20 NOVEMBER 2013 I ISSUE 2 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION SOCIETY. Fair vernissage and the Canvas Collectors Dinner. PAGE 12

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1 20 NOVEMBER 2013 I ISSUE 2 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION SATELLITE EVENTS New and returning events taking place around the fair. PAGE 06 SOCIETY Fair vernissage and the Canvas Collectors Dinner. PAGE 12 COMMON GROUND A look at artworks celebrating the animal kingdom. PAGE 13 CRÈME DE LA CRÈME Three UAE-based galleries, one from Turkey and another from Works by Gehry, Giacometti, Basquiat and a host of other art world luminaries show at the NEW YORK S EDWARD Tyler Nahem Fine Art Gallery (H2-06) brings a multitude of works by art world stars, among them Pop art master Roy Lichtenstein. His Water Lilies with Japanese Bridge (price undisclosed) is an appropriation of Monet s masterpiece, Bridge Over a Pond of Water Lilies from Though Lichtenstein was a big fan of Monet s Impressionist mastery, he represented the artist through what he called a machine-made quality, rendering the subject flat and two-dimensional. He developed a number of works that reference water lilies, including small drawings, collages and screen painted enamel and steel works such as this one, which capture the focus of Monet s work: light. The gallery also presents the work of renowned Abstract Expressionists Joan Mitchell and Robert Motherwell. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 > REPRESENTING THE UAE THOUGH EMIRATI ART has been exhibited internationally in the last two decades, the first significant showing occurred during the country s inaugural participation at the Venice Biennale in More local and international Roy Lichtenstein. (Detail) Water Lilies With Japanese Bridge Screen printed enamel on stainless steel with painted aluminium frame x cm. Image courtesy Edward Tyler Nahem Fine Art, New York. galleries have included Emirati artists in their rosters some of whose work is exhibited at Abu Dhabi Art this year. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 > Najat Makki. Mixed Media IV Acrylic on canvas. Diameter: 100 cm. Image courtesy Hunar Gallery, Dubai. Abdulnasser Gharem. The Stamp (Amen) Oversized wooden stamp with embossed rubber face. 95 x cm. Image courtesy the artist and Ayyam Gallery. VERNISSAGE SALES ABU DHABI ART opened to large crowds last night as the vernissage proved lucrative for local and regional galleries, including Dubai s Ayyam Gallery (H2-20) which sold two works by Abdulnasser Gharem, the seventh edition of the Amen stamp and a Mecca stamp painting for $75,000 and $80,000 respectively to Middle Eastern buyers. The space also sold an untitled work by Syrian artist Thaier Helal the piece, made of spoons on a wooden panel, sold for $75,000 to a regional collector. Dubai's Gallery Isabelle Van Den Eynde (H2-07) sold a 2013 scratch work by Emirati artist Mohamed Kazem for $30,000 and two works by Iranian artist Nargess CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 > 20 NOV 2013 I CANVAS DAILY I ISSUE 2 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION 1

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3 The provocative nature of Adel Abdessemed s oeuvre, Taner Ceylan s hyperrealist paintings, Siah Armajani s intellectually engaging practice, the Foster + Partnersdesigned blue chip gallery Sperone Westwater PLUS Artists Who Collect II. VERNISSAGE SALES (CONT.) Hashemi for $3500 each. Fellow Alserkal Avenue gallery Lawrie Shabibi (H1-14) sold Larissa Sansour s Manger Square C-print work for $11,500. Beirut s Agial Art Gallery (H1-04) sold works by Ayman Baalbaki and Nabil Nahas at undisclosed prices to Middle Eastern buyers. There has been a lot of interest and things are even better than they did last year, said the gallery s Carol Chehab. Another Lebanese gallery, Janine Rubeiz, sold two works by Huguette Caland from the 1970s for around $60,000 to Dubai-based Lebanese collectors and Jamil Molaeb s Old Beirut to a Saudi Arabian collector. Sfeir-Semler Gallery (H2-02) sold a work by Timo Nasseri to a Mexican collector who is a regular to the fair as well as a watercolour work by Marwan for an undisclosed amount. Jeddah s Athr Gallery (H2-05) was thronged by visitors all night long, with Ahmed Mater s works drawing much interest. The gallery s other artists, Hazem Harb, Nasser El-Salem and Dana Awartani also had their share of attention, with Awartani s He Who Created The Heavens and Earth in Six Days from 2013 selling to a regional collector for $12,000. The first edition of El-Salem s Corian sculpture Whoever Obeys Allah, He Will Make for Him a Way sold for $9000. Tunisia s Galerie El-Marsa (H2-03) sold an ink on paper work by Charles Hossein Zenderoudi to a local collector for $15,000 20,000, an installation by Omar Bey, Immobility of the Masses, for $10,000 15,000 to a regional buyer and a ceramic globe-like work by Khaled Bin Slimane for $15,000 25,000 to an international collector. Istanbul s Galeri Zilberman sold two works Emirati artist Afra Bin Dhaher for $4000 each and one piece by Ahmet Elhan for $30,000. Fair regular Leehwaik Gallery (H2-04) sold Kim Duck-Yong s The Pascale Marthine Tayou. (Detail) Charcoal U Charcoals. 