Fourth edition of ArtBAB opens

Manama, Mar. 6(BNA): The fourth edition of ArtBAB has opened today at the Bahrain International Exhibitions and Convention Centre (BIECC). Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, Wife of His Majesty the King and Supreme Council for Women (SCW) President deputized Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities BACA) President Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al-Khalifa to inaugurate the 2019 edition, scheduled to run until March 10. BACA President extended deepest thanks to HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, hailing her keen support to Bahraini artists, stressing the importance of ArtBAB in opening horizons for them to showcase their artworks in famed galleries all over the world. "These exhibitions represent an opportunity to highlight the work of the Bahraini artist, which is characterized by modernity and creativity. It is an annual gathering where artists meet with their counterparts from different countries to learn about new experiences and different trends that can add much to the distinguished Bahraini experience in the field of art", she said. Her Excellency Shaikha Maram Bint Isa Al-Khalifa, Director of the Office of HRH Wife of HM the King, stressed the importance of hosting such events in Bahrain, which support national efforts to promote Bahrain as an attractive cultural and artistic hub in the region. She commended the Labour Fund (Tamkeen) for supporting the ArtBAB, annually held in March in Kingdom of Bahrain, in addition to holding other international artistic events and participating in renowned art exhibitions in the world. She hailed the signing of memorandum of understanding between ArtBAB and the organisers of the prestigious La Paris Biennale which will see Bahrain taking centre stage as the "invited country" at the French art fair. The Paris Biennale runs from Friday September 13 to Tuesday 17 September, 2019. More than 120 artworks by Bahraini artists and artisans will be showcased. The The fourth edition of ArtBAB will see 16 international galleries from Buenos Aires to Greece, India to Paris, Antwerp, Bulgaria and Saudi Arabia who will showcase works alongside local artists. This year there are 17 artist stands and a BAAB Pavilion of Bahraini contemporary art show asking 30 artists. "We are excited about the return of our showcase of Bahraini artists BAAB which has attracted over 100 artists this year," said Fairs and Programme Director, Kaneka Subberwal, "Our Selectors’ Panel shall be finalizing the artworks that we shall display in the central space at the venue, putting the focus firmly on our Bahraini artists." Paris showcase At the inauguration, Kaneka Subberwal, Fairs & Programme Director announced that ArtBAB had signed an MoU with the organisers of the prestigious La Paris Biennale which will see Bahrain taking centrestage as the "invited country" at the French art fair. The Paris Biennale runs from Friday September 13 to Tuesday 17 September, 2019. "We are proud to announce the next step in our exhilarating journey in taking Bahraini contemporary art across borders and to the world," said Kaneka Subberwal, "According to the agreement, the Biennale shall feature a central Pavilion that will showcase over a 100 works of Bahraini artists. This Pavilion shall be conceived and curated by me and Art Select Programme Manager Tasneem Al Shuroughi, in collaboration with a curatorial team from Paris. We shall also exhibit artefacts and collectibles from our newly-launched crafts showcase, The Bahrain Room. Contemporary crafts project Said Shaikha Maram bint Isa Al Khalifa, Director of the Office of Her Royal Highness Wife of the King of Bahrain, "Undoubtedly ArtBAB has opened new doors for Bahraini artists, increasing their channels of engagement with the world. It has also developed organically and our Artists Across Borders took over 25 Bahraini artists to curated shows at prestigious venues in Paris, Moscow, Singapore and the U.K. in 2018 alone. This year, we are launching an exciting and ambitious project: Artisans Across Borders The pioneering ‘Artisans Across Borders’ project that seeks to renew the ancient crafts of Bahrain will showcase finished collectibles and a limited-edition range of products in a design room. The products have been designed under the directorship of well-renowned Indian fashion design guru and luxury fashion icon, JJ Valaya assisted by Ameena Khan." The Bahrain Room, unveiled at ArtBAB 2019 will feature Room featuring special installations and large masterpieces of Bahraini crafts as well as a line of retail categories will feature 50 unique, one of a kind-products, that intertwine Bahraini motifs and modern-day aesthetics to bring JJ’s visions to