Swipe Right on Art: The Matchmaker's Guide to Collecting
Swipe Right on Art: The Matchmaker's Guide to Collecting
Jun 25, 2024 8:00 PM
Jun 2024
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TBC
Price: AED
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ABOUT THIS EVENT
Unlock the secrets to becoming a savvy art collector at our dynamic panel discussion, "Swipe Right on Art: The Matchmaker's Guide to Collecting." Join us for an enlightening evening where the worlds of gallery curation, art advising, and youthful collecting converge to demystify the art acquisition process.
Our distinguished panel includes Sunny Rahbar, a trailblazer in the Dubai art scene and co-founder of The Third Line gallery, who brings her extensive experience working with emerging artists from the Arab/Iranian/Muslim world. Sunny's journey from Parsons School of Design to changing perceptions through art will provide invaluable insights into the power of curatorial practices and collecting.
Salem AlSuwaidi, an Emirati writer, curator and collector, will share his expertise on navigating the complexities of cultural identity in art curation and collecting. Founder of SWALIF, Salem's work focuses on fostering discussions around nationalism and cultural hegemony, providing a fresh perspective on collecting art that speaks to regional narratives.
Caroline Louca, an art consultant with a rich background in the cultural sector, will guide attendees through the nuances of art collecting. In her previous role as MD of Christie’s Middle East and her deep involvement in establishing the acquisition committees for the Louvre and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Caroline offers a unique view on building a prestigious art collection.
Gaith Abdulla, a Gulf studies specialist and co-founder of Engage101 and Bayt AlMamzar(BAM), will delve into the intersection of socio-politics and art. His experience in fostering BAM, an independent arts space for experimental and critical artistic development, enriches the discussion with a grassroots take on understanding and collecting contemporary art.
Whether you're a novice eager to navigate your first acquisition or a seasoned collector looking to deepen your portfolio, this panel will equip you with the tools and knowledge to curate your own impressive collection. Prepare to engage with art like never before and transform your approach to the world of galleries, auctions, and beyond.
Sunny Rahbar
Of Iranian origin and was raised in Dubai, UAE when her parents moved there in 1980.
Rahbar graduated with a Bachelor of the Arts from Parsons School of Design, New York in 2000. During school and after graduation, she worked and interned at different art spaces in NY including the Guggenheim Museum and Phoenix Art Gallery, one of the first artist run spaces in New York.
At the end of 2001, after witnessing 9/11 in New York she returned to Dubai, with a determination to change the then negative perception of the Arab/ Iranian / Muslim world and started working independently with young and emerging artists from this part of the world, whom she believed should be given a platform and supported and for their stories to be told. She maintains that art can bridge divide and affect change.
In 2003, she co founded Bidoun Magazine, with Lisa Farjam. The magazine focused on art, culture and critical writing from the region and its diaspora. The first magazine of its kind.
In 2005, Rahbar, and her partners Claudia Cellini and Omar Ghobash, established The Third Line gallery in Al Quoz, the industrial district of Dubai, becoming the first contemporary art gallery to open in Al Quoz.
Salem AlSuwaidi
is an Emirati writer and curator from Abu Dhabi. He is also the Founder of SWALIF, an art and literature project-based collective for youth in the Khaleej. Salem completed a degree in Politics and Geography from King's College London and is interested in discussions on nationalism, cultural hegemony, and post-structural development. He regularly curates group exhibitions and public programming across the UAE, including the curation of “Khaleejiness” (Manarat AlSaadiyat, 2021), “Ybna Al3eid” (Bayt AlMamzar, 2022), “Zuhoor” (Manarat AlSaadiyat, 2023), and the programming of “Getting Over the Color Green” (AlSerkal Avenue, 2023), the MiZa Library (Mina Zayed, 2023), and “The Dissapearing Art Show 2.0 (2024). His practice is motivated by varying degrees of socio-cultural critique, as well as a constant pursuit of ideological reimaginations.
Caroline Louca
Caroline Louca, an art consultant with a rich background in the cultural sector, will guide attendees through the nuances of art collecting. In her previous role as MD of Christie’s Middle East and her deep involvement in establishing the acquisition committees for the Louvre and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Caroline offers a unique view on building a prestigious art collection.
Gaith Abdulla
A writer and Gulf studies specialist based in Dubai. His research focuses on socio-politics of the Gulf and its intersection with the region’s contemporary art and culture. Gaith is the co-founder of collecting-and-research platform Engage101 and co-founder of Bayt AlMamzar, an independent art space in Dubai.
Sarah Alagroobi is a multidisciplinary artist, socio-anthropological researcher and educator with an MA in Painting from the Royal College of Art, London. She explores notions of culture and identity in both Arab and Western contexts through post-colonial discourse. Her practice mines personal and collective experiences that portray an agile simplicity in expression of place, borders and a sense of belonging. She is the founder of the online platform The Letters Project, as well as the host of The Native Informant Podcast that focuses on cultural climate of the Arab region. Her work has gathered the attention of leading outlets such as VICE Arabia, VOGUE Arabia, Cannes Film Festival, Somerset House, Salone del Mobile, Warehouse421, Art Jameel, Art Dubai and Abu Dhabi Art.