BY RAYNALD C RIVERA
There has been a renewed interest in contemporary Middle Eastern art the world over as demonstrated by successful art fairs and expos and record sales of leading auction houses. Strong results of Sotheby’s last two contemporary art sales in Doha have proved the insatiable thirst of collectors around the world for art from the region and this evening’s auction is expected to be yet another record-breaking one.
Two years ago, Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Doha auction achieved a staggering total of $15,199,750, the highest price ever for an auction of contemporary art in the Middle East. It set nine records, one of which was Icons of the Nile by Egyptian artist Chant Avedissian, which set a record for a living Arab artist at $1.56m.
The sale, which featured 46 lots most of which were by artists from the region, attracted bidding from collectors from 15 countries across four continents-a proof of the strong appeal of the works to art connoisseurs.
Thirteen records were set at last year’s auction whose total sales reached $8,006,625. Thirty-eight of the 53 lots sold were works by Middle Eastern artists. Among the pieces which broke records were Iranian artist Ali Banisadr’s ‘The Chase’ which fetched $557,000 over an estimated $250,000 and Saudi artist Abdullah Qandeel’s painting ‘The Enemy Within’ which sold at $209,000 (estimated at $20,000-$30,000).
Ashkan Baghestani, Specialist, Middle East Department was quick to confirm state of the market for contemporary art in the region is currently vibrant.
“It is now a market that has blossomed in the last ten years and still doing great. The fairs are doing extremely well. I’ve seen many Western art collectors at this year’s Art Dubai and in the Sharjah Biennale. It’s a great door and I think quality is there,” said Baghestani, contemporary Arab and Iranian art specialist at this evening’s sale.
Middle Eastern art is attracting the attention of Western collectors who go after quality.
“I think Western collectors are realizing the potential of this market. The art market is very strong currently. Middle Eastern art being good quality and well represented by good galleries and museums is another entry point for a lot of collectors who can’t necessarily afford the super expensive artists but still have good budget to acquire the really good Middle Eastern artists,” he said.
“There is huge demand for artists from the region in the West and the great thing is there are now more and more Western collectors who are interested in Middle Eastern artists.”
The reasons for rise in demand for Middle Eastern art and the attention it is generating are too many to mention but it may be argued that there has been a shift in focus of artists from the region.
“I think we came out of this very traditional type of art…A lot of artists (in the region) are focusing now on expressing more their opinion,” explained Baghestani.
Avedissian, in his 21-piece ‘Icons of the Nile’ portraits presents “a beautiful mosaic of Pan-Arab culture depicting famous celebrities, politicians and strong figures from the region.”
With a pre-sale value of $180,000 to $250,000, this Avedissian work is anticipated to do very well at this evening’s auction after the success of his similar work two years ago.
From photography and hand-worked textile panels Avedissian has shifted to stenciled works combining ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and dynastic monuments with images of modern national heroes, politicians and famous singers and actors. The work of great magnitude, 120 pieces of which were sold two years ago at the auction, was a result of his sheer concern for the rich Egyptian heritage threatened by the outbreak of the first Gulf war.
After the record sale of “The Chase” which sold more than double its estimated price last year, Ali Banisadr is back with ‘The Shrine” (est. $100,000-$150,000), a unique visual feast to the beholder which exemplifies a marriage between abstraction and figuration.
At first gaze, the viewer perceives a sense of chaos and obscurity but as he looks deeper he recognizes figures and a coherent landscape. Inspired by Persian miniatures and war scenes, the painting like in many of Banisadr’s works conveys the artist’s “feelings from his memories as a refugee from the Iran-Iraq war” and reproduces his “childhood memories of violence, confusion and loss.”
Ayman Baalbaki’s “Al Mulatham I” ($80,000-$120,000) is a captivating portrait which “focuses on resistance in the face of challenge, depicting the shrouded face of a lone figure gazing away from the viewer.”
Baalbaki, who also achieved world record in 2013 here, is famous for his use of kiffiyeh which has transformed from an ordinary garment to a powerful metaphor of struggle in the Middle East in recent years.
“The Emergence of the Letter”, a recent work by Qatari artist Yousef Ahmed will be one of the pieces which will be auctioned tonight.
One of the pioneers of art in Qatar, Ahmed raises Arabic calligraphy to a new level creating his medium from locally grown palm leaves and depicting it in a unique three-dimensional style. His works show his love for the country’s beautiful sea, desert and sky.
Another artist who has succesfully experimented with a number of mediums is prolific Saudi artist Ahmed Mater. “Green Antenna,” an installation made of neon tube, is one of his seminal works whose inspiration was derived from the story of a young boy who wants to communicate with the world.
Mater, who creates art from the story of his life, is the young boy with the antenna.
This auction, Baghestani predicts, will be another record-breaking and very strong sale with the quality and diversity of the collection.
“We hope it does extremely well simply because it is a well-curated show, the selection is extremely fresh, exciting and vibrant, with the best artist from each country. The artists are extremely good and we hope we reach a wider audience,” he said.
Doha has been an excellent platform for Sotheby’s contemporary art auctions in recent years with the presence of museums such as Mathaf Arab Museum of Modern Art which features contemporary artists from the region, some of whom have works auctioned by Sotheby’s, he says.
As for the contemporary art in the region, he said: “I think the art world in the region is doing extremely well; it’s very vibrant. With various art fairs and with all the patrons, there’s a real desire to grow this market and I think people are very supportive of it.”
The Peninsula
