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Between Mumbai and Dubai

Abhijeet Tamhane

‘AFfair’, a show curated by Bose Krishnammachari for Gallery 1x1, Dubai, flew 3 critics and some artists from Mumbai to Dubai.  The gallerist, Malini Gulrejani, was our host. While the idea of writing on a show that I was a part of is against my grain, the dual show- featuring nine artists in gentrified Gallery space and six in an ‘alternative space’, was the foremost of the three shows that made waves in the Dubai art circuit since mid-March. The show details can be found at www.1x1artspace.com

To many, the reference to ‘Dubai art circuit’ would seem bizarre. ‘There ain’t no art circuit over there’, the contemporary hegemonists might yell; and they may not be wrong. While ‘Art Dubai 2008’, the Art Fair that took place in the plush Medinat Jumeirah between March 19 and 22, saw 70 Galleries and thousands of visitors, there was a feel that all this is ‘imported’, like us – who had been here because somebody (graciously) brought us here. The cities like Paris, Venice or even London would have a compelling appeal for those who think of visual art and care for its historical evolution, while Dubai apparently lacks such appeal. Yet, the emerging gallery scene seems to be getting its foothold among the expats here. Europeans and Asians alike, make the collector base for art galleries in Dubai.

The Art Fair in Dubai was the eye candy of European media representatives based in the financial centre. Credit Suisse took the credit of showcasing the ‘dernier cri’ in contemporary art, including Thukral and Tagra. In the main fair arena, some 10 art magazines made their presence felt, and the 70 Galleries, ‘selected from over 200 applications this year’ seemed to have taken the fair seriously. It was business, as usual, whether in Basel or Dubai. Gallery Espace of  New Delhi, for example, had a separate space here to represent their New York gallery. European Gallerist showed the best artists they had, though not the best works. It was an interesting situation where the not-so-good Rauchenberg overlooked one of the Best Lida Abdul photographs, or where a Gallery from Europe displayed Jitish Kallat’s panorama, ‘Artist Making A Local Call’ in a tiny print! Many galleries from the U.S. and Germany, France and U. K. made it a point to display their Shireen Neshats  and Laila Shawas here. Apart from Galleries known for their interest in Contemporary Art from India (Albion – London, Walsh Gallery, USA)  Shilpa Gupta’s work “ Don’t Steal My Happiness”,  was displayed by Galleire Volker Diehl, Berlin. The composite, albeit hybrid, face of things to come in art markets of Asia was here!

Mumbai can’t be Dubai. You can’t expect an ‘Art Mumbai’ in near future. This cosmopolitan metropolis, though known for being the financial capital of India, is yet to locate its second life after globalization. Till then, artists and critics will see  reason to visit fairs and biennales abroad.