As the front-running international art fair in the Middle East, Art Dubai 2023 provides a global perspective that thoughtfully challenges and moves outside of the mainstream Western perspective and approach. It successfully implements this strategy by not only showcasing art from MENASA countries (the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia) such as Brazil, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Morocco, Nepal, the Philippines, and the UAE, but also by challenging our collective perceptions of what art forms receive the most attention and are deemed the most innovative in contemporary art today. Within Art Dubai’s section entitled ‘Bawwaba: Against Disappearance’, it seeks to elevate highly skilled areas of craftsmanship and artistry that are not usually included under the category of 21st century art forms (and oftentimes were erased, minimised, or appropriated during colonisation) as the digitalization of the art world evolves. I had the opportunity to discuss this fascinating section of Art Dubai with curator Vipash Purichanont as well as learn more about his work, approach, and process:
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Bawwaba 2023 participating galleries and artists:
- Blueprint12, New Delhi // Youdhisthir Maharjan (Nepal, 1984)
- Circle Art Gallery, Nairobi // Dickens Otieno (Kenya, 1979)
- Exhibit 320, New Delhi // Gunjan Kumar (India, 1980)
- Hestia, Belgrade // Domingos Octaviano (Brazil, 1985)
- Navahi Projects, Tehran // Siamak Filizadeh (Iran, 1970)
- PARLIAMENT, Paris // Achraf Touloub (Morocco, 1986)
- SARAI Gallery (SARADIPOUR), Mahshahr/London // M. Smart (Iran, 1998)
- Silverlens Galleries, Manila/New York // Gregory Halili (Philippines, 1975)
- Yavuz Gallery, Singapore/Sydney // Zico Albaiquni (Indonesia, 1987)
- Yeo Workshop, Singapore // Maryanto (Indonesia, 1977)
- Hunna Art Gallery, Abu Dhabi/Sharjah // Performance by Moza Almatrooshi (UAE, 1990)
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