• Popular community art event to feature six commercial galleries who will exhibit artwork for sale at Warehouse421
  Visitors can buy art for prices that start at AED 650, interact with gallery owners, or engage with Abu Dhabi’s creative community through an exciting mix of experiences

Abu Dhabi, UAE, 1 March 2018: Warehouse421 announces the return of Galleries Week, which will take place from 7-11 March 2018, in partnership with Abu Dhabi Art and Festember, to offer commercial galleries the opportunity to exhibit and sell works by local and regional artists with prices starting at AED 650.

Galleries Week is a celebration of art and culture in the industrial neighborhood of Mina Zayed in Abu Dhabi. This year, creatives from a variety of disciplines including visual arts, design and music will be invited to engage with Warehouse421 and Abu Dhabi community.

Launched in 2017, the popular community art event this year will feature six commercial galleries including first-time participants Meem Gallery from Dubai and Etihad Modern Art Gallery from Abu Dhabi and four returning galleries namely Abu Dhabi based Salwa Zeidan Gallery, Dubai-based Cuadro Fine Art Gallery as well as Jeddah-based ATHR and Hafez Gallery.

Visitors to Galleries Week will be treated to a number of exciting opportunities for creative discovery in a welcoming atmosphere that encourages them to learn more about the various aspects of the art world through meaningful encounters with gallery owners, and a series of insightful workshops and activities. Creative partner Festember, a UAE-based platform for showcasing local and regional entrepreneurs and emerging brands and products, have brought together a thoughtfully selected mix of entertainment, dining and a range of retail products by local and regional designers especially for the occasion. The Festember programme, will further enhance the event’s unique community flavour – making every visit to Galleries Week a truly enjoyable experience for the whole family.

Following the five-day event, participating galleries will then present curated exhibitions of artworks for sale, for a period of one month each and on a rotation basis – strengthening Warehouse421’s role as a platform for supporting the local and regional art eco-system.

Faisal Al Hassan from Warehouse421, said, “We are delighted to bring Galleries Week to Abu Dhabi’s creative community for a second consecutive year. From giving participating galleries another strong platform to exhibit and sell their work, to making it more accessible for collectors to pursue their passions, and supporting local and regional emerging talent – the objectives of Galleries Week fall perfectly in line with Warehouse421’s on-going diversification project and commitment to playing a more active role in the creative economy. We encourage visitors to make the most of this not-to-be-missed experience.”

Dyala Nusseibeh, Director, Abu Dhabi Art, said, “Events like Galleries Week offer an important occasion for the creative community to convene and discover works by emerging artists in a dynamic environment. With works available from AED 650, we are hoping to draw in a range of potential art buyers. We are also pleased to be showcasing etchings and lithographs by more established artists that are available at lower price points than their larger scale works. Whether it is through bringing commercial galleries closer to art collectors or expanding the reach of these galleries to the UAE’s wider community – Galleries Week broadens opportunities for the purchase and sale of artworks in the UAE, and in doing so, strengthens the creative ecosystem. Through this event, we are pleased to support upcoming artists and nurture a community of new art collectors in the UAE. It is our great privilege to work in collaboration with Warehouse421 in this endeavour.”

Latifa Al Hamed, Co-Founder and Co-Owner at Festember, said, “At Festember, our mission is to highlight home-grown talent and brands that have something unique to share, and our participation at Galleries Week will support this goal by allowing us to showcase their offerings to the wider UAE community. We are confident that Warehouse421 visitors will enjoy the array of entertainment, F&B and retail experiences that we have carefully hand-picked and curated for this highly anticipated event.”

Enabling easy access to a diverse array of well-known commercial galleries, Galleries Week offers the UAE community an exciting gateway to the world of art, allowing them the opportunity to collect or invest in a wide range of artworks on a budget. 

For more information on Galleries Week, please visit warehouse421.ae.   

ENDS

 

About Warehouse421

Warehouse421 is a hub for creativity and an active participant in Abu Dhabi’s creative ecosystem, and is dedicated to supporting learning, making, exhibition and commercial activity relevant to the local and regional creative industries.  Since November 2015, Warehouse421 has hosted 11 exhibitions and showcased the work of more than 200 local and regional artists and designers, providing a place for creatives to formally and informally convene.  Warehouse421 offers public the opportunity to explore their creativity through interactive initiatives including talks, workshops, film screenings and performances. Located in the Mina Zayed of Abu Dhabi, Warehouse421 was converted from two former industrial warehouses and designed by the respected Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG). 

 

About Abu Dhabi Art:

Abu Dhabi Art expands beyond the notion of a traditional art fair, in placing strong emphasis on a diverse public engagement programme, including art installations, exhibitions, talks and events that take place in different locations throughout the year. The culmination of this year-long programme is the Abu Dhabi Art event in November, which provides an important sales platform for participating galleries, whilst also offering these galleries an opportunity to showcase installations and site-specific works by their artists to an audience of over 20,000 visitors.

 

About Festember:

FESTEMBER is an annual arts, fashion and entertainment platform for showcasing local and regional entrepreneurs, businesses, innovative concepts, ideas and emerging brands.

