London and Dubai – Christie’s announces it is a contributing partner to the forthcoming 2024 Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, taking place at JAX, a creative district with industrial heritage in the historic town of Diriyah, near the Saudi capital of Riyadh from 20 February – 24 May 2024.  The curatorial team of the 2024 Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale is led by globally renowned curator Ute Meta Bauer as Artistic Director, with Co-Curators: Wejdan Reda, Anca Rujoiu and Rose Lejeune, and with Adjunct Curator Rahul Gudipudi. The Biennale unites 100 artists from over 40 countries, including 30 artists from the Gulf region and continues to bring international recognition and awareness around the burgeoning art scene in Saudi Arabia.

As part of the 2024 Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale public programme, Christie’s is honoured to be hosting a curated series of engaging lectures, panel discussions and tours led by Christie’s international specialists who collectively bring unparalleled knowledge of the art market.

Dr Ridha Moumni, Deputy Chairman, Christie’s Middle East and North Africa comments, ‘Christie’s is proud to be part of the 2024 Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale after the exceptional success of the inaugural edition. We are thrilled to be working with the Diriyah Biennale Foundation team, curated by Ute Meta Bauer and an expansive team of curators, bringing together  artistic exploration and discussion alongside poets, writers, architects, scientists and philosophers to present this second edition under the visionary leadership of Aya Al-Bakree, the CEO of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.  The event aspires to become a pivotal cultural moment both regionally and internationally, showcasing artists from over 40 countries, with a significant representation of Arab and Middle Eastern artists highlighting the region’s cultural richness and the profound artistic heritage of Saudi Arabia’.

Christie’s in the Middle East 

Since our inaugural auction in Dubai in 2006, Christie’s presence in the Middle East continues to evolve with an ever-increasing offering of online auctions, private sales and exhibitions showcasing exceptional art and luxury objects, as well as events and talks to grow the Christie’s community throughout the region. Today, Christie’s Middle East is a global hub with a vast network of specialists and consultants led by Dr Ridha Moumni, Deputy Chairman MENA, Alexandra Reid, Managing Director, EMEA and Meagan Kelly Horsman, Managing Director, Middle East.

Christie’s contribution to the 2024 Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale follows a partnership   with the Ministry of Culture and Youth, United Arab Emirates, and the Barjeel Art Foundation in 2023, when we staged an exhibition of ‘Modern & Contemporary Art of the Arab World’  encompassing two distinct parts; Kawkaba and Emirati Art Reimagined: Hassan Sharif and the Contemporary Voices, collectively the largest showcase of modern and contemporary Arab art to take place in London.  In the autumn of 2023, 48 masterpieces from The Dalloul Collection were sold at auction, celebrating Arab artistic creativity and setting new world records for contemporary artists.

Christie’s hosts two Islamic art and two contemporary Middle Eastern art auctions a year along with two online sales of timepieces dedicated to the region – Watches Online: The Dubai Edit. Having firmly established ourselves in the market, we continue to achieve strong results and have set auction world records for works by Marwan, Samia Halaby and Kamal Boullata and exceptional prices for Etel Adnan and Mahmoud Saïd, to name a few.

Two private selling exhibitions are currently on view: in Paris, Spectres Visibles, featuring modern and contemporary artists of the Maghreb and, in Dubai, Being Infinite: Landon Metz, presented in collaboration with Custot Gallery Dubai.

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