life. Some of the pieces include linen jackets with Bani Jamra weaves and more. There is also a CRAFTed space where works of emerging fashion artists such as Hala Kaiksow, a Bahraini weaver and designer and Canadian Frances Stafford will be displayed. Hala is exhibiting her work created in collaboration with innovative design team Bahraini Danish. Going art-tech "This year, in a first for the region, ArtBAB will take visitors beyond the canvases of the gifted artists of Bahrain and the gallerists who bring some of the famous contemporary artworks to showcase at the fair and take them not just across borders but across time-frames too," Kaneka said, "Our Virtual Corner at ArtBAB 2019 truly takes the art experience beyond borders – the public will be able to have three different VR experiences using Vive Pro Headsets and literally ‘touch’ celebrated contemporary Chinese art collections, 17th century Dutch and Flemish masterpieces as well as millennial VR artwork." The works include paintings of dslcollection, a private museum collection, featuring world prominent Chinese Contemporary Artists- Cao Fei, Tang Song, Ge Guanzhong, Jia Aili, and Chen Wenbo; The Kremer Collection, a Private Museum Collection, featuring 17th Century Dutch and Flemmish masterpieces by great masters such as Gerrit Dou, Pieter de Hooch, Frans Hals, Jan Lievens, Rembrandt, Michael Sweerts & Gerrit van Honthorst and the VR art of the Khora Foundation. In its effort to decode the intersection between art and technology, commerce and science, ArtBAB 2019 will also bring together an impressive community of over 40 cultural leaders, fintech, blockchain, AI and VR specialists from almost 20 countries through a series of panel discussions and debates. The Bahrain art fair will also be launching a world premier on Art & Islamic Finance, as a debate between Deloitte Art & Finance Luxembourg and Deloitte Islamic Finance and Knowledge Centre (IFKC) Bahrain. The use of big data and analytics in helping collectors better manage liquidity, risk and volatility will also be explored with valuable insights from over 40 speakers ..CollectorIQ New York, MutualArt, Pi-eX , ArtTactic and Christie's from London. Global art trends Other industry leaders underpinning the conversation about art and commerce in the 21st century are Bahrain Fintech Bay, Nanne Dekking, Founder of Artory and Chairman of the Board of TEFAF, Verisart London, Arius Technology Vancouver, Artory New York and ID4ARTS New York. Dadiani Syndicate from London. Leading Fintech players in the art world CollectorIQ, Pi-eX, Mutual Art joins President Christie's EMERI and ArtTactic, the world's leading art market research firm will be speaking about big data and analytics in helping collectors better manage liquidity, risk and volatility. The speaker panel will also discuss topics such as arts philanthropy and arts patronage to empower cultural development and support the growth in building a creative economy. This will feature speakers from Dublin City Gallery, The Hugh Lane Museum by the Dublin City Council, the East Bank Queen Elizabeth Olmypic Park, a new cultural district being developed in London, represented by Anna Jobson, West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, Hong Kong's largest arts and culture space and the owner for M+ Museum HK and from the GCC, the Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre, which is one of the largest museum complexes in the world and the newest museum complex in Kuwait National Cultural District. AI and VR as game changers for the arts and the role of blockchain and artificial intelligence to improve transparency, attribution and authentication with industry leaders will also be a topic analysed by global experts: Jason Bailey of Artnome, the world's largest analytical database will chair one of the art world's biggest debates on AI and Artistic Creation, exploring the role of AI and machine learning in replacing humans. Taking forward the conversation on AI and Artistic Creation will be artist, Robbie Barrat from New York who developed the code for the recent AI Generated Portrait of Edmond de Belamy by the Paris collective, Obvious that was auctioned at Christie's and Mario Klingemann, a pioneer in the use of computer learning in the arts and a Google Arts and Culture resident based out of Munich as well as Nature Morte New Delhi. Strategic Partner of the event is Tamkeen, Bahrain’s change management agency which supports the building of human resources and the Kingdom’s industrial and knowledge growth management. ArtBAB aims to reinforce Bahrain’s position in the Gulf as a regional arts hub, inspiring entrepreneurship, art education and local skills development. The 2019 fair will continue till Sunday 10th March 2019.