133 x 255 x 5 cm. Photography by Nahda Suleiman Book The Moment of Meditation to a Dubai-based collector for $28,000. European galleries also fared well last night as Galleria Continua (H1-19) sold Pascale Marthine Tayou s Charcoal U for a little over $100,000 while Galerie Kashya Hildebrand (H2-19) saw Lalla Essaydi s Bullets #5 go to an Emirati royal for $25,000. At Thaddaeus Ropac's booth (H2-14) collectors raved about Robert Longo s charcoal paintings two of his smaller works sold for around $45,000 each. Swiss space AB Gallery (H2-17) sold Samira Hodaei s 30-piece Heavenly Paradise installation for $30,000 to a regional collector and director Franz Leupi says their third participation at the fair has already been successful. The quality of the galleries keeps improving every year, we are here with important global players, he said. Dana Awartani. He Who Created The Heavens and Earth In Six Days Natural pigments shell gold and pen on mount board. 62 x 47 cm each. Photography by Khalid Bin Afif. Image courtesy the artist Athr Gallery, Jeddah. 13:00 13:50 14:00 15:00 15:00 16:00 15:00 22:00 16:00 16:30 TODAY Durub Al-Tawaya: Looking for Pearls - Marine Sports Club Abu Dhabi Breakwater A performance by Rayyane Tabet on a boat around the manmade Lulu Island off the coast of Abu Dhabi. Duration: 50 minutes. Abu Dhabi Art Interview: Venice Internship The Future - Inside Chairs for Abu Dhabi by Tadashi Kawamata A roundtable discussion featuring interns from the 2013 UAE National Pavilion at the Venice Biennale discussing their experiences followed by a Q&A. *Architecture and Art - Manarat Al- Saadiyat Auditorium A discussion on the shared foundations of these two creative forms and the critical role they play in the vision and lifeblood of cities. Speakers include Jenny Holzer, Jean Nouvel, Thaddaeus Ropac and Alain Seban. Durub Al-Tawaya Buses - Durub Al- Tawaya Bus Stop, Manarat Al-Saadiyat Cao Fei, Zeinab Al-Hashimi, Ilya and Emilia Kabakov and Wael Shawky take over four city buses inside and out using video, audio, photographs and graphic design. Abu Dhabi Art Book Launch: Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige - The Third Line (Booth H1 12) The launch of the first monograph dedicated to the artists. Presented by Joana Hadjithomas. 16:30 17:30 *Guggenheim Abu Dhabi: Talking Art Series Monika Sosnowska - Manarat Al- Saadiyat Auditorium Using the artist s monumental sculpture 1:1 (2007) as a point of departure, the talk is moderated by Richard Armstrong and Daniel Birnbaum. IN THE CANVAS NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER ISSUE A detail of Adel Abdessemed s Décor celebrates Canvas s ninth anniversary issue as well as our second edition of Artists Who Collect, in which four Middle Eastern artists open their doors to reveal their eclectic art collections. AED 45 QR 65 BD/OR 7 SR 90 LBP 32,000 US$ Published out of the Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone Authority. A visit to Emirati artist Hassan Sharif s home and studio. Review of Qatar Museums Authority s recent exhibitions. Turkish artist Taner Ceylan's controversial and sensual practice. 17:00 19:00 17:30 18:00 *Durub Al-Tawaya: CIC Work ship by Contemporary Image Collective - Al- Dhafra Restaurant Mina Zayed CIC transports the full range of its programming activities aboard a temporary home, a boat moored in an Abu Dhabi harbour. Abu Dhabi Art Book Launch: Heavenly Paradise - AB Gallery (Booth H2-17) A new book by Reza Derakshani and Samira Hodai featuring works inspired by the tradition of Persian palace gardens. Presented by Derakshani, Hodai and Heidi and Franz Leupi. Follow us on Follow us on Pinterest canvasmag Like us on Facebook com/canvasmagazine Follow us on 17:30 19:00 *Guggenheim Abu Dhabi: Talking Art Series Yang Fudong - Manarat Al-Saadiyat Auditorium This lecture is followed by a screening of the artist's first black-and-white film, An Estranged Paradise (2002), from the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Collection. 19:00 22:00 Art, Talks & Sensations: Dunes and Waves - Dunes and Waves Platform Performances include AP 15 by Sèbastian Ramirez and Honji Wang and Indiamore by Chassol. *Registration is required. 20 NOV 2013 I CANVAS DAILY I ISSUE 2 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION 3

4 CRÈME DE LA CRÈME (CONT.) CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 > REPRESENTING THE UAE (CONT.) CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 > GAGOSIAN GALLERY (H2-15) brings a work by Pritzker Prize-winning starchitect Frank Gehry. Fish Lamps (price undisclosed), a series of whimsical glowing light sculptures from the architect s latest body of work, was born out of designs that he first created in the early 1980s for a commission by the Formica Corporation to create objects from their plastic laminate ColorCore. When Gehry accidently broke a piece in the work he was making, he was inspired by its shattered remains, which he likened to fish scales. Since then, the fish has become a recurring image in Gehry s work. In 2012, he revisited Fish Lamps and recent works range from life-size to monumental, all the while using ColorCore in a bolder way. ROBERT LONGO S UNTITLED (Falcon) plays on the Emirati tradition of falconry and shows through Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac (H2-14). The piece, priced at $375,000 is from The Mysteries series ( ), through which Longo explores the world s major religions. He has depicted Rome s St Peter Basilica and Mecca, among other symbolic places. In this work, Longo draws on the historical significance of falconry in art in both European and Middle Eastern cultures. A status symbol to this day, falconry was practiced among royals in Medieval Europe, the Middle East and the Mongolian Empire. Jean-Michel Basquiat. (Detail) Untitled # Acrylic and Xerox collage on canvas x cm. Image courtesy the estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. GALERIE KAMEL MENNOUR (H2-16) presents three sculptures by Alberto Giacometti (price undisclosed). In 1958, he was commissioned to create a monument for the new Chase Manhattan Bank building. The Swiss artist had never been to New York City, so the building s architect sent him dimensions to make a model of the square. Giacometti used designs that had imbued his practice since 1948: a gigantic standing female figure, a large walking man and a large-scale head to be set on the ground. Though he abandoned the project, Giacometti did go on to produce the bronze sculptures separately NOV 2013 I CANVAS DAILY I ISSUE 2 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION Frank Gehry. Untitled (Los Angeles VI) Metal wire, ColorCore formica and silicone on wooden base x x 127 cm. Photography by Douglas M Parker Studio. Frank Gehry. Image courtesy the artist and Gagosian Gallery. Robert Longo. (Detail) Untitled (Falcon) Charcoal on mounted paper x cm. Image courtesy Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, Salzburg/Paris. GALERIE ENRICO NAVARRA (H2-13), brings an untitled work by the late Jean-Michel Basquiat a collage of Xerox copies of his drawings Heated Oxygen and Boxing Championship, priced at $1.3 million. The American artist has recently been the subject of renewed attention in popular culture, with mentions in songs by Jay Z and multi-million dollar sales at Christie s auctions his bold and graffiti-based approach appealing to a tumultuous generation. Basquiat s collage works incorporate drawings and photocopies of his work to achieve a textured end result. The sketches feature seemingly anatomical drawings inspired by the copy of Gray s Anatomy that his mother gave him when he was a child. The gallery also presents works by Sol LeWitt and painter and printmaker Frank Stella. Alberto Giacometti. Homme qui marche, Femme debout, Tête sur socle Bronze. Variable dimensions. Succession Alberto Giacometti (Fondation Alberto et Annette Giacometti, Paris and ADAGP, Paris, Image courtesy Fondation Giacometti. Clockwise from top left: Mohammed Kazem. Pastel on Sratched Paper Pastel on scratched paper. 230 x 153 cm. Image courtesy Gallery Isabelle Van Den Eynde, Dubai; Khalid Al-Banna. Untitled from the Black and White series Ink on paper and collage. 100 x 70 cm. Image courtesy Kashya Hildebrand, London/Zurich; Hassan Sharif. (Detail) Cars No Diptych, oil on canvas. 200 x 290 cm. Image courtesy Salwa Zeidan Gallery, Abu Dhabi; Afra Bin Dhaher. Self Portrait, Prayer Rugs Digital photograph. 60 x cm. Image courtesy Galeri Zilberman, Istanbul. We need to recognise that what we are currently experiencing is increased exposure and that there is institutional support given to the longstanding artistic practices by Emirati artists from the 1980s to the present day, maintains Barrak Alzaid of Gallery Isabelle Van Den Eynde. The gallery presents works by Hassan Sharif and Mohammed Kazem, who have been working together since the 1980s, with Kazem frequently referring to Sharif as his mentor. At IVDE s booth, Kazem s quintessential scratch paintings entitled Pastel on Scratched Paper are on exhibit. Popular for his use of massproduced materials like rubber, plastic and cloth that he twists and ties together into piles, Sharif presents Rug 2 made out of a rug, glue and copper wire. Also featured in the Beyond sector, Sharif shares three monumental iron objects entitled Iron No 5, Iron No 7 and Iron No 11 at the entrance of the UAE Pavilion. From the UAE capital, Salwa Zeidan Gallery presents paintings by Sharif, also known as the father of Conceptual art in the UAE, and Fatema Al-Mazrouei. Inspired by Dubai s overwhelming road traffic, Sharif brings Cars, which, says the gallery s Salwa Zeidan is a magnificent canvas. Al-Mazrouei, on the other hand, showcases a series of paintings that examine women s issues as well as the history of the Arab world. Over in Dubai, Hunar Gallery presents seven paintings by multimedia artist Dr Najat Makki, which carry her signature style of incorporating henna and saffron in her abstract paintings. The gallery also brings works by Abdul Qadir Al-Rais, whose oeuvre is deeply inspired by his surroundings in the UAE. For the fair, the artist presents five watercolours entitled SANBOK, along with two calligraphy works and two oil paintings. Galeri Zilberman from Turkey presents Self- Portraits, a series of photographs by Afra Bin Dhaher. What strikes me the most about her art is the fact that she presents an intersection between everyday objects and the dreamlike stories portrayed in her work, says the space s founder, Moiz Zilberman. She takes objects, such as a prayer rug and develops a narrative within the image that reflects both a personal and local history. Zilberman laments that there is little awareness about Emirati artists at the moment, but has an optimistic outlook on the country s artistic future. Kashya Hildebrand, founder of her eponymous galleries in London and Zurich agrees. She says that while Art Dubai and Abu Dhabi Art are doing a great job at offering emerging Emirati artists a platform, auction houses are doing their best to develop knowledge about the region s arts. The gallery represents Khalid Al-Banna, whose work is heavily influenced by conflict in the region and whose abstract black-and-white ink portraits reflect his perception of the human condition. Khalid is very much focused on the perception that the Western view of the Middle East is different from the everyday reality that he perceives, explains Hildebrand.

