee, an independent group of experts empowered to maintain strict standards of excellence across the fair. Fair organiser Fran Foster explains: "It our intention to present a prestige event of international standing that becomes a major meeting place for dealers, collectors, connoisseurs, academics and anyone with an interest in the fine arts from all over the Middle East. And, of course, high standards must be rigorously applied to all exhibits, thereby ensuring visitors can make their purchases with total confidence."

Among the exhibitors taking part will be Galerie Michel-Guy Chadelaud from Paris, who will be taking a large stand of 200 square metres to show a wide range of European period furniture, including the work of the leading French cabinetmakers François Linke and Léon Message, fine porcelain, bronzes and paintings. Highlighting their stand will be a unique and extraordinary mahogany and ormolu mounted "Grande Vitrine d'Apparat" that was once a highlight Paris Universal Exhibition in 1900. Designed by François Linke and Leon Message, it was also once belonged to the Bolivian tin magnate Simon Iturri Patino.

From Rome, Centro Antiquario Romano di Roberto Parenza will be specialising in Old Master paintings, bronze sculpture and period furniture. Among their many treasures will be The Camel Race, the superb oil on canvas painting by the great Italian artist Alberto Pasini (1826-1899). Highly evocative of the Middle East, the painting depicts a camel race through the desert. Measuring 32 x 60 inches, it is priced in the region 400,000 to 600,000 Euros. Born in Parma, Pasini studied at the Academy before moving to Paris in 1851 where he studied with Eugène Ciceri (1813-1890) and was a friend of Théodore Chassériau (1819-1856). When Chassériau was unable to participate in the 1855 French official mission to Persia, Pasini was invited as personal artist to diplomat Prosper Bourée (1811-1886). This trip lasted a year and a half, during which time the artist visited Egypt, Saudi Arabia, South Yemen and the Persian Gulf. He was also commissioned by the Shah of Persia to execute several paintings. Orientalist compositions formed the bulk of the artist's work throughout his career from the late 1870s until the mid 1880s, incorporating a diversity of 'exotic' elements in these works. Pasini regularly exhibited these works at the Paris Salon and is widely regarded among the finest of the Orientalists.

Contemporary paintings and sculpture will be on sale from a number of international exhibitors. Highlighting the stand of Galerie St Jacques from Brussels will be a number of eye-catching works in mixed media by the artist Egyptian artist Shafik. Born 1956, Shafik has been living and working between Milan and Cairo since 1976. He obtained a diploma in painting in 1980 and in set design in 1985 at Milan's famous Accademia di Brera. His work has won numerous awards and acknowledgements over the years, including the Golden Lion Award at the Venice Biennale International Exhibition in 1995 and the Grand Prix at the 9th International Biennale held in Cairo in 2003. He has held solo shows in Switzerland, France, Belgium, Italy, Hungary, Germany and Egypt.

Among a number of UAE galleries exhibiting will be Contempo Corporate Art from Abu Dhabi. They will be specialising in Ibero-American art and contemporary art by local artists.