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In 2020, the 14th edition of Art Dubai went completely online due to the coronavirus outbreak, with programming focused on performance art and healing curated by Marina Fokidis, a live broadcast of the Global Art Forum, and a digital catalogue. “We didn’t have a model to follow,” Pablo del Val, Art Dubai’s Artistic Director explained. “The online viewing rooms came later and the art industry has shifted to make these platforms meaningful. The future was unknown so we worked blindly.”
The present, arguably, is no more certain. After an aggressive summer 2020 lockdown and a spike of coronavirus cases in the winter, Dubai has reopened as part of the government’s efforts to spur the trade and tourism that fuel its ailing economy, with speedy vaccine rollouts and approximately half the UAE’s population immunized. It’s no surprise then that Art Dubai 2021 focused its showcase around the theme of physical presence, with safety measures in place. The only digital aspect of the fair, which took place from March 29 through April 4, was an app that featured a reservation portal to book a time slot for art viewing, in addition to the option for remote participation for the gallerists who couldn’t attend.