World Art Dubai (WAD), the region’s largest contemporary art fair, will present its most ambitious edition at Dubai World Trade Centre from 2nd to 5th May 2024. This marks a decade of artistic excellence. This year, in partnership with Dubai Culture, WAD invites art enthusiasts to embark on a journey through a decade of artistic evolution. WAD is offering an unparalleled experience of art from around the globe. Most importantly, this art fair is emphasising its commitment to making art even more accessible to a wider audience.

World Art Dubai: Driving Dubai’s Creative Economy

Dubai aims to double the contribution of the creative industries to its GDP by 2026 under the Dubai Creative Economy Strategy. Fundamentally, it involves doubling the number of creative companies and creators in the emirate . Moreover, it also intends to highlights the immense significance of World Art Dubai’s contribution to this thriving creative economy. This prominent art exhibition serves as a cornerstone in the realisation of these goals. The target is to draw in thousands of visitors, showcasing the works of over 300 artists and galleries. The artworks featured at WAD will be from Dubai and across the globe. In addition, the art fair will be presenting a diverse array of artworks, from sculpture and watercolours to digital art and fashion art pieces.

More than just an art fair, WAD represents a cultural phenomenon. For 2024, WAD plans to amplify its numbers, showcasing a diverse array of over 4,000 artworks. Importantly, these unique artworks will be coming from more than 65 countries and expecting over 15,000 visitors. The fair will set across 12 pavilions dedicated to countries and regions. These countries include Japan, India, China, Turkey, Iran, America, Asia, Russia, UAE, Europe, the UK, and Arabia. Over four days, visitors can engage in a variety of activities that go beyond traditional art exhibitions. WAD will feature experiential art activations, live performances, and curated art talks and workshops. Certainly, these interactive elements aim to craft a holistic cultural experience, celebrating the vibrancy and diversity of the global art scene.

Exhibitors offered art tourism experience

In 2024, WAD will unveil an innovative addition to its repertoire: The WAD Tourism Art Tour, designed for all exhibitors. WAD plans to redefine boundaries and captivate audiences from around the world through the curation of guided tours and interactive local art interactions around the emirates. Indeed, WAD celebrates the diversity and brilliance of artistic expression.

Marking a significant milestone

Asma Al Sharif, Assistant Vice President at Exhibitions, Dubai World Trade Centre gave her remarks about WAD. She said, “As we celebrate a decade of artistic brilliance with the 10^th edition of World Art Dubai, we’re honoured to have Dubai Culture as our strategic partner and excited to introduce a ground-breaking initiative that goes beyond the confines of the art fair. With the launch of WAD Tourism Art Tour, we aim to provide our exhibitors and participants with an immersive journey through the rich tapestry of the UAE’s art and cultural offerings while spotlighting Dubai’s vibrant art scene on the global stage. This initiative underscores our commitment to enhancing the participant journey, fostering cultural exchange and strengthening Dubai’s position as a global cultural destination.”

Dr Saeed Mubarak Kharbash, CEO of the Arts and Literature Sector at Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, expressed his enthusiasm for the strategic partnership between Dubai Culture and World Art Dubai: “This collaboration underscores our shared commitment to advancing Dubai’s cultural and creative industries. By joining forces with World Art Dubai, we aim to make art more accessible to a wider audience and contribute to the realisation of the emirate’s ambitious goals outlined in the Dubai Creative Economy Strategy. Through this partnership, we look forward to showcasing the vibrancy and diversity of the global art scene while highlighting Dubai’s position as a thriving cultural destination.”

Unique offerings from legacy exhibitors

In the vibrant landscape of WAD 2024, a myriad of distinguished artists are poised to captivate visitors. Artists with their unique perspectives and creative prowess contribute to the diverse art scene. Legacy exhibitors like Lotus Educational Institute, Art Plus Photographers Production, and JAPAN PROMOTION Gallery have each spent between eight and nine years exhibiting at the annual show.

Japanese Artistry at WAD 2024: A Tradition of Timeless Techniques

Momoko Ishikawa spoke on behalf of the 54-strong artist collective representing JAPAN PROMOTION Gallery. She said, “We are honoured to represent the Japan booth showcasing groups of Japanese artists. A notable aspect of our exhibition is the availability of contemporary art and artworks that utilise traditional techniques. This exhibition is offering unique pieces not found elsewhere in Dubai. At the Taimei Gallery booth, a significant focus will be on artworks using the ‘maki-e’ technique. Maki-e, a painting technique born approximately 1200 years ago, has been cherished by the nobility throughout history. It is characterised by the serene beauty that emerges from combining the natural hues of the material, the deep lustre of lacquer, and the brilliance of gold and silver.

“The creation process is incredibly delicate and time-consuming, achievable only by craftsmen with high levels of skill and extensive experience. Prosperity Japan’s booth will present framed works and tapestries utilising the ‘nishijin-ori’ weaving technique, which has a history of over 1000 years. This technique involves intricately weaving dyed silk threads to create patterns. Moreover, this technique produces a fabric with a three-dimensional feel. This results into a diversity of colours changing exquisitely with the light. While traditionally used for kimono fabrics, its beauty and high fidelity in pattern reproduction have been reimagined in art pieces.”

WAD 2024: A Vibrant Showcase of Global Art and Culture

With unique offerings, WAD 2024 promises to be an immersive journey through the rich tapestry of global art and culture. WAD sheds a spotlight on Dubai’s vibrant art scene on the global stage.

For the 2024 edition, an impressive 40% of exhibitors are returning to exhibit. This huge number is a testament to the value they find in being part of this vibrant artistic community. This high rate of exhibitor retention reflects the trust and satisfaction exhibitors have in the platform. Furthermore, this solidifies WAD’s position as a premier destination for artists and galleries alike. With a growing roster of returning participants, WAD continues to foster long-lasting relationships. Moreover, it provides a supportive environment for artistic growth and collaboration.

For more information, visit www.worldartdubai.com.

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The FMT-Mart Expo will feature over 500 artworks – principally paintings and calligraphy – created by over 100 artists both online and offline. Malaysian artists will make up half of the artists chosen.

On June 2, 2022, Malaysian Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture Nancy Shukri launched the collaboration, which included Saraya Arbi, the newly appointed secretary-general of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture. 15 ambassadors and diplomats from Argentina, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Croatia, Cuba, the Netherlands, Namibia, Senegal, Kuwait, Iran, Ghana, and Tajikistan attended the event.

The partnership currently supplements the Malaysian government’s efforts to assist artists. Azeem Abu Bakar, managing director of FMT, stated that the news platform is dedicated to providing extra value to artists.

“While we recognise that many tech-related sectors are now experiencing some volatility, we are confident that the underlying technology and fundamentals of NFTs will continue to benefit artists globally,” he said.

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