‘Design Days Dubai,’ the first fair specialising in collectible and limited-edition designs, opened on March 18th. It is the first of its kind in the Middle East/South Asia region.
Presenting a collection of global proportions, the fair exhibited pieces leant by leading design galleries, 22 to be exact, from Europe, Korea, Brazil, South Africa , USA and of the Middle East. The show aimed to promote high design as a collectible art form.
The range of furniture and objects included 20th century classic to futuristic prototypes. More than 400 design pieces were displayed at a site at the foot of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. The area has been freshly-announced by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as being the newest addition to the landscape of downtown Emaar: the Dubai Modern Art Museum & Opera House District. It will form the new cultural hub of the city.
Featured designers included furniture-designer Nada Debs, Korean artist Kwang Ho Lee and Li Edelkoort, an influential curator and trend forecaster. A large part of the festival was interactive, with the crowd encouraged to speak to gallery hosts, artists and participate in seminars and workshops.
“At the inaugural edition of Design Days Dubai, we aim to spark the curiosity of our visitors and support emerging designers through a rich programme that covers the fundamentals of this visual art, with mentoring and the transmission of on-the-job skills from leading names in the business,” said Cyril Zammit, Director of Design Days Dubai.
