MAYA RASAMNY, PATRON OF ART DUBAI, DISCUSSES THE FAIR, IT’S AUDIENCE AND THE REGION

Art Dubai 2009, Image Courtesy of Art Dubai

British/Lebanese Maya Rasamny’s collection encompasses major Western, Chinese and Middle Eastern Artists. She is a patron of London’s Tate Gallery and co-chairs Tate Modern’s Middle Eastern Acquisitions committee. She is also on the committee of Art Dubai and the selection committee of the Abraaj Capital art Prize and has taken part in a panel discussion on the future of Contemporary Art in the Middle East, moderated by Hans Ulrich-Obrist of the Serpentine Gallery. Rasamny believes that art is the most powerful and durable of international languages and continues to support, acquire and enjoy all that the art world has to offer in order to develop a globalised art world.

“The fair has developed very well since its launch 3 years ago. The content of the fair last year, and the quality of works displayed by the galleries were much better than in previous years. The Global Art Forum has always been very interesting and educational in many ways.

The fair has introduced me to many emerging and established contemporary artists from the MENASA region. Art has become an international language and by showcasing international art with a strong regional focus, I find that Art Dubai can create an international and very interesting dialogue.

I have enjoyed Art Dubai and discovered artists from the region who I find are now emerging on the international art scene. In previous years I really enjoyed the fair's curated projects, the video works projects and performances.

Art Dubai has also provided a platform where a Middle Eastern audience has been gaining greater knowledge of what is happening in the art world, especially through the Global Art Forum, artist’s talks and performances.

Art has become much more global and every year I have enjoyed meeting people from all over the world. Art Dubai has also set a platform where artists, collectors, curators, museum directors, gallerists from all over the world come to visit to discuss art and exchange ideas whilst engaging with the art from the region. Creativity, regional and international discussions are an important ingredient to the Middle East longterm art growth.

I definitely think that Art Dubai should be international but with a very strong Middle East, North Africa, South Asia contemporary focus. It is this focus that makes the fair appealing to me.

I am a collector as well as a patron of the Tate; I co-chair the TATE's newly formed Middle Eastern/North Africa acquisition committee in London; I am also a patron of the Middle Eastern acquisition group at the British Museum, and by being a patron of Art Dubai and a judge on the Abraaj Capital Art Prize, I feel that I can be an ambassador for the art of the region. Being passionate about art brings with it a certain responsibility to help support artists, educational programmes and museum acquisitions.”


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