North African art sale in Dubai

Christie’s Dubai Art Sale Sponsored By Credit Suisse Includes Key Works From Artists From North Africa, The Gulf & The Levant

Christie’s April 29, 2009 auction of International Modern and Contemporary Art includes more than 150 works representing artists from around the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, alongside a handful of works by western artists. The sale includes works from Saudi Arabian artists for the first time (separate press release available) and is sponsored by Credit Suisse, one of the leading global providers of financial products and services in Private Banking, Investment Banking, and Asset Management.

Jussi Pylkkanen, President of Christie’s Middle East and Europe, commented: “This sale is a significant sign of the continuing maturity of the art market in the region. Its strength lies in the diversity of artists represented from countries all over the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey which has grown and expanded with each of our sale seasons in Dubai. We are confident that the works included in the sale will be well received by new and existing collectors.”

Raj Sehgal, Branch Manager, Credit Suisse Dubai, said: “Credit Suisse considers the Middle East as one of its most important growth markets, having built its knowledge and understanding of the region over four decades. Through its collaboration with Christie’s, Credit Suisse brings to clients, investors and collectors in the Middle East, an opportunity to engage in a prestigious forum dealing in high value art and jewelry. The artworks on offer are a mélange of tradition and modernism.”


North Africa
North African artists represented in the sale include; Mahjoub Ben Bella (Algeria), Rachid Koraichi (Algeria), Nja Mahdaoui (Tunisia), Hassan Hajjaj (Morocco), Lalla Essaydi (Morocco) and Abdallah Benanteur (Algeria).

Egypt
A large bronze sculpture, Au bord du Nil, by Mahmoud Mokhtar (1891-1934), the much admired Egyptian sculptor and the father of modern Egyptian art, is included with an estimate of $60,000-80,000. From a private collection in Paris, the bronze measuring 63cms., depicts a woman carrying a carafe on her head, her robe draped around her to the ground and a large bangle around her upper arm. The sale also includes an important portrait of Tahia Halim, one of Egypt’s most important 20th Century artists by Hamed Nada, her contemporary and an artist of equal importance in Egypt. It was exhibited at the 1st Biennale in Alexandria in 1955 and is estimated at $100,000-150,000.

Turkey
This will be the second time that a significant group of works by Turkish artists have been included in the Dubai sales. This time 16 works are offered and they are highlighted by Selma Gûrbûz’s Kedili Doga (Nature with Cats) showing a seated woman in a black dress surrounded by cats, one draped around her shoulders (estimate: $35,000-45,000) and Erol Akyavaº’ Alma Ausente, an important early work from a private collection in the United States, estimated at $70,000-100,000.