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International Women’s Day: Meet the women behind World Art Dubai

The female trio behind the region’s largest contemporary retail art fair. Guided by principles like ‘diversity is beautiful’ and ‘art heals’, these women have succeeded in curating yet another show (third time) during the pandemic

The energy in the room is infectious, and the ambience is simply eclectic. It seems like everything is on the table. The conversations speak of mutual respect for each other, just as it does for all forms of art — the old, the now, and the future. Just one afternoon lunch with these ladies, and one understands why World Art Dubai (WAD), the region’s largest contemporary retail art fair, is an astounding success. This is the third time in a row the ladies are organising the fair during a pandemic.

As they gather around the table, we learn how all of them come from different lands (Egypt, Germany and Pakistan) and how their beautiful backgrounds serve as a glue to curating the show, how their focus is to open the doors to local artists, how they manage to cater to a global audience, and how they’re on top of the game (we engage in an animated conversation about NFTs, just as we speak of how Germans love sparkling water and where to eat the best Sheer Khurma, and somehow circle back to Klimt’s Kiss as an NFT and the community aspect of the show). The bonhomie the three women share is visible at the show, which is opening doors from March 16-19, at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Samar Kamel

Samar Kamel’s works examine cultural attitudes towards women and aspire to transform stereotypes

Samar Kamel moved to Dubai in 1992 from Egypt, and stayed here for five years, travelled to other Gulf countries, and moved back to Dubai in 2004. An artist, a curator and an author, she is known for works that examine cultural attitudes towards women, and she aims to transform stereotypes through vibrant depictions of the modern woman through both painting and writing.

Three of you come from different lands and are catering to a diverse community. What are your guiding thoughts whilst curation?

To tell you the truth, it’s a smart move from the WAD team. We were hand-picked to form this net of diversity. WAD is an international fair and it goes without saying the team of curators had to represent different backgrounds. Over the years, together, we’ve overcome any challenges that have arisen. As curators, we’ve always succeeded in shining the light on diversity.

What’s your personal favourite element of this WAD edition?

It has to be the message that the fair conveys i.e. the world has started to heal. WAD provides a safe space to artists from all across the world to share arts, whilst feeling safe, compassionate and vibrant.

Curating WAD for the third time in a pandemic, what have been the highlight moments for you?

I, as a curator, artist and citizen, was following the news with anticipation, waiting for a sign for normalcy to return so that our plans for WAD don’t get shaken, but fulfilled. As I recall, WAD was the only art fair that happened during 2020 (when the pandemic was the “biggest thing”), yet we adapted to the situation. Now, our eighth edition is coming to life with confidence. It’s our role as curators to instill security and assurance to the public.

NFTs are…

An opportunity to take over the technology. An artist now has NFT, which can’t work without the artist’s creation. I also believe that NFTs will make art accessible to sectors that weren’t keen earlier.

What’s the next big thing one should watch out for in the art world?

The fact that art has gained a new base, which is the world of business (was unthinkable!), so I would say the next step would be unpredictable.

One reason why everybody (not just art lovers, buyers) should visit WAD...

We have many new attractions but my favourite crowdpuller is a new activation by the curators, Brush a Stroke. It’s an unfinished painting, with parts left empty, like in a colouring book, for the visitors to colour in during the course of four days. Every visitor can take part in the same, and at the end of the fair, one amongst them (via a lucky draw) will take the painting home.

Petra Kaltenbach

Petra Kaltenbach’s works are NFT (letters) Arabic love poems narrated via German eyes

Petra Kaltenbach moved from Germany to Dubai in 2004. She is a fine and video artist, graphic designer and curator. With her background in graphic design, she has gradually transitioned into painting and video art, often intertwining her paintings with embedded technology such as QR codes. Her NFT portfolio began in 2021.

Three of you come from different lands and are catering to a diverse community. What are your guiding thoughts whilst curation?

Different countries mean different cultures and also different perceptions of art. Interestingly, despite our different educational backgrounds, we, curators, are clear about what art we wish to show and what we don’t wish to. Dubai is an international destination and, therefore, WAD caters to different tastes. In addition, we’ve now expanded to various forms of arts, including theatre, music, dance, fashion, et al. We’ve been curating the show since 2019, and the fair has been only getting better and bigger. Our exhibiting artists and galleries are the soul of the event and the visitors are happy to feel the art/soul and the future so close! Through the different booth models, we encompass an enormous range of price affordability and quality. One of the greatest challenges of WAD is to always amaze the art lover with the artwork of the artists.

What’s your personal favourite element of this WAD edition?

One of my favourites is the Global Gate from Leon Loewentraut. The original artwork (over 20m high) is placed in Downtown (Burj Park), and at WAD, we will have a 5m high model of it where people can click great selfies. Last but not the least, I love our Instagrammable Corner and the Art Walk, in the latter where the artists walk the ramp with artworks picked up by the curators.

Curating WAD for the third time during a pandemic, what have been the highlights for you?

On a positive note, the pandemic has given us some good stuff. Our hall layout has become more generous and the cohesion of the local artists to deliver a good art show to the world is immense. I can feel the joy of the local artists. I can speak on behalf of all of us (curators), that it was and is really overwhelming to see how grateful people are, and I don’t just mean the artists, whose business had been so severely cut by Covid-19, but overall how everyone is optimistic that the art and the artists are still here and are able to ‘celebrate’ that together in such a show. Because that’s what WAD is, an honour of arts.

NFTs are…

...another attempt to legalise and establish digital art.

What’s the next big thing one should watch out for in the art world?

I think we all have to wait and watch how digital art will conquer the world, and I am keenly watching it. And I love this idea because of many ‘classic’ artists/galleries/art lovers, etc. need this art revolution to break up this hyper big barrier, and to accept that another taboo was torn down by the art.

Batool Jafri

Batool Jafri’s works lift the veil of the layers that exist within each one of us and make one see beyond the façade

Batool Jafri moved to Dubai in 2005, from Qatar. She hails from Karachi, Pakistan. A curator, mixed media artist and educator, Batool creates strong and evocative work on the theme of the human mind and soul.

The three of you come from different lands and are catering to a diverse community, what are your guiding thoughts whilst curation?

I think diversity is the most beautiful thing in the world. Everything that makes us unique and different is what creates a piece of beautiful fabric. I love the fact that we are all from different parts of the world as it allows us to view work and concepts from different perspectives and learn and grow continuously.

What’s your personal favourite element of this WAD edition?

I love the Art Walk. It is something we as a team curate numerous times over the four days each year, showcasing select artists and their pieces and making them the star of the show for that day. It’s so lovely to see artists, real people walking the ramp with their work and it always brings so much joy and cheer.

NFTs are…

Another form of art that allows people more access to work that they can love and enjoy for years to come.

What’s the next big thing one should watch out for in the art world??

Well, this year at WAD, we do have an NFT section, and as the current market dictates, it definitely is the next big thing to watch out for. We are already in the process of planning an even bigger section for next year around NFTs, especially with the metaverse taking shape. People should also watch out for leading artists collaborating with big brands to create skins and other products releasing soon in the metaverse.

One reason why everybody (not just ART lovers, buyers) should visit WAD...

I can give you many reasons, not just one and each is equally important. Bottom line, why not? If you want to know what’s happening in the art world, if you want to decorate, if you want to delve into your artistic side, watch a fashion show, see live art or simply have a good time, come to WAD.

purva@khaleejtimes.com