Tonight, the Arabian Wings Auction will take place in Jeddah on 11 September at The Gallery Art Space located at Al Furusya Yacht Club.
The first event, held in 2011 was aimed at the growing group of collectors in KSA and today’s eclectic catalogue more than 200 works of both modern and contemporary art, with a heavy Saudi bias. The works vary widely from a photograph by an emerging Saudi artist estimated $500-$1000 to original pieces by European masters Picasso and Van Gogh.
Here Danna Lorch, a fellow art writer and fabulous blogger who can be found here interviews Arabian Wings founder Mohammed Bahrawi.
Q: How have you observed that the auctions organized by Arabian Wings are encouraging a culture of art collecting in Saudi Arabia?
A: When we first launched Arabian Wings, it was about adding to the scene and helping it flourish. The collecting scene in the Kingdom has now become more apparent – we have taken a common practice and brought it to our shores. Yes, there are more people interested in collecting than before and that is what we are aiming to do…
Q: This is the 4th auction to take place since 2011. How is this edition different from the others?
A: With every auction, we feel that Saudi Arabia and the region are more excited about the artwork that is displayed. We have raised the bar each time and this edition we have been lucky to display a Van Gogh and a Picasso. This is an indictor of the caliber of our auctions and how we made our mark.
Q: Should collectors bid on a work because it is a good investment or because something about the piece moves them emotionally?
A: This is a very interesting question. There is no denying that art has become an investment and in the economic climate that we went through in the last few years it was a safe investment. But collecting has always been driven by emotion. There is always that rush when you first buy that artwork that you have made a bid on against the seasoned collectors. That feeling is driven by emotion and the love of the artwork once you first connect with it. We would advise collectors to make an investment or emotion-driven decision based on why they want each specific piece.
Q: Is there an appreciation for modern Arab art among the collectors you engage with or is the general interest geared towards the contemporary, boundary-pushing pieces?
A: The modern art movement in Saudi Arabia only goes back 70 years. However, the interest in collecting goes [far] beyond those 70 years. Collectors are interested in both modern and contemporary works. The fact that we have the likes of Abdullah Hamas and also a generation of contemporary artists like Khalid Bin Afif, Saad bin Mohammed, Heba Abed, Abdullah Idris and Saud Mahjoub, says a lot about the strength of Saudi art and how it continues to resonate with a wide audience.
Q: What are the top three lots in the catalogue that you would recommend to a young collector who would like to acquire his or her first major work at the upcoming auction?
A: 40% of the artworks are considered modern and 60% of the pieces are classified as contemporary, and most likely to appeal to young collectors. For me it is difficult to focus on a particular piece, however I can name a few: Lot 25 – Khalid bin Afif, Lot 48 – Hamad Al Saab, Lot 98 – Itab Al Sheikh, Lot 107 - Ali Al Hassan
* The Arabian Wings Auction will take place at 7pm on 11 September at The Gallery Art Space located at Al Furusya Yacht Club in Jeddah. For more information visit the website
Danna Lorch is a Dubai-based arts and culture writer. You can read her blog at: http://dannawrites.com