Inji Efflatoun, Egypt, Dreams of the Detainee, 1961. Photo: Courtesy of Barjeel Art Foundation
Art enthusiasts in London can look forward to an exciting exhibition this summer, as Christie’s is bringing the largest showcase of Arab work in the city to date. Organized in partnership with the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Culture and Youth, Modern and Contemporary Art of the Arab World will take place from July 20 to August 23 in London’s historic St James’s district. The exhibition is open to the public via free entry, and will present works spanning over 80 years of creativity from 1939 to 2023 from the Barjeel Art Foundation, a collection of art by the pioneering Emirati artist Hassan Sharif and a group of works by contemporary Emirati artists.
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The Kawkaba: Highlights from the Barjeel Art Foundation, in particular, will pay tribute to West Asia and North Africa’s rich artistic diversity via work from both, renowned and underrepresented creators. These include Huguette Caland, Ibrahim El-Salahi, Etel Adnan, Marwan Kassab-Bachi, Safia Farhat, Jewad Selim, Inji Efflatoun, and Mohamed Melehi. Emirati Art Reimagined: Hassan Sharif and the Contemporary Voices will highlight the journey of the artist and the impact of his legacy. It features one of the largest private collections of Hassan Sharif’s work spanning his time working in London in the 1980s to his death in 2015, and art pieces will be available for immediate purchase via Private Sales.
Modern and Contemporary Art of the Arab World will also showcase a rare group of creations by contemporary Emirati artists, which are on loan from the Ministry of Culture and Youth, United Arab Emirates. The roster includes artists who are known for challenging norms and shaping the UAE’s creative landscape, such as Mohamed Kazem, Mohamed Ahmad Ibrahim, Hussein Sharif, Farah Al Qassimi, Alaa Edris, Zuhoor Al Sayegh, and Taqwa Al Naqbi.
