World comes to Dubai in a free art fair

See a world of art from more than 100 local and international galleries and artists at the inaugural World Art Dubai.

The free fair, which runs from April 8-11, aims to make art affordable and accessible to all.

Dubai World Trade Centre will house contemporary pieces – from paintings to photography and artworks from some big-name stars. It’s not just about art for your walls, though. Check out the pop-up cinema for art films and documentaries or join the photography classes and art workshops. There’s even a library of art books. Curator Arjun Verma showed us a few samples of what you can see this weekend at the World Art Dubai exhibition.

ABANDONED: SIDDHARTH SIVA

Siddharth’s image reeks of ‘old Dubai’. It could be any roof in Satwa, Karama or Deira and yet the principle subject – an old, battered and rejected sofa – almost shines under the spotlight of satellite dishes, cables and antennas.

HORIZON: JULIAN LENNON

‘Horizon’ is at the high-end of our affordable scale but it’s a stunning work. Shot during Julian’s travels through Kenya and Ethiopia, the image is very rusty and earthy, almost as if the sun in the distance is burning the lens. I’m a huge fan of The Beatles, so just seeing Julian’s work up close and in person is an attractive proposition for fans of pop culture.

MAKE YOUR MARK: AHLAN ART GALLERY

This interactive art project from London invites people of all ages and ethnicities to add their unique brush strokes around the central image of the Kaaba in Mecca.

SUNDAY BUBBLES: ANNA DUDCHENKO

Anna’s style is a mixture of beauty, foolishness and humour. The somewhat surrealist pencil drawings in her collection are intended to make people laugh. The work oozes fun and, most importantly, it’s very affordable.

IF: ERWIN JOSE

This is what World Art Dubai is about. The fair has provided Erwin – an emerging amateur artist living in the UAE – with a platform to exhibit his fascinating work. He questions various aspects of culture, society, individualism and freedom of expression, and his mysterious work always features a single subject with parts of their faces hidden by a brutal, single coloured block.

DESAFIO AL ESPACIO: LUKAS ULMI

Lukas turns inanimate, meaningless objects into authentic sculptures where weightlessness, movement and poetry unite. This particular installation explores the hidden beauty of harmony, balance and space.

THE LEGO PROJECT: SAYEH SARFARAZ

Sayeh uses a children’s toy range as the aesthetic form to express social uprisings – it’s a truly fascinating dichotomy. Interestingly, Sayeh’s Lego Project can be choreographed into completely new compositions on the spot.

For more information go to worldartdubai.com