Carwan Gallery: Karen Chekerdjian, 'Platform'/ Khalid Shafar, 'Space Divider'
Design Days Dubai, the first fair dedicated to collectible and limited edition design to take place in the Middle East and South Asia will kick off next month. Featuring 23 established and up-and-coming galleries from around the world, Design Days Dubai will form part of Art Week along with the contemporary Art Dubai art fair during the month of March.
Joining Design Days Dubai will be the Carwan Gallery, a Beirut founded pop-up gallery promoting limited edition design. Carwan will showcase the work of artists including Karen Chekerdjian and Khalid Shafar in their Contemporary Perspectives in Middle Eastern Crafts exhibition. Chekerdjian will display Platform C, a piece commissioned by Carwan, handmade by local artisans and crafted from brass and wood while Shafar will display his space divider.
Also from Beirut, the Smogallery will be at the event to promote the work of promising Lebanese designers.
Smogallery: Raphael Charles, 'Multiple Low Table'/ Karim Chaya, 'Edna Chair'
Speaking about the current contemporary art scene in the Middle East, the Carwan Gallery says: ‘Contemporary design is a new growing market here. We would say that even five years ago, there were very few initiatives.
‘Historically, design in the Middle East was more linked to high craftsmanship or commissions for mosques or palaces. It has always existed as a tradition, but the contemporary approach to design, as seen in the west since the middle of last century, is relatively new here and this a great opportunity to learn from history on how we can bring forward design using traditions and make it contemporary. We believe the next ten years will be very creative and interesting in terms of development in the region.’
Priveekollektie: Dominic Harris, 'Phable'
Dutch gallery Priveekollektie will present works of nine artists including British interactive artist Dominic Harris who will show his Phable project. Phable is a ‘manifold object’ which ‘blurbs between table and light, reducing both to basic geometric elements that react depending on the viewer’s sensory response and spatial proximity.’
Design Days Dubai is open 18-21 March 2012.
For more information visit the Design Days Dubai website.
