Following a second successful year of Abu Dhabi Art, the city’s interest in all things creative has never been higher. Furthermore, with its very own Guggenheim museum now little over a year away, most would agree the capital is standing on the brink of a cultural revolution. All of which is very good news indeed for Matthew Girling, one of the key players in the Middle East’s burgeoning art auction business. Here’s what he had to say about the state of play.
What are the main differences between the art markets here in the Middle East and somewhere like Europe?
I think the key difference is that it’s obviously a much newer market here. Not just for the auctioneers, but for many of the dealers and the galleries that are setting up here and getting involved in the art business. Self-evidently, there’s more of an interest in contemporary Middle Eastern works of art. However, although the naissance of that has been here, it’s now becoming more of an international market, with buyers from a broad variety of countries taking an interest in work from the Gulf region.
How do you see the art scene in Abu Dhabi developing over the next few years?
The Louvre and Guggenheim projects on Saadiyat Island are going to have an absolutely colossal impact. They’re building museums on a similar scale to what the Victorians did in London at the end of the nineteenth century. When Prince Albert had the vision of building the National History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum, you can imagine how big those must have seemed at the time in relation to the rest of London. People must have looked at them and thought, ‘Is this German prince absolutely nuts to be building these things?’ But they make London what it is today – one of the most visited cities in the world. I think a lot of people are sceptical about the scale of the vision here, but it’s what Abu Dhabi needs. There aren’t many small galleries in the city at the moment, but they’ll spring up once people become more interested in art.
Do you think there needs to be a balance between local art and A-list names in the Saadiyat galleries?
Art that’s relevant to the region is an absolute must. There isn’t really a tradition of painting on canvas here, and it’s only now that some of the city’s young people are seeing art as a credible career path. Five years ago, you couldn’t really work as an artist in Abu Dhabi, but now that there’s a commerce attached to artistic endeavour, people are taking it seriously. So yes, local work will slowly become stronger and the big galleries should definitely be making space for it.
Are there any local artists in particular whose work you admire?
There are some very interesting things being done here. There’s a young photographer called Lamya Gargash, whose work was chosen for the Venice Biennale in 2009. The way she plays with the stereotypes of the UAE, using the media she does, is very clever. Photography is a huge thing here and I think it’s going to emerge as an increasingly important medium.
What advice would you give to people looking to invest in art?
Don’t go into it with a view to investing. Go into it because you can afford to do it and because you like the idea of collecting art, enjoying it and appreciating it. If it ends up being a good investment, then fantastic. But for every one person whose collection becomes a great investment, there are probably a hundred, even a thousand who collect art that ends up not being an investment.
What about tips for getting a good deal at auction?
Like any of these things, don’t pitch into it blind. I think people need to experience auctions and see what they’re like. People think you need to be invited, but when we have our auctions, anybody can turn up; anybody can have a look and chat to an expert and they can walk away and not make any bids. Auction houses are born out of very humble origins. If you go back to the eighteenth century we were selling parcels
of hay and all sorts of things, and a lot of those principles are still there. So go along, look at the estimates, get a price list afterwards, and see what’s sold well and what hasn’t. Then you can start to make your own informed opinions.
For more information on Bonhams’ upcoming auctions, head to www.bonhams.com/uae.