5 NOW OPEN IN ABU DHABI THE GALLERIA SOWWAH SQUARE

6 WHAT ARE YOUR ART FAIR SURVIVAL TIPS? Kaleidoscopic reinterpretation of a map of Abu Dhabi from the Phantasmagoria (Series 1) by Zeinab Al-Hashemi that will appear on the Durub Al-Tawaya buses. DURUB AL-TAWAYA This multi-stage project takes the audience on designated buses to four different destinations in Abu Dhabi, including Manarat Al-Saadiyat, Mina Zayed, Corniche Beach and Marina Mall. Contemporary artists such as Zeinab Al-Hashemi, Salem Al-Qassimi, Rayyane Tabet, Wael Shawky and Mobius Studio, among others, transform each of these stops to host a series of cultural activities including performances, public art, concerts, poetry recitals and installations. Miler Lagos. Inside Akiba Shrine, Ukeji Piled and carved paper x 61 x 45.7 cm. ARTIST S WAVES This new section (H2-UAE Pavilion-Mezzanine level) showcases works by artists who did not make it to the booths. It also includes a special salon where visitors get a chance to interact with the participating galleries. Artists taking part in this programme include Marwa Adel, Magid Angawi, Mohammed Bahrawi, Skyler Brickley, Miller Lagos, Ethan Murrow, Alejandro Almanza Pereda, Saad Qureshi, Ziya Tacir, Liu Wei, Michael Wolf and Andrezej Zielinski, among others. Jukhee Kwon. Arabesque Dream Paper and book case. Variable dimensions. Image courtesy October Gallery, London. BEYOND This year sees a variety of new works erected around various locations in Manarat Al-Saadiyat. The section serves as a platform to bring large-scale artworks to the public arena showcasing works by Rafael Barrios, Hassan and Hussain Sharif, Jukhee Kwon, Ahmed Mater and Hassan Hajjaj. Yasam Sasmanzer. Treacherous Wolf Colour patinated bronze. 42 x 10 x 14 cm. Edition six of seven. ARTS, TALKS AND SENSATIONS Curated by Fabrice Bousteau, Abu Dhabi Art s popular Arts, Talks & Sensations returns this year under the theme Dunes and Waves. Running parallel to live performances, video screenings and poetic installations, this section also includes Small is Beautiful, which exhibits small-scale Contemporary artworks from participating galleries. The works on display not only correspond to the size of the artwork, but also work around a curatorial theme. SATELLITE EVENTS Running in parallel to the fair is a series of returning and new events on and around Saadiyat Island. All images courtesy TCA, Abu Dhabi, unless otherwise specified. SIGNATURE Signature offers participating galleries an opportunity to present a solo exhibition for one of their artists. Art Sawa brings works by Marwa Adel, Artspace presents HH Sheikha Alyazia Bint Nahyan Al- Nahyan s pieces and the first gallery to open on the Saadiyat Island, Salwa Zeidan Gallery, showcases works by Fatema Al-Mazrouie. Sheikha Alyazia Nahyan Al-Nahyan. View Carrom Station Mixed media. 102 x 51 cm. Image courtesy the artist and Artspace Dubai/London. Image courtesy AB Gallery, Lucerne/Zurich. FRANZ LEUPI, FOUNDER, AB GALLERY (H2-17) Walk through the fair with open eyes and an open mind. Look not only to the well-known names but seek out new talent. Support and buy works from young emerging upcoming artists. Invest in art. KASHYA Image courtesy Kashya Hildebrand. HILDEBRAND, FOUNDER, EPONYMOUS GALLERY (H2-19) Wear comfortable shoes. It s worth taking in some air when your thoughts and focus begin to drift. Go back regularly and realise that you will make a new discovery every day. Spend time with collectors and experience the arts through a different lens. Make sure you engage with gallerists as there is always a treasure hiding in the closet. Photography by Mohammed Somji. Image courtesy The Third Line, Dubai. SUNNY RAHBAR, CO-FOUNDER, THE THIRD LINE (H1-12) Firstly, make sure you have plenty of rest before the fair. Print out your schedule beforehand and carry it with you at all times, so you don t miss anything. Patience is key at an art fair. Stay fully hydrated and carry some mint or chewing gum to freshen your breath that s important because you re talking all the time. Keep your iphone and charger with you. TINA KIM, FOUNDER, EPONYMOUS GALLERY (H2-12) Art fairs are both the busiest and the most interesting part of the business. Before the hectic period of the art fair begins, I take walks on the beach, exercise, enjoy healthy meals and try to relax whenever possible. Moreover, spending time with friends and making new ones at the fair are always good treats to make one feel energised. Image courtesy Tina Kim Gallery, New York NOV 2013 I CANVAS DAILY I ISSUE 2 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION

7 My name: Rashid My occupation: Architect My dream: To add my signature to the skyline of my hometown My private bank: Julius Baer, because I can build upon their expertise in wealth management The leading Swiss private banking group. Since Julius Baer is present in over 40 locations worldwide. From Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Istanbul, Hong Kong, Singapore, Moscow, Milan, Monaco, Frankfurt, London, Guernsey, Nassau and Montevideo to Geneva, Lugano, St. Moritz and Zurich (head offi ce).

