Christie's holds first Abu Dhabi sale, MAWASIM, on 1 November
Christie's will hold its first fine art auction in Abu Dhabi on 1 November, 20 years after its debut UAE sale in Dubai. The MAWASIM sale offers 70 Middle Eastern and North African works, with a Kandinsky on preview.
1 / 2
The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Christie's will hold "MAWASIM: 20 Years of Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art" in Abu Dhabi on Sunday 1 November, 20 years after its first UAE sale in Dubai. Arab NewsRC “Twenty years after Christie’s inaugural UAE sale in Dubai, the auction house is bringing its “MAWASIM: 20 Years of Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art” exhibition and auction to Abu Dhabi.” Read at Arab News ↗ Gulf NewsN “Christie’s will hold its first fine art auction in the UAE capital on 1 November, 20 years after its debut sale in Dubai” Read at Gulf News ↗ Mixed · 2The sale comprises 70 works spanning nine decades by artists from across the Middle East and North Africa, and takes place at The Abu Dhabi EDITION at 5pm GST, with a public preview from 28 October to 1 November. Arab NewsRC “comprises 70 works spanning nine decades by artists from across the Middle East and North Africa” Read at Arab News ↗ Gulf NewsN “takes place at The Abu Dhabi EDITION at 5pm GST. A public preview runs from 28 October to 1 November.” Read at Gulf News ↗ Centre · 1Gulf News reports that works from the Dalloul Collection and the Barjeel Art Foundation are included, and that the events are presented in strategic partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), with support from Kering, The Abu Dhabi EDITION and DIETL by Rock-It. Gulf NewsN “including works from the Dalloul Collection and Barjeel Art Foundation.”“strategic partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO)” Read at Gulf News ↗
Centre · 1Christie's said Abu Dhabi is "a natural setting" for a new chapter in its regional engagement, citing its international outlook, cultural ambition and ability to convene collectors and artists from the region and beyond. Gulf NewsN “Christie’s said the capital is ‘a natural setting’ for a new chapter in its regional engagement” Read at Gulf News ↗ Right · 1Arab News highlights Saudi artists: Abdul Halim Radwi (died 2006), represented by "Afaq Halima (Space)" from 1989 and a hand-carved wooden work, "Khibayti", which it says is the first time a work by him in that medium has been offered; Ahmed Mater's photograph "Golden Hour (Desert of Pharan series)", showing the Grand Mosque during its 2011 expansion; and Manal Al-Dowayan's "Time Betrays". Arab NewsRC “Sunday’s auction will mark the first time that a creation in the medium by the Saudi icon will be for sale.”“depicting the Grand Mosque as it underwent expansion in 2011” Read at Arab News ↗ Right · 1Other artists named by Arab News include Palestinian painter Sliman Mansour, Egyptian artist Inji Aflatoun, American-Palestinian artist Samia Halaby and Iraq's Faisel Laibi Sahi, whose 2016 "Baghdad Cafe (The Coffee Shop)" greets visitors to the exhibition. Arab NewsRC “Visitors to the exhibition at The Edition, Abu Dhabi, will be greeted by Iraqi artist Faisel Laibi Sahi’s monumental “Baghdad Cafe (The Coffee Shop).”” Read at Arab News ↗
Centre · 1Gulf News leads with three works from Christie's November New York 20th and 21st Century sales that will be shown in Abu Dhabi first, led by Wassily Kandinsky's "Betonte Ecken" (1923), estimated at USD 60-80 million, with works by Mark Rothko and Pablo Picasso also on view. Gulf NewsN “Three works from Christie’s November New York 20th and 21st Century sales will be shown in Abu Dhabi first.”“Wassily Kandinsky’s Betonte Ecken (1923), estimated at USD$60-80 million” Read at Gulf News ↗ Centre · 1The Kandinsky was formerly in the Guggenheim Museum's collection, and Christie's Paige Kestenman called it a key moment in the development of abstraction. Gulf NewsN “The painting was formerly in the Guggenheim Museum’s collection and was recently shown in Potsdam and Paris.”“a key moment in the development of abstraction” Read at Gulf News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Gulf News treats it as a milestone for Abu Dhabi's art market, leading with the Kandinsky preview and Christie's own statements.
- Emphasis
- The Kandinsky estimate, partners and sponsors, Christie's rationale for Abu Dhabi.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Few individual regional artists or works are named.
- Charged language
- “masterwork”“compelling platform”
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Arab News is an arts feature focused on Saudi artists and the works on offer.
- Emphasis
- Radwi, Mater and Al-Dowayan, plus the works' themes and sizes.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the Kandinsky, the partners or sponsors, or the preview dates.
- Charged language
- “Heavyweights”“Saudi icon”“mesmerizing”
What every side reports
- Christie's MAWASIM sale is on 1 November in Abu Dhabi, 20 years after its first UAE sale in Dubai.
- It offers 70 works spanning nine decades from the Middle East and North Africa.
Christie's organisation
Presents Abu Dhabi as a natural setting for a new chapter in its regional engagement and the sale as marking 20 years in the UAE.
“Christie’s said the capital is ‘a natural setting’ for a new chapter in its regional engagement” — Gulf News
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
-
Abu Dhabi welcomes Christie’s first fine art sale, as a Kandinsky leads the preview
Celebratory Welcomes the sale as a milestone for Abu Dhabi, led by the Kandinsky and Christie's statements.
Right1 article
-
Saudi pioneers among Christie’s ‘MAWASIM’ auction in Abu Dhabi
Celebratory Art-feature profile of the sale emphasising Saudi pioneers and individual works.
- 28 Oct 07:20 First Arab NewsRC Saudi pioneers among Christie’s ‘MAWASIM’ auction in Abu Dhabi
- 28 Oct 08:48 +1h 28m Gulf NewsN Abu Dhabi welcomes Christie’s first fine art sale, as a Kandinsky leads the preview
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
Ask about this story
Loading…