Art Dubai 2025: A Celebration of Global Artistic Expression – The fair’s signature blend of established and emerging galleries brought together a vibrant mix of artists from around the world, showcasing innovative works that reflected the times.
Art Dubai 2025: A Celebration of Global Artistic Expression
The Fair’s Signature Blend of Established and Emerging Galleries
Art Dubai, now in its 18th edition, brought together a vibrant mix of established and emerging galleries from around the world. With over 100 galleries participating, this year’s fair reaffirmed its commitment to showcasing artists from the Global South and providing an alternative to traditional art circuits.
The Global South refers to countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America that are economically developing.
These regions face unique challenges such as poverty, inequality, and climate change.
According to the United Nations, over 85% of the world's population lives in the Global South.
The region is also home to many emerging economies, including China, India, and Brazil.
Historically, the term 'Global South' emerged as a response to the dominance of Western countries in global affairs.
The Power of Art as a Reflection of Our Times
Art Dubai’s artistic director, Pablo del Val, described the fair as ‘a reading of what is happening in the world: the displacements, the migrations, the causes that provoke them—from political conflicts to climate change.‘ This sentiment was echoed by Benedetta Ghione, executive director of Art Dubai, who noted that the event has become a platform for urgent narratives and diverse voices from the Global South.
Climate change refers to the long-term warming of the planet due to human activities, primarily burning fossil fuels and deforestation.
Rising temperatures lead to melting ice caps, sea-level rise, and extreme weather events.
According to NASA, the past decade was the warmest on record, with 2020 being the hottest year globally.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that global warming must be limited to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels to avoid catastrophic consequences.
Notable Booths That Stood Out
Among the many impressive booths at this year’s fair were those of Comptoir des Mines Galerie, BREAKFAST, Galería RGR, Pinksummer, Dastan Gallery, and others. These galleries presented a range of innovative works that showcased the diversity and creativity of artists from around the world.
Comptoir des Mines Galerie: Exploring Artivism in Morocco
Comptoir des Mines brought a solid selection of modern and contemporary Moroccan artists who explore artivism as an aesthetic and political language. Works by post-war icon Mohammed Kacimi coexisted with pieces by Mustapha Akrim, Khadija Jayi, Fatiha Zemmouri, and Mohamed Arejdal, highlighting the importance of poetry in a world overshadowed by desolation.
BREAKFAST: Digital Art and Environmental Awareness
BREAKFAST presented a solo booth with limited-edition works, including pieces from the Warming Seas series, which translates oceanic data into dynamic visualizations. His monumental sculpture Carbon Wake welcomed visitors at the entrance to the Digital section, attracting Dubai-based collectors who purchased several kinetic pieces ranging from $30,000 to $80,000.
Galería RGR: Latin American Geometric Abstraction and Contemporary Symbolism
In its first showing at Art Dubai, RGR offered a thoughtful curatorship linking Latin American geometric abstraction with contemporary practices inflected by the symbolic, spiritual, and political. Historical works by artists Carlos Cruz-Diez, Jesús Rafael Soto, and Julio Le Parc entered into dialogue with recent pieces by Jeppe Hein, Francisco Muñoz, and Magali Lara.
Pinksummer: Tomás Saraceno’s Ethereal Installation
Pinksummer presented a mesmerizing installation by Argentinean artist Tomás Saraceno in the ‘Bawwaba’ section. His piece from the Foam series created an optical experience that evoked shifting constellations or cellular patterns, inviting quiet reflection in one of the fair’s most atmospheric spaces.
Tomás Saraceno is an Argentine artist known for his large-scale installations that blur the lines between art, architecture, and science.
Born in 1972 in Tandil, Argentina, Saraceno's work often explores the relationship between humans and the environment.
His atmospheric sculptures, such as 'Museo sin Muros' (2009), use lightweight materials to create immersive spaces that evoke a sense of weightlessness and freedom.
With exhibitions worldwide, including the Guggenheim Museum in New York, Saraceno continues to push the boundaries of artistic expression.
Dastan Gallery: Contemporary Iranian Art and Spiritual Depth
Dastan brought together a multigenerational presentation of contemporary Iranian artists, with Pooya Aryanpour’s striking fuchsia sculpture anchoring a booth rich in spiritual and conceptual depth. Works by Reza Aramesh, Taher Asad-Bakhtiari, and Farrokh Mahdavi rounded out the booth, celebrating both aesthetic richness and conceptual depth.
The 18th edition of Art Dubai was a testament to the fair’s enduring commitment to showcasing innovative works from around the world. With its signature blend of established and emerging galleries, this year’s event reaffirmed its role as a platform for urgent narratives and diverse voices from the Global South.
