Article:
ISSUE No.7 November - December 2007

Pablo Picasso Meets Marilyn Monroe
“artparis” in Abu Dhabi

The art expo “artparis” has been taking place annually in the heart of France since 1999. After intensive negotiations the expo will relocate this year to the UAE capital city of Abu Dhabi. For the first time this renowned exhibit will not take place under the glass dome of the Grand Palais in Paris, but in the exhibition rooms of the Emirates Palace.

This move is another step in aiding the efforts of the government to make Abu Dhabi the future cultural destination in the Middle East.

Art works worth 400 million US dollars will be displayed and sold in the noble halls of the Emirates Palace. A total of 46 galleries from 16 countries will show modern and contemporary art of the 20th and 21st centuries. Masterpieces from renowned artists like Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Joan Miro and Andy Warhol are among the 3,000 pieces of art.

Works from almost 7,000 artists will be shown during the “artparis-abudhabi”. Paintings, sculptures and photography from the whole world will find their way to the desert.

The highlight of the show will be the sale of Andy Warhol’s painting of Marilyn Monroe. Experts believe the painting could sell for up to four million US dollars.

Arabian artists will show their works and a selection of exclusive calligraphy will be shown under “Signs and Calligraphy”. The “artparis-abudhabi” builds a bridge between cultures with its presentation of Western and Arabian artists.

Under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, another milestone was laid to bring Abu Dhabi to top position in cultural affairs in the region. This tactically smart move brings the “artparis” which has risen to fame in just a few years time to the Gulf. Critics consider this exhibit to be the crème de la crème of art exhibits and expect it to lure connoisseurs of modern and contemporary art from Europe to the UAE.

Artparis will definitely attract the media’s attention before the opening of the Guggenheim Museum or the Louvre Abu Dhabi. The small country on the Gulf sets new standards and has convinced critics of its ambition to become a cultural hub in the Middle East.

More Information: www.artparis-abudhabi.com