From Andy Warhol’s Speeding Pop Canvas to Kinetic Landscapes and AI Dreamscapes—Art Dubai 2025 is Ready to Move.
April 14, 2025- Art Dubai 2025
This week, Dubai the collector’s city is getting ready for the 18th edition of Art Dubai which will land at Madinat Jumeirah from April 18–20, bringing with it new commissions, rising galleries, historic moments, and a renewed focus on the region’s place in the global conversation. From iconic works arriving in the UAE for the first time to citywide programming. Ahead of opening day, here’s what to know, see, and experience.
This year, Art Dubai sharpens its focus across four key sections: Contemporary, Modern, Bawwaba (“gateway” in Arabic), and Digital. Each serves as a lens on a different horizon—whether it’s the post-internet wave sweeping new media art or the deep cuts from modernist masters of the Global South. Together, they build a narrative spanning geographies and generations.
Art Dubai Modern: A Regional First
A highlight this year is the Art Dubai Modern exhibition, co-curated by Dr. Ridha Moumni and Kristine Khouri. For the first time, this section presents modern art from the Arab world, Africa, and South Asia in a museum-style presentation focused on 20th-century masters. Think Baghdad in the 1960s, Dakar in the 1970s, Beirut pre-war. Archival, political, and revolutionary works.
The Warhol Moment
Pop arrives in Dubai. As part of a new institutional collaboration, Andy Warhol’s iconic 1963 ‘Silver Car Crash (Double Disaster)’ is on view in the Gulf for the first time. Brought by Lévy Gorvy Dayan, the work marks one of the fair’s strongest international pull-ins this year. It’s not just a market flex—it’s a sign of how Art Dubai is positioning itself as a cultural connector, not just a sales floor.
Digital Futures
Art Dubai Digital returns with a tighter, more focused curation. The section, led by Auronda Scalera and Alfredo Cramerotti, explores the intersection of art, AI, blockchain, and immersive storytelling. New players from Seoul, Berlin, and Mexico City join returning names like Gazell.io and Postmasters.
This is where the speculative and the experimental meet—the metaverse may be out of buzz, but digital craft is quietly leveling up.
Bawwaba: The Gateway Section
Curated by Emiliano Valdés, Bawwaba functions like a portal into now. Focused on solo presentations from the Global South, this section stretches from the Caribbean to Southeast Asia. Standouts include kinetic sculpture from Haiti, textile installations from Lahore, and a poetic VR piece from Manila.
Talks, Tours, Tables
Off the fairgrounds, the programming spills into the city. Campus Art Dubai returns with a new cohort of emerging UAE-based artists, while Global Art Forum 2025 focuses on the theme of “Reworlding” with speakers from science, sociology, design, and tech. Expect conversations that move beyond the white cube—from decolonial archives to climate adaptation.
Meanwhile, a new initiative, Dubai Public Art, launches city-wide commissions in parks, beaches, and old souks—positioning Dubai as a year-round arts destination.
Where to Be, What to See
Opening Night (April 17): Preview access to all four sections, with DJ sets and live performance art across the Madinat’s beachfront stretch.
Collectors Circle Lounge: A new rooftop hospitality space with views over the Burj Al Arab, reserved for VIPs and gallerists.
Best In Show: Don’t miss Afra Al Dhaheri’s floor installation with The Third Line—one of the strongest Emirati voices right now.
Off-Site Musts: Alserkal Avenue is buzzing with parallel openings, including a show by Sophia Al-Maria at The Third Line and a desert-immersive commission by James Clar at Ishara Foundation.
🎨 Art Dubai 2025
📩 Collectors & VIP access inquiries: events@babble-up
🗓 April 17 – 20, 2025
🔗 Tickets
For more on eco-luxury lifestyle and news, follow our Instagram and contact us to subscribe to our VIP network, which offers special invites, discounts, and upgrades.
