DIFC goes Art Fresco with first Art Nights event of 2017

Dubai - UAE: 6 March 2017 – Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading international financial hub and destination for lifestyle, arts and culture, will host its first Art Nights event of the year on 13 March 2017.

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Held under the theme Art Fresco, the latest edition of the bi-annual cultural platform will showcase Gate Avenue at DIFC and what the first-of-its-kind development will offer the community at large. The installations, décor and ambiance will reflect the beautiful landscape and greenery around the district, and give a living example of how a destination can connect people through creative outdoor living.

Raja Al Mazrouei, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Corporate Communications at DIFC Authority, said: “Art Nights, at its heart, is about connectivity as much as creativity. At DIFC we connect the arts communities with new and stunning collections, much like the role DIFC plays in connecting global financial players with opportunities across the MEASA region. This particular edition takes the concept a stage further thanks to Gate Avenue at DIFC, a wonderfully modern, luxury urban space, which will physically link the entire district once completed.”

The popular event will showcase artists from all over the world, and the first edition in 2017 will also act as a launchpad for the DIFC Art Integration Programme, an initiative aimed at underlining DIFC’s credentials as a regional hub for arts and culture. The first phase of the programme will focus on the areas in and around The Gate Building, with the second phase leading into Gate Avenue at DIFC upon completion. 

The launch of the programme at DIFC Art Nights will showcase special pieces from two huge names in the art world. Recently knighted English sculptor Sir Tony Cragg and Oliviero Rainaldi, an Italian sculptor and painter known for his stunning pieces which focus on the human form, will each have their sculptures on show in the Gate Village and around the iconic Gate Building.

Commenting on the DIFC Art Integration Programme, Al Mazrouei added: “DIFC is already known as a regional hub for arts and culture, home to some of the most renowned galleries in the Middle East. The DIFC Art Integration Programme will help showcase the brilliant work of new artists and add to the Centre’s existing art collection on display in the public areas around the DIFC district.”

There are many other artistic high points for visitors to enjoy, with a whole range of regional and international artists on show as well as activations and entertainment. Installation 20020, by visual artist Marilor Requet, is a world premiere: an interactive piece using innovative technology on an auto-stereoscopic 3D screen. Each viewer will be able to explore a futuristic city and interact with a fantasy world. 

Market Day, by Milan-based Michela Pomaro, turns a seemingly traditional market scene into a joyful, psychedelic night market thanks to its synthetic ceramic and varnished resin sculptures. In Pursuit of Abjad, Nedaa Elias has created a thought-provoking work that addresses the loss of Arabic script use, with hand-crafted Arabic letter bricks being used to represent a combination of modernity and culture. Sand Talks, by Francesca Matarazzo di Licosa, is a form of artistic expression which features sequences of words and symbols laid out with apparent randomness.

A Marc Jacobs pop-up space, held in collaboration with cultural café The Magazine Shop, will carry an exclusive book selection of art, lifestyle, design and fashion, as well as a variety of accessories handpicked from the designer brand’s SS17 collection.

Entertainment and hospitality is also on the menu for the DIFC Art Nights audience. Award winning Mediterranean restaurant BOCA, in collaboration with Fann-A-Porter Gallery, will display a new exhibition titled ‘The Land needs Ironing’ by Syrian artist Majd Kurdieh. Award-winning Carnival by Tresind will offer a sneak peek at post-modern Indian cuisine by serving molecular infused drinks and canapés. Italian restaurant Mercato will screen classic Italian films and host attending media, ahead of an exclusive press tour of the installations and activations around the Gate Village.

Art Nights is a key part of the Dubai social calendar, supporting the region’s art community and showcasing DIFC’s dynamic atmosphere.