Text: Natalia Remmer UAE ART FUNDS BELOW THE NECESSARY IDEA OF SUPPORTING LOCAL ART. THEIR CREATORS AND MANAGERS ARE REAL ART ENTUSIASTS AND VALUES OF THE BEAUTIFUL AND THANKS THANKS THAT TODAY WE ARE WATCHING A REAL BREAKTHROUGH IN THE CULTURAL SPHERE OF THE EMIRATES.
Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation
For two decades, the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF) has been promoting the development of a creative environment that delights artists and audiences. It is well known for organizing the annual Abu Dhabi Festival in the capital of the UAE (held since 2008), as well as for its educational and social initiatives. Among them - the exhibition "Silent Voices" in support of victims of human trafficking, as well as master classes by emirate artists in orphanages.
The creator of the foundation, the famous philanthropist Huda Al Khamis Kanyu, one of the most prominent figures in the art scene of the United Arab Emirates, says: “I created ADMAF in 1996, when cultural hunger really felt. But even then the country's leadership began to pay great attention to art, and I wanted to become part of this process. They say that "mighty oaks grow from small acorns" - this is about us. Society cannot exist without access to artistic expression - it allows you to create and bring new and beautiful to the world - to create. "
ADMAF plays the role of an incubator for contemporary art and the keeper of eternal values. Famous Emirate artists such as Aisha Juma, Abdel Aziz Al Fadli and Mattar bin Lachezh conduct seminars and master classes in schools and universities. Their art demonstrates the principles underlying the country - tolerance, respect and enlightenment. The goal of the foundation is to maintain interest in art, to encourage new discoveries and cross-cultural dialogue.
UAE Society of Fine Arts Founded in 1980 as a group of innovative artists, the UAE (Emirates Fine Arts Society) still plays an important role in the development of the country's fine arts.
Today, the organization has more than 325 members. The key event is the annual exhibition at the Sharjah Historical Heritage Center, where the works of local artists, both UAE citizens and residents, are exhibited. The company also publishes literature on art, organizes workshops and seminars, group and personal exhibitions - not only to support young talents, but also to raise awareness of the development of contemporary art in the UAE.
The patron of the society is Sheikh Sultan Muhammad Al Kassimi, a member of the Supreme Council of the UAE and ruler of Sharjah, the previous chairman is the world famous artist Issa Al Ali: "In 1980, a group of artists, which included Hassan Sharif, Abdul Kader Al Rais and Dr. Makki Najat, who have studied abroad, returned to the UAE and decided to create the basis for the development of the arts sector in the country. They invited all practicing artists to the group. Today we no longer need to explain who we are. We have strong ties with museums and art institutes throughout to the country, and now our task is to present the achievements of our authors at the international level. We are already doing this - in particular, through cooperation with our foreign embassies around the world. "
Sharjah Art Fund
The Sharjah Art Foundation (SAF) is building a platform for cultural exchange and collaboration in the Gulf countries. The history of the foundation originates at the first biennale held in Sharjah in 1993. Every year, with the support of local and international partners, art initiatives are implemented here, meetings of representatives of the art community are held, and prizes are awarded. The collection of the fund is also constantly updated.
A key role in the development of SAF is played by his patron, Sheikh Khur Al Kassimi: “I did not think about glorifying Sharjah as an art capital, I liked meeting artists and discovering interesting works for myself and my generation. Our main audience is people People living in the UAE are people of different cultures and nationalities. Emirates are the same home for them as they are for me. I feel it. I want people with different pasts to communicate with each other, find a common language through art that exerts impact on their life. "
Art Center Maraya
The aim of the Maraya art center, founded in Sharjah in 2010, is to support and promote young artists from the UAE and the Gulf countries and participate in international curatorial projects. The center consists of three levels: on the first - premises for artists, a library and a cinema hall, as well as a platform for two ongoing projects - "Maraya Video Archive" and "Bookcase". The second floor is occupied by the Barjeel Art Foundation, the third is a gallery.
The center’s manager, Giuseppe Moscatello, who transformed the space where until 2010 there was a gallery with a collection of calligraphy, says: “Our main goal is to promote the development of the artistic environment in the UAE, which we do every day. In the Emirates, there are already universities that teach art, but we also need to provide artists with more conditions for the development and replenishment of knowledge - they need experienced mentors. Today we already have a more cohesive art community than, say, in Dubai. I think that in 10 years this area will finally get on its feet. measures, I wanted to see a significant part of the works of the emirate’s authors in the collection of the branch of the Guggenheim Museum of Modern Art in Abu Dhabi, more exhibitions in galleries in Dubai - while their percentage is still quite low. "
Tashkeel
The Tashkeel Gallery, an independent resource for artists and designers working in the UAE, is located in a quiet area of Nad al-Shiba in Dubai. Here, adult representatives of the art environment can get access to the necessary tools - studios, development rooms, jewelry machines and digital printers. The Arts Center opened in 2008 and is the favorite brainchild of collector and curator Latifa bin Maktum. Latifa’s career began in 2004, in 2006 her first solo exhibition “Perception” took place at The Third Line Gallery, and in 2008 she made her international debut in New York.
Latifa bin Maktoum states: “The basic idea of Tashkeel is very utilitarian: I studied at the faculty of visual arts and even then I began to share my ideas about art with other students. And after graduating from college I continued my creative search - at home, in the studio. Tashkeel is like a studio for artists where they can create and communicate. Today I understand that this project was vital, especially considering the growing number of museums that need to be filled. Today we need art buyers and artists who want to develop and go forward. Using local resources that are unique on a regional scale, we will gradually enter the international market. I hope to see these steps in the near future. "