Launched in 2015 by two ambitious young Emiratis, Noora Al Mazrui and Latifa Al Hamed, Festember’s mission is to inspire great minds to discover new ideas that can be launched during the festival and then later to become successful businesses in their own rights.

In 2018 Festember will launch and activate a series of new events, by delivering inspiring themed concepts for fashion, retail, food and beverage and entertainment industry. For more information, visit our website www.festemberad.com

 

Participating Galleries & Artists:

ATHR, Jeddah

Founded in 2009 by Hamza Serafi and Mohammed Hafiz, Athr ATHR is a Contemporary Art project space and gallery which enables artistic dialogue between contemporary artists across the world. Athr represents Middle Eastern and international artists. It provides a creative environment for artists and showcases international and Saudi contemporary art supported by extensive public programmes aimed at encouraging engagement with local audiences.

Exhibiting artists: Abdulaziz Alrashidi, Aya Haider, Badr Ali, Dana Awartani, Ghada Al Rabea, Shaker Kashgari, Ushmita Sahu, Wafaa Abu Sadaa, Mohammed Abdul Rassoul

 

Cuadro Fine Art Gallery, Dubai

Founded in 2008 in Dubai, Cuadro Fine Art Gallery has four keys areas of focus within the Modern and Contemporary space: exhibitions, education, residency and consultation. Cuadro’s curated exhibitions are enhanced by the Cuadro Education Programme, which is comprised of lectures, workshops and panel discussions. The Residency at Cuadro offers a select group of local and international artists access to studio space as well as the opportunity to exhibit the work they have created at Cuadro at the end of their residency. Through these initiatives, Cuadro maintains its commitment to meaningfully contribute to the local and international art communities.

Exhibiting artists: Abdullah Lutfi, Hazem Mahdy, Sara Al Hadad

 

Etihad Modern Art Gallery, Abu Dhabi

Etihad Modern Art Gallery is a multi-purpose art space in the heart of Abu Dhabi. The owner, H.E. Khaled Siddiq Al Mutawaa, envisioned a friendly and versatile art space, which encourages the promotion, discussion and growing appreciation of the burgeoning Emirati art scene.Despite being a relatively young organisation, Etihad Modern Art Gallery has undergone remarkable professional development since its establishment. Having opened in 2013, EMAG organised significant art shows and local heritage exhibitions, creating bonds with the international art scene, as well as academic institutions. It has also cooperated with a number of international institutions, such as the French Institute, the Museum of Fine Art Budapest and Houston Museum, Kunstquartier Bethanien, Berlin, or the Sovereign Art Prize.

Exhibiting artists: Alaa Al Qedra, Maisoon Al Saleh, Taqwa Al Naqbi

 

Hafez Gallery, Jeddah

Founded in 2014 in Jeddah, Hafez Gallery serves as a space to nurture the discovery of a Saudi visual identity and participate in international art dialogue. Hafez Gallery participates in art fairs throughout the region, promoting awareness and access to contemporary Saudi and Middle Eastern art.

Exhibiting artists: Abdulrahman Al Shahed, Afsoon, Ali Chaaban, Awatef Al Safwan, Everitte Barbee, Khalid Zahid, Lina Gazzaz, Mai Al Moataz, Nouf Beydoun, Nora Alissa, Ola Fairag, Sarah Al-Abdali

 

Meem Gallery, Dubai

Meem Gallery is a leading international presence in the management and promotion of Modern and Contemporary Arab, North African and Iranian art.

Founded in 2007 by Sultan Sooud Al-Qassemi, Mishal Hamed Kanoo and Charles Pocock, the gallery runs an ambitious programme of solo and group exhibitions with a special focus on regional Modern Masters, including Dia Azzawi, Kamal Boullata and Parviz Tanavoli. The gallery also exhibits the work of innovative Contemporary artists such as Zhivago Duncan and Mahmoud Obaidi.

In addition to its extensive exhibition schedule, Meem Gallery oversees Meem Editions, a respected in-house publishing programme that regularly commissions work by many of the most well-regarded scholars, academics and writers in the field.

Exhibiting artists: Assadour, Dia Azzawi, Marwan

 

Salwa Zeidan Gallery, Abu Dhabi

Founded in 1994 in Abu Dhabi, Salwa Zeidan Gallery specialises in Contemporary Art, representing established and emerging artists from around the globe. The gallery features works in a variety of mediums from paintings, photography and sculptures to installation and performance art. The gallery was founded by Salwa Zeidan, a painter, sculptor and curator. In addition to nurturing local talent through supporting emerging artists, the gallery represents many of the region’s most prominent artists. Salwa Zeidan Gallery annually participates in regional and international art fairs. In 2014, the gallery launched the Middle East’s first online gallery, offering artists from the region an international platform from which to present their artworks.

Exhibiting artists: Abdul Aziz Al-Fadli, Fatema Al Mazroui, Hussain Sharif, Hamdan Buti Al Shamsi, Saoud Al Dhaheri

For more information on Warehouse421, please contact:

Binan Souleiman
TRACCS
Tel: +9714 3672530
TRACCS 24/7 Media Hotline: +97150 9448389
Email: binan.souleiman@traccs.net