Christie’s sale preview opens this morning

As art works from Farhad Moshiri, Parviz Tanavoli, Mounir Fatmi and Ayman Baalbaki go on display at Jumeirah Emirates Towers today, the Christie's chairman speaks about the decision to move the sale forward by one month

A handout photo of Farhad Moshiri's Bunny Rabbit (from the Fluffy Friends series) y (Courtesy: Christie's Images)

At the opening for preview of the forthcoming modern and contemporary Arab, Iranian and Turkish art and important watches sale today, Christie’s chairman Michael Jeha spoke about the maturity of the art market in Dubai.

Jeha was explaining the decision to move the annual spring sale from its usual date in April to align with the city’s art fair this week.

“We are very confident about the move,” he said. “It brings Dubai in line with other art centres such as London where we hold our contemporary auctions alongside Frieze Art Week and give everyone the chance to view the art in one consolidated week.”

He also said the art market is in a strong place globally with Christie’s having sold US$7billion worth of art in 2013 and Middle Eastern bidders increasing by 30 per cent.

“Middle Eastern clients are playing an increasingly important role in Christies’s globally and we are very excited about the week ahead,” he concluded.

The art works on sale include pieces by Farhad Moshiri, Parviz Tanavoli, Paul Guiragossian, Louay Kayyali and Shafic Abboud as well as several other contemporary artists.

There are also a wide selection of watches and jewellery from Cartier, Patek Philippe and Bulgari, to name a few.

* The Christie’s Dubai Spring Auction will be held on March 19 & 20 in the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel.