Art Bahrain Across Borders' deemed great success

Manama, Apr. 4 (BNA): Under the Patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of the King of Bahrain and President of the Supreme Council for Women, Bahrain’s second contemporary art fair, Art Bahrain Across Borders (ArtBAB 2017), came to a close on Sunday March 26th after witnessing tremendous success both in terms of participation, foot fall and sales. ArtBAB 2017 which officially opened its doors on March 22nd 2017, hosted over 60 participants from 20+ countries spanning Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and the United States, and with a very strong presence from Bahrain and witnessed a footfall of over 20,000 visitors with total sales of BD205,724 of which Bahraini artists’ sales equaled BD105,334, a 40% increase from the first edition. The event featured the works of acclaimed artists and galleries and introduced the public to diverse art aptitudes from classic acrylic to sculpture, digital photography and new age installation. Of particular note was the participation of the Fair’s Patron, Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, an artist in her own right who uses the iPad to create digital works depicting nature. Another important element of ArtBAB 2017 was the launch of the ‘ArtBAB Prize’ which will take effect from the third edition of ArtBAB planned for March 2018. This award will be the culmination of an annual international program empowered by Tamkeen and curated and executed by Art Select to encourage Bahraini artists to develop and strengthen their skill-sets, initiate business knowledge transfer and increase artist exposure to the commercial art world. Bahraini applicants will apply through the www.artselectbh.com portal and will be selected by an international jury panel for different award categories including contemporary art, photography, sculpture, best unique technique, video and film and an emerging artist award. Bahraini artists will also benefit from an ‘artist representation plan’ which will map out a path for them to be promoted across borders through international events across the world. The artists to be showcased at the international events will be selected through an open call. More information on the ‘ArtBAB Prize’ will be available on the www.artselectbh.com website from 10th April 2017 and registration will commence on 17th April 2017. Bahrain Labour Fund (Tamkeen), a public government authority mandated to drive private sector growth and the body spearheading ArtBAB, has committed to enhance Bahrain’s status as a niche arts hub and strengthen the local art industry to stimulate investment activity. Dr Ebrahim Mohammed Janahi, Chief Executive of Tamkeen explained: "Tamkeen believes that the art sector has gained importance as an engine of economic growth, not only locally but across the region. We want to support this sector through initiatives such as ArtBAB, and we hope to steer the arts sector into new levels. The aim is to inspire the local and regional talent and promote art education and skills development by bridging our local artists with their regional and international counterparts, encourage collaborations and foster learning and development from the exchange of ideas with renowned names in the art field." Expert international art investment consultancy Art Select, and directors of the ArtBAB 2017 fair, state that Bahrain is well-placed to facilitate growth on a regional scale and provide artists with niche opportunities to drive exposure and sales. Mrs. Kaneka Subberwal, Founder of Art Select, stated "Bahrain stands firm in the region as a niche arts hub due to its rich culture and tremendous pool of artists that have for centuries inspired generations of talent. ArtBAB has sought to strengthen this core and create a solid base to help propel the local and regional industry internationally through cross-border exposure, education and collaborations. Bahrain has an established database of international art collectors and individual investors who are always on the watch for exclusive opportunities and emerging talent and this has been key to driving and promoting the arts sector locally. ArtBAB facilitates this link and acts as a catalyst for greater regional investment, motivating this industry forward." Key features of this year’s art fair included a Bahraini Pavilion exclusive to 36 Bahraini artists being funded by Tamkeen; eleven international galleries exhibiting in the dedicated ‘Gallery Pavilion’ from Oman, Denmark, France, UK, India, Syria, Estonia, Ukraine and Dubai; a General Entry Pavilion for 20 local and international artists; and a unique ‘Floating World’ video installation comprising thirty two, 6-metre wide screens suspended across the exhibition hall, featuring films by internationally renowned artists from Italy, Switzerland, China, UK, Spain, Sharjah, Estonia, Bulgaria, Egypt, Canada, Belgium, Singapore, USA, and Turkey, alongside excerpts from Bahraini documentaries A series of talks and workshops under the overriding umbrella ‘Talks@ArtBAB’, run parallel to the fair hosted by both local Bahraini and select international artists. "The fusion of talent showcased at this year’s international art fair is exemplary. Our objective from the start was to strike the right balance between local talent and international names representing all aspects of the vast art spectrum, and I can say we have achieved this. We have seen participation increase by 20% since the last edition with new countries taking part. The selection of artists and galleries across the board was hand-picked to reflect ArtBAB’s niche standing vis a vis its regional counterparts", further commented Ms. Kaneka Subberwal. The strategic partners for ArtBAB 2017 were the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority, the Bahrain Economic Development Board, the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, Gulf Air, the Bahrain Airport Company and Batelco.