A particularly poignant mixed-media sculptural work portraying a dead man seemingly washed up on a beach after a pearl-diving escapade sits on the floor of the Kuwait City-based Bawa Gallery’s booth at the 16th edition of Abu Dhabi Art. Titled Bū-Daryā, after the Khaleeji myth of Baba Darya, who is said to haunt the waters of the Gulf, the work by Kuwaiti artist Jasem Alsanea draws parallels between the region’s historic pearl-diving industry and the impact of the last decade’s oil boom—the effects of which are still being experienced today.

Bawa, a first-time exhibitor, is one of 104 participating galleries, up from last year’s 92 galleries and 80 in 2022, marking Abu Dhabi Art’s largest and, arguably, most cosmopolitan edition ever. Two years ago, the fair halls and layout felt outdated and dealers were heard regularly complaining that there were not enough guests or collectors. This seems to have changed this year with new galleries, art professionals, and collectors eager to tap the growing art market potential of Abu Dhabi and the wider Gulf region.

Around 40 percent of the galleries this year are first-time participants. “[It marks] a definite expansion, which reflects the growing market here in the UAE,” said the fair’s director Dyala Nusseibeh, adding that Abu Dhabi has become a cultural hub and is a “force” in attracting collectors.

Jasem Alsanea’s Bū-Daryā at Bawa Gallery’s booth. Courtesy of Bawa Gallery.

“We are seeing more and more people from Abu Dhabi coming to the fair and buying from the local Emirati and expat community and many newcomers who have moved to the UAE in recent years,” she noted.

The fair, which runs through November 24, has a new sleek look this year and is divided into three new sections: “Something Bold, Something New,” featuring modern artists from the Middle East region; “The Collectors Salon,” bringing together galleries presenting artifacts, historical objects, manuscripts, and artworks; and “Silk Road: Drifting Identities” showcasing galleries and artists from Central Asia and the Caucasus. The gallery sector, “Emerge,” expanded to include nine galleries, all selling works priced under $3,000.

With both the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and Zayed National Museum expected to be completed in 2025, institutional collector interest in the fair seems to be on the rise. “There’s a certain energy now; with the new museums and institutions opening as serious institutional bases, there’s much anticipation,” Nusseibeh said.

VIP opening at Abu Dhabi Art. Courtesy of Abu Dhabi Art.

Among the major sales made during the opening day was a medium-sized work by Malian artist Abdoulaye Konaté at the Dubai-based Efie Gallery’s booth; it was acquired by a major international museum for between $200,000 and $250,000. Additionally, three works by Emirati sculptor Dr. Mohamed Yousif are on reserve by an international museum, priced between $20,000 and $25,000 each.

A falcon-headed wood sarcophagus containing the original falcon mummy, dating to Egypt’s 26th dynasty, which dates to 664­–525 BCE, was also sold by In Libris in the Collectors Salon for $89,000 to a private collector.

Hailing from Lagos, Nigeria, Ko Gallery is presenting works by Nigerian artists Ozioma Onuzulike and Nike Davies-Okundaye, priced between $30,000 and $60,000. Six sold during the first two days.

“There is a very international group of collectors in Abu Dhabi and several strong institutions in the region,” said the gallery’s founder Kavita Chellaram. “We continue to have strong sales each year.”

Dubai-based Lawrie Shabibi, presenting an eye-catching booth of paintings by Mandy El-Sayegh, had several works on reserve for international institutions, priced between $95,000 to $115,000.  “We present a solo booth each year focused on the institutions and particular collectors the fair attracts,” said William Lawrie.

Courtesy of Abu Dhabi Art.

The fair also coincides this year with the inaugural edition of the Public Abu Dhabi Biennial, staged by Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT Abu Dhabi), a government agency. The event, which runs through April 2025, is one of the many state-funded initiatives to build up the UAE capital’s cultural infrastructure and international art-world caché.

Is the effort paying off for commercial investors? In August, Sotheby’s struck a $1 billion deal with the Abu Dhabi sovereign-wealth fund ADQ, making it the New York auction house’s largest minority investor. Earlier this month, rumors circulated that global fair group Art Basel may be in negotiations to take over Abu Dhabi Art.

While no deal has been signed, senior members from the Art Basel team were spotted on the fair floor this week, including Dunja Gottweis, Global Head of Gallery Relations, and Vincenzo de Bellis, Director of Fairs and Exhibition Platforms, as perhaps a sign of things to come.

In a notable reflection of global wealth dynamics, BlackRock, the world’s largest investment firm, announced this week that it has obtained a commercial license to operate in Abu Dhabi.

Courtesy of Abu Dhabi Art.

The region as a whole is also drawing in many international art entities. In neighboring Saudi Arabia, Sotheby’s and Christie’s have both recently announced the opening of their new offices, with Sotheby’s set to stage the Kingdom’s first ever live auction in February 2025. Meanwhile, the London-based JD Malat is opening a gallery in Dubai in early 2025.

The gallery, which participated in Abu Dhabi Art for the first time as prelude to its new Gulf base, sold two works by Colombian artist Santiago Parra during the VIP opening for US $40,000 each, highlighting the increase in Latin American artists at the fair.

“I have watched the region’s ever evolving and dynamic cultural landscape over the years,” said the gallery’s founder Jean-David Malat. “Our vision resonates deeply with the growing taste for international contemporary art among collectors within the Middle East.”

Abu Dhabi Art runs through Sunday, November 24, at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi.