emirati patrons Art and patronage go hand in hand; in this special feature, Canvas surveys the influential Emiratis who tirelessly promote and support the art scene of the United Arab Emirates. HH Sheikha Salama Bint Hamdan Al-Nahyan the chairwoman 114 HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum the ceo 116 HH Sheikh Dr Sultan Al-Qasimi the royal stalwart 118 HH Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan the young royal 120 Sheikha Hoor Al-Qasimi the curator extrordinaire 122 HE Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al-Nahyan the minister 124 Sheikh Sultan Sooud Al-Qassemi the cultural attaché 126 HE Abdul Rahman Al-Owais the ministerial patron 128 Ahmad and Abdelmonem Alserkal the urban developers 130 HE Zaki Nusseibeh the advisor 132 HH Sheikha Salama Bint Hamdan Al-Nahyan the chairwoman Image courtesy Salama Bint Hamdan Al-Nahyan Foundation, Abu Dhabi. emirati patrons 115 She is known and respected as the matriarch of the Emi- rati art scene – supporting her country’s artists at a time when the foundations of a cultural infrastructure were first being laid. Decades later, and as her patronage of the arts continues to expand in both scope and breadth, HH Sheikha Salama Bint Hamdan Al-Nahyan’s efforts are bearing fruit. Through her namesake foundation, established in 2012, she has made possible a greater understanding and awareness of Emirati art and culture, both within the country and abroad. “Personally, my interest in art has always been strong and it is a great privilege to use my Foundation to support young artists based in the UAE and encourage them in their creative endeavours,” she says. The seeds of her passion for art continue to be reaped through the initiatives put forth by her Foundation in the realms of education, art, culture, heritage and the environment. Her success is also evident through her children – one of whom, Sheikha Mariam Bint Mohamed Al-Nahyan, heads her mother’s Foundation. In this magazine’s March/April 2013 issue, which presents the Power 50 feature (in which Sheikha Salama has appeared for three consecutive editions), Canvas published an anecdote which Sheikha Mariam shared of her mother: Eighteen years ago, though heavily pregnant with her eighth child, Sheikha Salama insisted on taking her family to visit the Louvre. The wife of HH Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the UAE’s Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has amassed a significant collection, which includes Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern and Western art as well as Orientalist paintings, plaques from Alhambra and 18th-century lithographs of Mecca and Medina. In 2008, she pub- lished a book, Art, My Passion, which documents this (continuously growing) collection and distributed it among over 100 international collectors whom she had hosted in Abu Dhabi for a three-day event of talks and cultural visits in the UAE capital. The programme in- cluded a visit to her home, in which she had displayed a portion of her collection, deeming it a “privilege” to share. “That is one of the reasons that I am so excited about the establishment of the Saadiyat Island Cultural District, which will include the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the Sheikh Zayed National Museum, because it will enable even more citizens, residents and visitors to Abu Dhabi to view, experi- ence and discuss some of the world’s most diverse art and culture here in the UAE,” says Sheikha Salama, who serves as Chair of Abu Dhabi Art. In addition, she hosted Canvas Education seminars for 150 sheikhas over a period of two years, offering sessions on various genres of art delivered by experts in the field. In 2013, the UAE’s third National Pavilion at the Venice Biennale was supported by her Foundation, which will act as Commissioner of the 2015 instal- ment. This year, the Foundation also supported the UAE’s inaugural participation at the Venice Architec- ture Biennale and collaborated with the Rhode Island School of Design to establish the Salama Bint Hamdan Emerging Artists Fellowship Programme. Among the organisation’s future ambitions is the release of Art Scene UAE, a book (in separate editions of English and Arabic) which surveys visual arts practices in the Emir- ates, to be released in 2015 and published by Canvas. Sheikha Salama remains keen on supporting emerging Emirati artists and encourages others “to become more involved” in art and its patronage, which she believes “builds bridges of understanding”. “My interest in art has always been strong and it is a great privilege to use my Foundation to support young artists based in the UAE.” the ceo HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum © Canvas Archives. emirati patrons 117 A regular at art and cultural events, among other developmental initiatives in the UAE, HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, is a man with a vision. He has not only consolidated Dubai’s status as a major international city, but has also contributed to its artistic development and positioned it as an important cultural destination in the Middle East. “The cultural accomplishments of a nation define its character and individuality. Having demonstrated our credentials in hosting world-class cultural events, the UAE has established itself as a thriving destination for culture and the arts,” Sheikh Mohammed has been quoted as saying. A poet in his own right, Sheikh Mohammed is the founder of his Patrons of the Arts Award, which was established by Dubai Culture in 2009 to raise awareness on the importance of patronage and its role in the growth of the arts industry. The award is presented in four categories: Distinguished Patron of the Arts, Patron of the Arts, Supporters of the Arts and Friends of the Arts for their contributions towards visual arts, performing arts, film and literature. Dubai Culture, an initiative established by Sheikh Moham- med in 2008, presents a breadth of cultural and artistic events such as Art Month, which comprises the Sikka Art Fair, the region’s largest art fair Art Dubai and Design Days Dubai, among others. In 2012, Sheikh Mohammed announced the launch of the Dubai Modern Art Museum and the Opera House District in Downtown Dubai. The district, which is scheduled for completion in 2015, will house the museum, as well as galleries and art hotels. In 2012, as part of the Ruler’s initiative for primary education programmes in developing countries, 20 miniature replicas of the Burj Khalifa were created by Emirati artists. One of them, by Abdul Qader Al-Rais, was auctioned by Christie’s for $35,000 and others were acquired by various organisations in the UAE. The 2013 edition of the Patrons of the Arts Awards featured a special display of pieces from Sheikh Mohammed’s col- lection in the foyer of the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel in Dubai; they included paintings by Ali Omar Ermes, Fateh Moudarres, Dia Al-Azzawi, Adam Henein and Al-Rais. This enthusiasm for art and culture has been passed on to his children, who are also known to be aficionados of traditional Arabic poetry and arts. Sheikh Mohammed has published various books, which include a collection of his poems about his native Dubai. This year, under his patronage, Dubai Culture announced plans to transform Dubai’s metro stations into art galleries, each featuring various themes and genres. “The cultural accomplishments of a nation define its character and individuality.” the royal stalwart HH Sheikh Dr Sultan Al-Qasimi Image courtesy Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation. emirati patrons 119 Member of the Supreme Council of the UAE and Ruler of Sharjah HH Sheikh Dr Sultan Al-Qasimi is a powerful protagonist in the Emirati cultural land- scape. With two Doctoral degrees in History from Exeter University (1985) and Political Geography from Durham University (1999), Sheikh Sultan is an active advocate of cultural initiatives in the country. As a historian, he has published several theatrical and literary works and has imparted this passion onto his daughter, Sheikha Hoor, who takes after her father. “If you want something, you have to work hard for it, be passionate and dedicated. This is something instilled in me by my father,” she said in an interview with Canvas Daily. Since the 1990s, he has won numerous awards and accolades for the promotion of culture in the UAE such as UNESCO’s Avicenna Gold Medal in 1998 and The President Merit Award for Culture, Arts and Literature in 2012, among others. He was also involved in the preservation of the cultural heritage of Istanbul in 1990 and won a second Gold Medal in recognition for his support towards Turkey. As President of the University of Sharjah, many of Sheikh Sultan’s initiatives are geared towards supporting education and appreciation for the literary word. In 2006, HH established the Sharjah Museums Depart- ment, which comprises the Sharjah Art Museum and the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation, among other departments and in which he regularly displays his collection of Orientalist and calligraphic works. In April 2014, he spent $550,000 on books for schools and nurseries as part of the Sixth Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival. His efforts to sustain the region’s developing cultural landscape extend beyond borders and, in July 2013, Sheikh Sultan donated $3 million for the restoration of cultural palaces in Egypt. In June of the same year, he also supported the budding initiative of building a ‘cinema city’ in Kuwait. Among his numerous contributions to historical and literary books that are published in the UAE, he is an ardent supporter of the theatre and is lauded for his encouragement of the art form. In September 2014, during a conference about theatre arts at the Wasit Junior Centre in Sharjah, he said, “the theatre has a great role in serving social issues, so due care should be given to serious thea- tre, which warns about dangers jeopardising the nation. I would call the playwrights to care about the dramatic literature that respects our national and regional issues.” He has authored several scholarly texts as well as plays in Arabic including Turgot and The Black Stone ( Al-Hajar Al-Aswad) in 2011, Al-Nimrod (2008) and Alexander The Great (2007). A regular at cultural initiatives in the UAE, Sheikh Sultan continues to devise policies that are focused on the enhancement of the culture of the UAE. Sheikh Sultan donated $3 million for the restoration of cultural palaces in Egypt. In June of the same year, he also supported the budding initiative of building a ‘cinema city’ in Kuwait. the young royal HH Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan © Canvas Archives. emirati artists 121 One regularly sees this young royal at Art Dubai and Abu Dhabi Art seated at various booths, engaged in deep discussions with dealers and artists. HH Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan is known for his thorough research and appreciation of art and is an avid cultural protagonist, not least through his hospitality, entertaining frequently at the royal complex in Abu Dhabi. This zeal for the arts comes from his parents, who, among other genres, collect 19th century Orientalist paintings – one of which came to be Sheikh Zayed’s first acquisition, a John Varley of the pyramids of Giza. Visits to museums, private collections and stately homes exposed the young Sheikh to other art forms and genres and today his growing collection is predominantly comprised of Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern art. While paintings on canvas dominate Sheikh Zayed’s collection, he also owns watercolours, drawings, sculptures, installations, photographs and video works. “There is no one all-encompassing theme to my collection as I have too many interests in life to specialise on just one,” says the St Andrews graduate, who focused on history during his undergraduate years. “The region has produced outstanding art that highlights its own culture. Living abroad helped me understand the intricacies that make our own culture so unique, which is present in the works I have admired and collected over the years.” “Undoubtedly, he has a fine discerning eye for art and brilliant adroitness to grasp the core and depth of each piece,” comments Shobha Pia Shamsdani, Sheikh Zayed’s art advisor, who has worked with the royal family for decades. “He is passionately interested in art and he wholeheartedly encourages, stimulates and supports the art community at large. This is why he is a respected patron of the arts: he understands their needs.” Last March, Sheikh Zayed was patron of the MinD/Body exhibition curated by Cristiana de Marchi at the Dubai Community Theatre & Arts Centre and in June of the same year, hosted several functions in Venice in celebration of the UAE’s third participation at the Venice Biennale. As far as his collection is concerned, Sheikh Zayed is undecided about its future, but there has been talk about the possibility of establishing a foundation. In addition to his passion for art, he has become known for his modesty, curiosity and courtesy. Many, such as Ramin Salsali of the Salsali Private Museum of Dubai, have suggested the Sheikh could very well be a model cultural ambassador of the UAE in the future. “He is grand and humble all at once, with a desire to learn more,” says Salsali. “I can see him in a role for the Middle East similar to the High Representative and Commissioner of the European Union for Foreign Affairs.” “Living abroad helped me understand the intricacies that make our own culture so unique, which is present in the works I have admired and collected over the years.” the curator extraordinaire Sheikha Hoor Al-Qasimi © Canvas Archives. emirati patrons 123 A stalwart figure on the UAE art scene, Sheikha Hoor Al-Qasimi has relentlessly supported the develop- ment of arts and culture in the country. In her capacity as Director of the Sharjah Art Foundation, she has stimulated an informed audience for Contemporary art in the region. “I hope that people who are interested in art in the UAE can get more involved. With the Sharjah Art Foundation, we use different approaches to engage with the community and our audiences, through education, social and communal spaces that encourage people to look at art and develop their own ways to experience it,” said Al-Qasimi in a 2013 interview with Canvas Daily. She has held numerous conferences and staged some of the region’s most important exhibitions, most significantly the Sharjah Biennial since 2002. She has also initiated the Sharjah Art Foundation’s annual exhibitions, including Ilya And Emilia Kabakov: A Collective Memory in 2013, Abdullah Al-Saadi: Al- Toubay, Rasheed Araeen: Before And After Minimal- ism and Wael Shawky: Horsemen Adore Perfumes And Other Stories, to name a few, all in 2014. In 2015, she will oversee the 12th edition of the Sharjah Biennial and curate the National Pavilion of the UAE at the 56th Venice Biennale, which opens in May. Fluent in seven languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese and Russian), 34-year-old Al-Qasimi’s biography reads like one long honour roll, most of which she has achieved in the past five years. As a member of the Board of Directors of New York’s MoMA PS1 and Ashkal Alwan in Beirut, as well as the curatorial selection committee of the Berlin and Sharjah biennials, Al-Qasimi was voted number 48 in Art Review’s 2013 Power 100 list and was recently named the fourth most powerful female art collector in the world by The Huffington Post. As Sharjah and Abu Dhabi join forces for the UAE’s participation at the 56th edition of the Venice Bien- nale (through the commissioning body, the Salama Bint Hamdan Al-Nahyan Foundation), Al-Qasimi has her goals set on documenting the vibrant art scene of the country. “I am focusing on an exhibition that looks at the context of art production in the UAE,” she has explained. An artist in her own right, Al-Qasimi pur- sued a Master’s degree in Curating Contemporary Art from the Royal College of Art and another in Painting from the Royal Academy of Arts in London. She has not only consolidated Sharjah’s position as a leading cultural hub in the region, but also seeks to engage the grassroots audience in the Middle East. “I think it is important for people to think about what they can contribute as artists, art professionals, viewers and participants or patrons and sponsors. Everyone has a role to play in the art world,” she has said. “I think it is important for people to think about what they can contribute as artists, art professionals, viewers