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10 VERNISSAGE Impressive crowd turnout at Abu Dhabi HH Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al-Nahyan, UAE Minister of Culture, Youth and Social Development and HE Sheikha Hoor Al-Qassimi, President of the Sharjah Art Foundation. HH Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al-Nahyan and HE Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al-Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi's Tourism Culture Authority. Emirati artist Khalid Al-Banna with HH Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan. Emirati artist Abdul Qadir Al-Rais and Alanood Al-Warshow of Dubai's Hunar Art Gallery. Christiana de Marchi and Emirati artist Mohamed Kazem. HE Sheikha Lulu Al-Sabah. The Tourism Culture Authority's HE Sheikha Maisa Al-Qassimi and Dr Zaki Nusseibeh, Advisor of UAE Presidential Affairs. CANVAS COLLECTORS DINNER Ali Khadra, Founder and Publisher of Canvas with Cyril Karaoglan. Canvas hosted its annual collectors dinner in partnership with Christie's and Al-Manara Collectors Nadia and Moiz Jamal. HE Sheikh Terky Al-Khalifa and The Pace Gallery's Sharifa Al-Sudairi. Collectors Paula Askari and Paula Cussi. The British Museum's Venetia Porter and Iranian collector Maryam Massoudi. Paul Hewitt of Christie's. Alaa Al-Shroogi of Dubai's Cuadro Fine Art Gallery. Richard Armstrong, Director of the Solomon R Guggenheim Museum and Foundation NOV 2013 I CANVAS DAILY I ISSUE 2 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION

11 WINTER ISSUE OUT NOW! Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority presents EMIRATI EXPRESSIONS Abdullah Al Saadi Ebtisam Abdulaziz Layla Juma Mohamed Al Mazrouei Mohammed Ahmed Ibrahim Mohammed Kazem 30 OCTOBER JANUARY 2014 Manarat Al Saadiyat, Saadiyat Cultural District, Abu Dhabi saadiyatculturaldistrict.ae

12 LIBRARY Photography by Brian Gil Martin. ART NEWS Paul Guiragossian. (Detail) Composition Image courtesy BEC. Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige Published by JRP Ringier and Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery, Montreal The first monograph dedicated to the career of this Lebanese artist couple, this soft cover traces their works from 1997 until today. Drawing from their experiences during and after the Lebanese Civil War, the duo reinterpret notions of identity and continuously seek to make sense of the war s aftermath through photographs, videos and installations. The book features essays by curator Suzanne Cotter and historian Jean-Michel Frodon, along with a conversation between Michele Theriault, Director of the Leonard & Bina Ellen Gallery in Montreal and Jalal Toufik, Etel Adnan and Rabih Mroué among others. Price AED 250/$68. Available at The Third Line, Dubai. Stretching Thoughts Written by Nadim Karam Published by Ayyam Gallery A new monograph by the Lebanese artist and architect, Stretching Thoughts offers an introspective look at life, war, dreams and the human condition in the Middle East. Karam highlights the element of uncertainty in a region where complete city centres are being demolished while others emerge. At 286 pages, the multidisciplinary artist presents the various large-scale urban art projects he has worked on for cities such as Beirut, Tokyo, Amman, Melbourne, London and Dubai. Price AED 250/$68. Available at Ayyam Gallery NOV 2013 I CANVAS DAILY I ISSUE 2 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION Q&A with Robert Longo THE AMERICAN ARTIST presents works from The Mysteries series through Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac (H2-14) and tells Canvas Daily about his fascination with the Islamic world, his black-and-white colour palette and popular culture. WHAT IS THE REASON BEHIND YOUR PREFERENCE FOR USING BLACK AND WHITE IN YOUR WORKS? As a kid, I didn t really read much because I was dyslexic. But I did notice that publications like Newsweek, Life and National Geographic would report on incredibly serious issues such as the war in Vietnam or an earthquake, using black and white photographs. Subconsciously, I ve grown to think of black and white as the colours of truth. WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH POPULAR CULTURE? My job is to report on what it s like to be an artist at the moment. Popular culture is a big part of that because it s the language that we speak. My work seems to be photography-based but it s highly abstract. If you had traditional representation and modernist abstraction on two ends of a spectrum, I would say my work fits somewhere in the middle. RELIGION IS A THEME THAT YOU EXPLORE IN YOUR WORKS WHAT ROLE DOES SPIRITUALITY PLAY IN YOUR LIFE? I m not a believer of organised religions but I definitely believe in God. I think to survive in this world, you have to believe in something that s bigger than your ego. In the last years, my work has covered