NEW ART FAIR IN DUBAI SIKKA Art Fair 2014 kicks off with compelling showcase of artworks

Phioto above: His Excellency Abdul Rahman Al Owais, Minister of Health and Chairman of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), officially inaugurates SIKKA Art Fair 2014.

Held at Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, the cultural nerve-centre of the city, SIKKA Art Fair is a flagship initiative under Dubai Culture’s newly-launched ‘Dubai Art Season.’ It celebrates arts at Dubai’s grassroots level and provides visitors the opportunity to engage with emerging artists and gain an understanding of contemporary artforms. SIKKA joins four premier arts and culture initiatives including Art Dubai, Design Days Dubai, Middle East Film & Comic Con and the Gulf Film Festival, as part of Dubai Art Season.

Over 50 artists and multi-disciplinary initiatives representing 25 nations, all residents of the UAE, will create a host of site-specific work, spanning an array of mediums including audio and video installation; multi-disciplinary initiatives; artistic installations; music performances; and visual arts, such as painting, photography, and sculptures.

His Excellency Abdul Rahman Al Owais, Minister of Health and Chairman of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), officially inaugurates SIKKA Art Fair 2014.

With Emiratis representing the majority of the artists, this year, SIKKA Art Fair will also see works by talents from Australia, Canada, China, Colombia, Egypt, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Peru, South Korea, Syria, United Kingdom, and United States of America, among others.

The artworks were curated by Her Highness Sheikha Wafa Hasher Al Maktoum, Founder and Director of FN Designs, and Japanese architect and programme director Kayoko Iemura, the official curators of ‘Dubai Art Season’ and SIKKA, and assisted by Yusaka Imamura, the Art Advisor to the fair.

His Excellency Abdul Rahman Al Owais, Minister of Health and Chairman of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), officially inaugurates SIKKA Art Fair 2014.

Held until March 25, 2014, and featuring over 100 activities spanning 10 days, this year’s SIKKA Art Fair programme will focus on the entire spectrum of arts – from visual and performing arts to film and literature – providing an unmatched showcase on the fast-emerging creative landscape of Dubai.

The fair will also host the Open Studios Exhibition featuring works by the artists selected for the annual Artists-in-Residence (A.i.R) Dubai programme, with the participants creating site-specific work.