The future of contemporary art in the Middle East was one of the hot topics of discussion at the Gulf Art Fair at Dubai’s Madinat hotel last week.
The creation of a platform to govern the rapidly growing interest and greater encouragement of interest and understanding through education were key issues raised by many of the renowned curators and art critics from the art world. The discussion, mediated by Vasif Kortun, curator, director, Platform Garanti, raised problems that the Middle East are likely to encounter as Dubai and surrounding areas becomes fashionable.
Hassan Khan, editor, Bidoun Cairo said: “The Middle East is very fashionable at the moment and the commercial aspect is something I am concerned about. People have to keep in mind that art is not a short term investment. The Gulf needs to create an incubator and nurture art for the long term. Art cannot yield a good return unless we believe in the long term. Art can achieve the creation to change and artists are becoming champions of innovation but we should be concerned about education, critiques and publications.”
Jack Persekian, director of Sharjah Biennial and curator agreed that Dubai is set to become a cultural hub but needs educating: “There is a great deal of momentum in the Middle East art world at the moment but I hope this can be channeled in the correct way and not just in the commercial sense. In the future Dubai will be the cultural art centre of the Middle East but it needs greater encouragement of curators and young critiques to educate. Dubai is a city built for the people who are coming; maybe this can be the same for the art world.”
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