lots of different subject matters that I feel compelled to investigate. All these subjects have led me to two places politics and religion. CAN ART BE NARCISSISTIC? I think good art has to be extremely pretentious. The basic idea is that it has to be almost ridiculous to the point where people say it s absurd. Think of Jackson Pollock I remember the first time I saw his painting, I was standing next to a woman and she said to me, a monkey could do that! It then made me wonder why this is considered art. In my opinion, Contemporary art is a form of investigation. If you don t have the knowledge or understanding of the research, an uneducated eye can look at an artwork and think it s totally ridiculous. People look at my work and think they re just photographs. The secret ingredient is in the details. It s about looking closely and noticing that there are things distorted in the drawings. The amount of abstract marks amplifies these details. TELL US ABOUT THE MYSTERIES SERIES. My work is all about creating dialogue. There are certain things in life, wherein expressing yourself in words isn t enough. For Abu Dhabi Art, I am showing a drawing of Mecca, a drawing of a woman in a burqa, the black stone and an Ottoman warrior s helmet from the 12th century. These drawings are about my fascination with the Islamic world, its beauty and mystery. In America, we like to pretend to be ignorant. We suffer from a horrible case of narcissism; we think we re the centre of the world but we re really not. It s important that we try to understand each other s cultures because Islam forms a huge part of our world. I live in Brooklyn and I hear the call to prayer everyday; I love it. Also, there s an incredible sense of poetry in the idea that for women who wear burqas, only their husbands can see them without it. The main concern in my works is to explore the beauty of these beings. WHAT IS THE SECRET TO LASTING IN THIS FAST-PACED POST DIGITAL ART WORLD? You need to develop skills and be able to execute art instead of trying to figure out all that intellectual stuff. The computer gives you the illusion that things can be done quickly. Time and labour are extremely important. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUR 18-YEAR-OLD SELF? My career has had its ups and downs. As you get older, the challenge is to remain relevant. Be as honest as you can with what you re doing. I think my generation gave people the impression that it s easy to make money out of being an artist. It s important to figure out a formula to produce work that is highly personal but is also relevant. You need to create a balance between the world you live in and the world that s inside you. GUIRAGOSSIAN RETROSPECTIVE BEIRUT Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath curate a retrospective of Paul Guiragossian s works at the Beirut Exhibition Center to mark the 20th anniversary of the artist s passing. The exhibition features over 100 paintings and works on paper and runs until 6 January Rokni Haerizadeh. (Detail) My Heart Is Not Here, My Heart's in The Highlands, Chasing The Deers Image courtesy Gallery Isabelle Van Den Eynde, Dubai. ROKNI HAERIZADEH AT CARNEGIE INTERNATIONAL PITTSBURGH Curated by Daniel Bawmann, Dan Byers and Tina Kukielski, this exhibition features the works of 35 artists from 19 countries. Dubai-based Iranian artist Rokni Haerizadeh presents a project that depicts the grandeur of the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton through anthropomorphised forms. The show runs until 16 March POMPIDOU MOBILE IN SAUDI DHAHRAN Centre Pompidou s mobile museum is in the eastern city of Dhahran until 27 November at the Saudi Aramco headquarters. The show draws inspiration from an exhibition that has travelled throughout French cities and features more than 20 masterpieces from the museum s collection. Rabih Mrouè. Still from Checkmate Grandfather, Father and Son Image courtesy of the artist and Sfeir-Semler Gallery, Beirut/Hamburg. RABIH MROUE SOLO IN MADRID MADRID The Lebanese artist presents his first solo in Spain at the Centro de Arte dos de Mayo, curated by Aurora Fernández Polanco. Running until 2 February 2014, the show presents works that reflect on the use of imagery in, and against, official narratives.

