Sotheby’s has revealed its upcoming landmark exhibition in Abu Dhabi, set to run from 1-2 October. The exhibition will take place at the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation and will showcase artworks by six renowned artists, including Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, Frida Kahlo, Edvard Munch, René Magritte and Camille Pissarro. The artworks on display are estimated to be worth USD 150 million, making the exhibition the most valuable to take place in the region so far by Sotheby’s, while also marking a new chapter for the auction house as its first public exhibition of fine art in Abu Dhabi.
The works in the exhibition come from highly regarded provenances, with each piece having previously been a part of a private collection and all holding particular art historical significance. In addition, none of the pieces have been shown in the region, with three of the works not having been seen in public for over half a century. Paintings on view include van Gogh’s Romans Parisiens (Les Livres jaunes) (1887), Pissaro’s Bords de l’Oise à Pontoise (1872) and Gauguin’s La Maison de Pen du, gardeuse de vache (1889), all from the art collection of Cindy and Jay Pritzker in Chicago, while Munch’s Sankthansnatt Johannisnacht (Mittsommernacht) (St. John’s Night) (Midsummer Night’s Eve) (circa 1901-03) was previously in the collection of Leonard A Lauder, a leading American art collector and philanthropist, and Magritte’s Le Jockey perdu (1942) comes from Matthew and Kay Bucksbaum’s collection. Also included in the exhibition is Kahlo’s El sueño (La cama) (1940), which is poised to set a new auction record for the artist and may also pass the current record for any work by a woman artist.
Katia Nounou Boueiz, Head of Sotheby’s UAE & Deputy Chairman, Middle East shared: “In recent months, Sotheby’s has staged a number of remarkable events in Abu Dhabi, but this exhibition represents a true milestone – our first ever public exhibition of Fine Art in this Emirate; and the most extensive and valuable exhibition ever staged in the region by Sotheby’s. The exhibition brings together long-unseen masterworks by six of the most revered names in art history. We look forward to welcoming collectors, art enthusiasts and the wider public alike to the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation to experience these exceptional works, and to share in this historic moment for Sotheby’s in the region.”
Following the Abu Dhabi exhibition, the pieces will travel to London, followed by Paris, before finally arriving in New York for the November auction week, which will take place in the Breuer Building on Madison Avenue, Sotheby’s new home in New York City.
Coinciding with the Abu Dhabi exhibition, Sotheby’s Dubai gallery will also host highlights from two upcoming London sales: Modern and Contemporary Middle East and Arts from the Islamic World and India. The exhibition will feature artists such as Fahrelnissa Zeid and Inji Efflatoun, as well as unique artefacts. The Dubai exhibition will run from 29 September until 3 October.
