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As part of the 17th edition of Art Dubai, Galleria Continua presented works by contemporary artists Ai Weiwei, Daniel Buren, Loris Cecchini, Nikhil Chopra, Carlos Cruz-Diez, Subodh Gupta, JR, Anish Kapoor, Julio Le Parc, Ahmed Mater, Moataz Nasr, Pascale Marthine Tayou, and Sislej Xhafa.
Chinese artist Ai Weiwei is known for his outspoken activism against government corruption and human rights violations. Despite facing arrest, isolation, and travel restrictions, he continues to create art reflecting his political beliefs while showcasing creativity and experimentation. Weiwei's journey took him from China to the United States, where he studied and was influenced by artists like Marcel Duchamp and Andy Warhol. Returning to China in 1993, he played a significant role in establishing Beijing's avant-garde art community and founded independent art spaces.
French artist Daniel Buren is known for his radical exploration of the relationship between background and form in his art. He abandoned traditional studio practices in favour of creating works in situ, starting from the street and expanding to galleries, museums, landscapes, and architecture. His signature alternating stripes allow him to engage with the specific characteristics of each site, blurring the boundaries between painting, sculpture, and architecture.
Loris Cecchini, based in Milan, is a prominent 9 Italian artist renowned for his international exhibitions and site-specific installations. His solo shows have been hosted at prestigious museums worldwide, including Palais de Tokyo in Paris and MoMA PS1 in New York. Cecchini's participation in major events like the Venice Biennale and the Shanghai Biennale underscores his significance in the contemporary art scene.
Nikhil Chopra, currently residing in Goa, is known for his multidisciplinary artistic practice that incorporates live art, drawing, photography, sculptural art, and installations. His performances, often improvised, focus on themes of identity, autobiography, and self-portraiture, exploring the process of transformation throughout his performances. Combining everyday activities with drawing and clothing-making, Chopra's work blurs the line between life and art. He gained international recognition starting in 2008, participating in major events such as the Yokohama Triennale, Venice Biennale, Performa, and Documenta 14.
Carlos Cruz-Diez, a leading figure in contemporary art, is renowned for his groundbreaking research on colour, establishing him as one of the foremost thinkers of the 20th century in this realm. His work challenges conventional understanding, presenting color as an autonomous and evolving reality, devoid of narrative or symbolism. Cruz-Diez's art encourages viewers to engage actively with colour perception, fostering a unique emotional resonance through personal experience. His body of work, spanning various colour conditions and research lines, is housed in prestigious institutions worldwide, including MoMA, Tate Modern, and Centre Pompidou.
Subodh Gupta from Bihar, India is a prolific artist known for his participation in numerous international exhibitions. Based in New Delhi, Gupta's work utilises everyday objects as emblems, symbolising the complex socio-economic and cultural landscape of modern India. He employs a diverse range of mediums, including sculpture, painting, installation, photography, video, and performance. Gupta's art, often characterised by its physical presence and exploration of material aesthetics, reflects on the relationships between space, time, and the human body.
JR is a renowned artist known for exhibiting his work freely in public spaces around the world, engaging audiences beyond traditional museum settings. His art, blending 'Art and Action', addresses themes of commitment, freedom, community, and identity. JR's blown-up photographs, often displayed on urban surfaces, provoke thought and spark conversations within communities, challenging traditional notions of art and engaging audiences in unexpected ways.
Based in London since the mid-seventies, Anish Kapoor's fascination with shape, void, light, and perspective has defined his extensive career. Working across various scales and materials, including mirrors, stone, wax, and PVC, he explores geometric and biomorphic forms while emphasizing negative space. Kapoor's works are showcased in prominent collections and museums worldwide, from the Museum of Modern Art in New York to the Tate in London and the Guggenheim Museums in Venice, Bilbao, and Abu Dhabi.
Julio Le Parc is a significant figure in kinetic and contemporary art, notably as a co-founder of the influential collective Groupe de Recherche d’Art Visuel (GRAV) in Paris in 1960. His early influences include the constructivist movement and artists like Piet Mondrian. Since 1959, Le Parc has pursued his independent artistic path, focusing on rigorous organizing principles in his paintings and immersive installations. He is known for exploring perceptual instability and creating dynamic experiences where the viewer becomes an active participant.
Ahmed Mater, a physician turned artist, emerges as a significant cultural voice documenting contemporary Saudi Arabia. His practice delves into collective memories to reveal unofficial histories, exploring the Kingdom's complexities amid rapid social and political change. His artistic approach intertwines scientific inquiry with politically engaged aims, reframing sociopolitical realities with broad investigative techniques.
Self-taught artist Moataz Nasr shifted from economics to pursue his passion, establishing himself with a studio in Old Cairo. His work delves into complex cultural processes in the Islamic world, transcending geographical boundaries to express the concerns of the African continent. Nasr co-founded Townhouse in Cairo in 1998, the first independent exhibition space in Egypt.
Pascale Marthine Tayou artist based in Ghent, Belgium. Tayou's work defies categorisation, spanning various mediums and themes, all centred around the artist himself. His art transcends geographical and cultural boundaries, exploring the complexities of human-nature relationships and cultural constructs. Tayou's mobile and heterogeneous work reflects themes of travel, globalization, and the individual's exploration of the world, all while negotiating his African origins and societal expectations.
Sislej Xhafa, born in Pejë, Kosova, and based in New York, is renowned for his artistic exploration of social, economic, and political realities within modern society. His work delves into themes such as tourism, forced illegality, and societal complexities, employing a minimalist yet ironic and subversive approach across various media including sculpture, drawing, performance, and photography. Xhafa's approach to art is driven by a desire to question rather than reflect reality, influenced by his instinctive and non-linear perspective on the world.
Art Dubai 2024 will take place at the vibrant Madinat Jumeira in Dubai, UAE, from March 1 - 3, 2024.
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