13 ANIMAL KINGDOM Sharks, lions, bears and swans: a host of animals feature in artworks at this year s fair. Anna Dudchenko. Jeff Koons Pencil on paper. 35 x 50 cm. Image courtesy Bait Muzna Gallery, Muscat. An Omani of Russian origin, Dudchenko like many of her Russian counterparts uses humour and controversy to express discontent with her native country s political status quo. Despite being labelled as crass humour, Dudchenko says her current project entitled Under the Influence is lighthearted and has been designed purely to entertain. In Jeff Koons, (priced at $5000) she presents a pencil drawing of the American artist s most notable work the oversized Balloon Dog produced in stainless steel with a mirror finish surface. Bears and pandas can be seen hovering around Dudchenko s drawing, in an effort to dig up the story behind the meaning of Koons s fascinating creation. Farhad Moshiri. Frosting Stories Embroidery, acrylic, plastic, crystals, glitter and glaze on canvas mounted on board. 173 x 238 x 9 cm. Image courtesy The Third Line, Dubai. Damien Hirst. The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living Lenticular digital printing on PETG plastic. 80 x 120 cm. Edition of 150, signed and numbered. Image courtesy Paul Stolper Gallery, London. A print depicting one of Hirst s most iconic works produced in the early 1990s, The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living is now considered a symbol of British art worldwide. It is the first time that Hirst s dead shark, entombed in a formaldehyde-filled tank, has been referenced in a two-dimensional piece. The original work is rumoured to have been sold for $8 million to hedge fund manager Steven Cohen, while the print stands at between $12,000 14,400. As is the case with most of Hirst s works, the YBA cleverly identifies viewer reaction and attempts to toy with our rational thoughts by triggering our flight instincts. Reza Derakshani. (Detail) The Sun, The Star, The Lion and The Other Sun Oil and glitter on canvas. 190 x 170 cm. Image courtesy Kashya Hildebrand, London/Zurich. When the Iranian Pop artist stumbled upon an icing machine in his aunt s suitcase, he immediately contemplated putting paint inside instead of cream to produce an artwork. In Frosting Stories, Moshiri uses sugar frosting as paint to tell the story of a mythical voyager who meets Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, makes three wishes after finding the magic lantern and sets off on epic adventures. Hand-woven with threads of gold and silver, Frosting Stories, priced at $250,000, takes the form of a luxurious flying carpet that transports the Iranian artist anywhere and at anytime he wishes. Raised in a mountain village in Iran, painter, musician and performance artist Derakshani has always had a deep appreciation for his surroundings and its natural beauty. This fascination has translated into Derakshani s works. His painting The Sun, The Star, The Lion and The Other Sun (priced at $70,000) is a subtle sociopolitical commentary inspired by a previous flag of Iran. The lion and the sun both of which have featured in pre-islamic Revolution flags are included in Derakshani s painting which sees the lion, a symbol of the state, weighed down by the sun, a representation of religion. Another sun attempts to rise in the background and the pink backdrop is a map of Iran. Khaled Hafez. (Detail) Hathor with Angels Mixed media on canvas. 80 x 120 cm. Image courtesy AB Gallery, Lucerne/Zurich. A would-be former doctor, the Egyptian artist has long been fascinated with the world of Ancient Egypt. Hafez's works are often a visual spectacle and contain a kinetic element. In his mixed media on canvas Hathor with Angels, (priced at $23,000) he aims to blur the lines between the past and present by featuring Ancient Egyptian goddesses and modern sportsmen. In his effort to signify his desire to escape the reality of everyday life and the cultural and geographical boundaries that separate human beings, he uses characters that have wings, resembling angels who are able to travel freely. 20 NOV 2013 I CANVAS DAILY I ISSUE 2 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION 13

14 WORD SEARCH Contemporary Middle Eastern Artists CROSSWORD Famous Artworks & Artists 5 minutes with... ALTURKI BENCHAMMA DERAKSHANI GHAREM HAFEZ HATOUM HOUSHIARY JINCHI MATER MOSHIRI NABIL NAHAS SAHMARANI SEDIRA ACROSS 4. The flora of Van Gogh 5. Enigmatic smile 6. Pop and always wore a wig 10. Name of a Hirst shark reportedly bought by the Qataris 11. A Picasso that was owned by Wynn and now by Cohen 13. A marble of a Renaissance man 14. The Spanish moustache DOWN 1. Jeff Koons and the new colour on the Christie's catalogue spine 2. Sold for $119,922,600 at Sotheby's in Picasso's masterpiece 7. Highest selling artwork at auction by a living Middle Eastern artist 8. The green apple and the bowler hat 9. The Secret Garden 12. The stone in Vermeer's painting 14. Creator of the Women series Across Down BABAK GOLKAR ARTIST SHOWING THROUGH THE THIRD LINE (H1-12) THE IDEAL MEAL WITH ONE ARTIST IS: Honey-glazed hare with Joseph Beuys. ONE OF THE ART WORLD S GREATEST UNSUNG HEROES WAS: George E Ohr. IF THERE IS ONE ERA I WOULD GO BACK TO, IT WOULD BE: The 1910s. I AM HAPPIEST WHEN: I have an epiphany. LIFE WOULD BE MEANINGLESS WITHOUT: Lemons. IF I WEREN T DOING WHAT I DO, I WOULD HAVE BEEN: A chef. THE ARTIST I D WANT MY PORTRAIT CREATED BY: Gabriel Orozco. BAD ART IS: Not good for anyone. THE ACTOR WHO WOULD PLAY ME IN A