Pablo del Val, International Director at Art Dubai, is a man in the art world know. Previously artistic director of Mexico’s international contemporary art fair Zona Maco, before moving to Dubai at the end of 2015, Pablo has decades of experience as a cultural manager, curator, and director of contemporary art galleries around the world.
Looking at the dynamic Dubai art scene with fresh eyes, Pablo has given it an injection of talent, growing the galleries and collector programmes at the fair, all at a vital point as Art Dubai moves into its second decade. Now in its 11th year, Art Dubai, which is sandwiched between New York’s The Armory Show and Art Basel Hong Kong, is Dubai’s moment on the international art market stage, and here Pablo explains what makes Dubai such an energetic hub for the art world. Together with sharing the initiatives that Art Dubai has conceived to grow art in the region.
As Art Dubai enters its second decade, how do you feel it has matured?
Art Dubai is growing and becoming more internationally diverse each year. This year’s edition was our largest and most international to date, with 94 galleries attending from 43 different countries from all over the world. While developing into the most global of art fairs, Art Dubai has also carved out its place as the preeminent place to see art from the Middle East and North Africa, with our Modern section becoming a unique destination for lovers of Modern art from these regions.
Alongside the gallery halls, we are constantly expanding and adapting our year-round programming. A.I.R Dubai for example, will develop beyond being a residency programme in the coming year. The commissioned works will, for the first time, become permanent public pieces around Dubai, making a lasting imprint on the city.
Can you tell us about how art has grown in the region since the Art Dubai concept was conceived?
Art Dubai was and still is a catalyst for the cultural development in the region. The number of galleries in Dubai for example, has grown extensively since the first fair in 2007. In addition, our year-round community programme, including initiatives such as Campus Art Dubai, a school for UAE-based artists, curators, and writers, provides a platform for professionals in the cultural field, which didn’t exist before.
What makes Dubai such a dynamic region for both emerging and established artists, and also collectors?
Certainly the regions diversity and openness has put Dubai on the right track already. The city is home to over 200 nationalities, and has developed into one of the leading cosmopolitan hubs in the world. At the same time, the city offers increasing investment and job opportunities, as well as a liberal lifestyle, all of which are crucial for the development of a serious art scene and collector base.
Do you think Dubai is well positioned to compete with well-established art centres globally?
Rather than competing with more well-established art centres, Dubai offers an interesting alternative for both artists and collectors. Much of the success of Dubai’s cultural scene is due to the fact that the city is home to so many different diasporic communities, many of them coming to Dubai to seek the personal and artistic freedom that their home countries don’t offer. Often, artists’ work responds to political, economic, and social issues, and for many, Dubai provides a safe haven to create these pieces. I doubt you would find the same kind of energy in places like New York or London.
What are your goals to achieve with the art world in Dubai?
Credibility and trust.
In your eyes, what makes a beautiful piece of art?
Beauty is a very abstract concept. I find work beautiful when it shakes my brain or my soul. If they shake both then it is paradise.
By Eliza Scarborough
