Abu Dhabi’s The National gets the reaction to the new art fair announced for the Emirate. Yesterday, the Tourism Development and Investment Company announced a new broad-based art fair set for November:

Gita Meh, an Iranian artist who has been based in Dubai for the last two years said she hoped the new art fair would live up to expectations.

“I really hope that the organisers do as they say and provide workable opportunities for local artists. There are too many events in the UAE that support European or American artists and I don’t agree. I spent 18 years in New York and I didn’t see any Middle Eastern artists exhibited out there, why should we support them over here?

“As much as I was lost in the West, I now feel like I’m getting lost in the East. I’ve had 16 exhibitions in two years so I couldn’t ask for more than that but collectors are still focusing on international art. I feel angry because European art has thousands of years of support behind it but my forefathers didn’t have that kind of backing. The only way this new art fair will make a difference is if they provide some meaningful support for artists like me and vary the exhibits.”

A spokesman from TDIC stressed yesterday that the event is completely separate from Art Paris. The four day fair will take place between November 19-22 at the Emirates Palace.

Mixed Response for Art Abu Dhabi (The National)