MOVIE ABOUT MY LIFE: Andy Garcia. CREATIVITY CAN BE CRUSHED BY: Fear. BRIGITTE SCHENK FOUNDER, EPONYMOUS GALLERY (H2-22) I WAS LOST FOR WORDS IN: Walter de Maria s Earth Room at the Dia Art Foundation. IF THERE IS ONE ERA I WOULD GO BACK TO, IT WOULD BE: The Roaring Twenties. MY BIGGEST VANITY IS: Fashion. YOU WOULD BE SHOCKED TO KNOW THAT I: Wanted to become a priestess. I AM HAPPIEST WHEN: I m dancing. THE SONG I CAN LISTEN TO OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS: Sara by Bob Dylan. THE ARTWORK THAT BEST DESCRIBES ME IS: Andy Warhol s flowers. THE ARTIST I D WANT MY PORTRAIT CREATED BY: Joseph Beuys. I D LIKE PEOPLE TO REMEMBER MY: Fearlessness. CREATIVITY CAN BE CRUSHED BY: Self-underestimation. CINEMA NOV 2013 I CANVAS DAILY I ISSUE 2 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION

15 ABU DHABI ART MAP HALL 1 - MANARAT AL SAADIYAT MAP OF THE FAIR H1-15 H1-16 H1-17 H1-18 H1-19 H1-20 H1-21 Entrance & Tickets 01 H1-S2 H1-S3 Hall 1 - Modern, Contemporary & Design Galleries 02 Hall 2 - Modern, Contemporary & Design Galleries 03 H1-05 H1-06 H1-07 H1-08 H1-11 H1-12 H1-13 H1-14 H1- S1 14 Artists Waves 04 H1-09 H Small is Beautiful 05 Talk & Workshop Registration 06 H1-01 H1-02 H1-03 H Abu Dhabi Art Majlis & VIP Desk Plaza HALL 2 - UAE PAVILION Auditorium Abu Dhabi Art Design Souq Art, Talks & Sensations: Dunes and Waves Platform 11 H2-07 H Sharjah Art Foundation Film Programme 12 H2-01 H Abu Dhabi Art Community 13 H2-09 H2-11 H Art Zone 14 H2-03 Studio 1 15 H2-10 H2-12 H Studio 2 16 H2-04 H2-05 Emirati Expressions: Realised The Saadiyat Story 18 H2-06 H2-21 Artyfact 19 H TASCHEN 20 H2-18 H2-13 H2-14 H2-15 H2-16 H Chairs for Abu Dhabi Julius Baer Exhibition & Lounge Media Partners Cloak Room 24 Durub Al Tawaya Bus Stop 25 MODERN CONTEMPORARY & DESIGN GALLERIES Saadiyat Shuttle Bus Stop 26 H1-04 Agial Art Gallery Beirut, Lebanon H1-09/S2 Art Sawa Dubai, UAE H1-03/S1 ARTSPACE Dubai, UAE / London, UK H1-21 Bait Muzna Gallery Muscat, Sultanate of Oman H1-11 Cheim & Read New York, USA H1-13 eoa.projects London, UK H1-18 Galeri Zilberman Istanbul, Turkey H1-02 Galerie Janine Rubeiz Beirut, Lebanon H1-19 Galleria Continua San Gimignano, Italy / Beijing, ChinaLe Moulin, France H1-16 Horrach Moya Palma de Mallorca, Spain H1-01 Kerlin Gallery Dublin, Republic of Ireland H1-08 Lam Art Gallery Riyadh, KSA H1-14 Lawrie Shabibi Dubai, UAE H1-15 Meem Gallery Dubai, UAE H1-05 October Gallery London, UK H1-07 Paul Stolper Gallery London, UK H1-17/S3 Salwa Zeidan Gallery Abu Dhabi, UAE H1-10 The Breeder Monte Carlo, Monaco / Athens, Greece H1-20 The Park Gallery London, UK H1-12 The Third Line Dubai, UAE H1-06 Tina Keng Gallery Taipei, Taiwan / Beijing, China H2-17 AB Gallery Lucerne, Switzerland H2-05 Athr Gallery Jeddah, KSA H2-20 Ayyam Gallery Dubai, UAE / Beirut, Lebanon; Damascus, Syria / Jeddah, KSA; London, UK H2-09 Carpenters Workshop Gallery London, UK / Paris, France H2-06 Edward Tyler Nahem Fine Art, L.L.C. New York, USA H2-15 Gagosian Gallery London, UK / New York; USA Beverly Hills, USA / Paris, France; Rome, Italy/ Athens, Greece; Geneva, Switzerland / Hong Kong, China H2-22 Galerie Brigitte Schenk Cologne, Germany H2-03 Galerie El Marsa Tunis, Tunisia / Dubai, UAE H2-13 Galerie Enrico Navarra Paris, France H2-08 Galerie GP & N Vallois Paris, France H2-14 Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac Paris, France / Salzburg, Austria H2-07 Gallery Isabelle van den Eynde Dubai, UAE H2-01 Hanart TZ Gallery Hong Kong, China H2-10 Hauser & Wirth London, UK / New York, USA Zurich, Switzerland H2-18 Hunar Gallery Dubai, UAE H2-16 kamel mennour Paris, France H2-19 Kashya Hildebrand Gallery London, UK H2-12 Kukje Gallery / Tina Kim Gallery Seoul, Korea / New York, USA H2-04 Leehwaik Gallery Seoul, Korea H2-11 Leila Heller Gallery New York, USA H2-21 Lisson Gallery London, UK / Milan, Italy New York, USA H2-02 Sfeir-Semler Gallery Hamburg, Germany / Beirut, Lebanon 27 Mixed Media Publishing FZ LLC PO Box , Dubai, UAE Tel: Fax: info@mixed-media.com Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Ali Khadra Editor Myrna Ayad Consultant Editor James Parry Editorial Assistants Rania Habib and Nahda Suleiman Editorial Coordinator Maria Mumtaz Senior Designer Rebecca Teece Designer Tulip Hazbar Production Manager Parul Arya Commercial Director Lama Seif International Sales Manager Firas Khouja Distribution & Marketing Manager Fiza Akram Distribution Coordinator Aditi Mane Finance Director Eid Sabban IT Assistant Manager Hussain Rangwala Printers United Printing and Publishing, Abu Dhabi Subscribe to & get %50 off HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Public Car Park & Valet VIP Car Park Toilet Food & Beverage Prayer Room Offer valid till 31 December 2013.Terms and conditions apply NOV 2013 I CANVAS DAILY I ISSUE 2 I ABU DHABI ART EDITION 15

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