Sotheby’s will return to Abu Dhabi this December for the second edition of Collectors’ Week, introducing its first international fine art auction in the emirate alongside a programme of luxury sales.
Entitled Breaking Ground, the auction will take place on 10 December, featuring works by international artists including Andy Warhol and Claude Monet, alongside pioneering Emirati artists such as Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, Hassan Sharif and Najat Makki, as well as leading figures from the Arab world including Etel Adnan, Fahrelnissa Zeid, Paul Guiragossian, Huguette Caland, Farid Belkahia, Jadé Fadojutimi, Mona Saudi, Gazbia Sirry, Zarina, Aref El Rayess and Inji Efflatoun.
The auction will also feature Christo’s drawing of the proposed Abu Dhabi Mastaba project, planned as Christo and Jeanne Claude’s final project, and works by Nujoom Al-Ghanem and Nasser Al-Yousif, making their auction debuts.
Yasmeen Gailani, Sotheby’s Specialist and Head of Sale for Breaking Ground, shared: “When putting together our first fine art auction in Abu Dhabi, we wanted to pay tribute to the emirate’s position as a global destination for art, culture and collecting. Anchoring the sale are household names from both the international sphere and the Middle East, including a number of globally recognised Emirati artists. We also wanted to introduce names that may not be as familiar, but we felt would resonate with art lovers here, including a particular focus on women artists, some of whom are making their auction debuts.”
In a statement, Katia Nounou Boueiz, head of Sotheby’s UAE and chairman, Middle East, said: “Last year, our inaugural Collectors’ Week in Abu Dhabi marked a milestone in Sotheby’s history, as determined bidders from all around the world battled it out for watches, jewellery, handbags, collectible cars and high-performance bicycles. We knew at that moment that we had laid a strong foundation for our future in the UAE, and so we are thrilled to be back for the second edition this year – when we will be Breaking Ground once again, with the first ever international fine art auction joining the show”.
The week-long programme will present six auctions ranging from fine art, jewellery, watches, collectible cars, high-performance bicycles and handbags.
The luxury sales will include an auction dedicated to Cartier, featuring around 50 pieces from the Shapes of Cartier single-owner collection, including a rare Twin Strap watch dating to circa 1970-71. The automotive selection will feature several Ferrari models, among them a 2009 Ferrari Scuderia Spider 16M, a 2004 Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale, a 2006 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti F1 HGTC and a 2010 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano. Jewellery highlights include a brown-orange diamond weighing more than 40 carats, a ruby and diamond necklace and a 10.51-carat crescent emerald and diamond pendant.
With this year’s programme bringing fine art and luxury together, Josh Pullan, executive vice president of Sotheby’s global luxury division and head of Middle East, noted: “Our unforgettable entry into the Abu Dhabi cultural scene last year now ranks among the landmark moments in Sotheby’s 280-year history. Every minute of Collectors’ Week reaffirmed our belief in the region, and the success of the auctions was a direct reflection of the passion and energy that we encountered. Building on this momentum, we are returning with an expanded scope, bringing together fine art and luxury. Once again, we will be in the midst of a thriving cultural agenda in the emirate, hot on the heels of the inaugural edition of Frieze Abu Dhabi and alongside both the climactic Formula 1 Grand Prix and the highly-anticipated opening of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.”
Public preview exhibitions will open on 4 December at the Saadiyat Grove Experience Center on Saadiyat Island, with the luxury auctions scheduled for 9 December ahead of the Breaking Ground sale on 10 December.
