Frieze Abu Dhabi names Dala Nasser first Artist Award winner for inaugural fair
Beirut- and London-based artist Dala Nasser will lead the first Frieze Abu Dhabi as the winner of its inaugural Artist Award.
Frieze, the London-based art fair organiser, revealed the curated programme for the new fair in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, in a press announcement. More than 80 galleries from 36 countries and regions will take part. Frieze
That is a big first line-up. The list spans the Middle East and far beyond, with galleries from Iran, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia among those taking part, according to ARTnews. The fair is built to connect established and emerging artists, putting new names alongside longer-running practices.
Frieze first published the exhibitor line-up for the inaugural edition on its website, frieze.com. The later programme announcement set out the special projects, awards and curated sections that sit around the main gallery presentations. An art fair, in plain terms, is a large marketplace where galleries show and sell work over a few days.
Nasser is the first recipient of the Frieze Abu Dhabi Artist Award, as reported by The National. The award is a commission for a new project made for the fair. Nasser works between Beirut and London and is known for painting and sculpture shaped by place and memory.
The gallery Commonwealth and Council is presenting Nasser at the fair. Its presentation was included in the exhibitor line-up published by Frieze. Works by Jawad Al Malhi are also listed for the inaugural edition.
Al Malhi is a Palestinian artist whose work often follows daily life and built surroundings. His inclusion adds another strand from the region to a fair that draws heavily on galleries working in and around West Asia and North Africa. Full details of the works were published in the Frieze line-up.
For visitors, this means plenty to navigate. Expect a crowded floor, with large gallery booths next to smaller focused presentations and a separate award project from Nasser to seek out. First editions often set the tone for what follows, and this one leans firmly on artists with ties to the region.