and participants or patrons and sponsors.” the minister HE Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al-Nahyan © Canvas Archives. emirati patrons 125 The UAE Minister of Culture, Youth and Social Develop- ment is a regular at cultural events in Abu Dhabi; from art fairs and exhibition openings to classical music con- certs and educational conferences, HE Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al-Nahyan is a tireless advocate of the arts. Having previously served as the UAE Minister of Educa- tion (2006–08), the importance of learning is deeply engrained in his current role. “Education and culture are fused together quite naturally,” he says. “Cultures atrophy without education. Young Emiratis, like other young men and women the world around, must study to understand themselves and to prepare themselves for the future. The world has come to our country and our culture gains strength when our youth and our communi- ties engage, understand and appreciate that world.” Sheikh Nahyan has long practiced this belief. An avid art collector, he has imparted his passion onto his two daughters, Sheikha Alyazia and Sheikha Shamsa. “Simply living in our part of the world within our culture, we Emiratis have grown up with many objects of beauty,” he says of the roots of his appreciation for art. “We are a family that treasures the beauty with which our country has been blessed.” With a soft spot for calligraphy, which he considers an important form of Islamic art, Sheikh Nahyan oversees an annual Ramadan competition held by the Ministry of Culture, whereby calligraphers from around the world produce a hand-written copy of the Holy Qur’an. He is also drawn to Modern and Contemporary art and has expressed interest in acquiring installation works. “No collection, however vast and varied, can capture the entire world,” he says. “Nonetheless, an eclectic collection begins to reflect the global culture of the UAE.” Patron of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, Sheikh Nahyan believes in encouraging the growth – and the protection of – the UAE art scene. “It is con- stantly expanding,” he says. “Abu Dhabi Art, Art Dubai, the Sharjah Biennial, university programmes in art and design, the proliferation of first-rate private galleries, the impending Guggenheim and Louvre in Abu Dhabi, the Zayed National Museum, the venerable Sharjah Art Museum, Emirati artists in the Venice Biennale – the art scene in our country pulsates with a life of its own.” Through his role with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Social Development, Sheikh Nahyan continuously strives to shape policies that will sustain and enrich the culture of the UAE. With an unwavering focus on local Arab and Islamic culture, he is keenly aware of the UAE’s position as a crossroads for culture. “We are hosts to the world and our Emirati culture fuels the con- tinuous creation of a new and exciting global culture of understanding and cooperation,” he says. “It is my special honour to be heading a Ministry that can (and must) encourage creativity, promote the arts, expand our knowledge and appreciation of international art and ensure that our country fulfils its artistic potential.” “The world has come to our country and our culture gains strength when our youth and our communities engage, understand and appreciate that world.” the cultural attaché Sheikh Sultan Sooud Al-Qassemi © Canvas Archives. emirati patrons 127 With a personal collection of over 1000 Modern and Contemporary artworks by Middle Eastern artists, Sheikh Sultan Sooud Al-Qassemi is one of the most prolific members of the art scene of the UAE. In 2010, he established the Barjeel Art Foundation in Sharjah, a space which houses his continuously growing col- lection, hosts important exhibitions and loans works to museums and institutions worldwide. Accessibility is the name of the game for Al-Qassemi, who always goes the extra mile to ensure audiences can easily come in contact with art. “I have always wanted to have a public space and I am very fortunate that the Sharjah authorities have given me the space for the Barjeel Art Foundation, but I want a space that is 10 times bigger,” he says. The reason, he explains, is because “I want everything to be on display”. Al-Qassemi is constantly on the hunt for works and is comfortable sharing his collection with the public. “We immediately put it up with scholarly reports to accompany it,” he says. “When people visit, you realise there is a thirst to discover art and at the same time, a longing for artists to show their works.” Abdul Qader Al-Rais, Adel El-Siwi, Ali Cherri, Baya, Ebtisam Abdulaziz, Farghali Abdel Hafiz, Hayv Kahraman, Kader Attia, Layla Juma, Louay Kayyali, Manal Al-Dowayan, Marwan, Nasir Nasrallah, Paul Guiragossian, Shawki Youssef, Saliba Douaihy, Youssef Nabil and Ziad Dalloul are a few of the names in the Barjeel Art Foundation collection. Indeed, over 600 works, and counting, are documented on its website. Al-Qassemi, who believes collecting art is a public responsibility, acquires works that reflect movements and themes that characterise the Arab world. “I have a great represen- tation of art from the region that way,” he says. Holder of a Bachelor’s degree in International Business Administration from the American University of Paris, an Arab Affairs commentator, blogger and non-resident Fel- low at the Dubai School of Government, Al-Qassemi has also created a branch of the Barjeel collection entitled the Private Collection, which comprises some 35 works by non-Middle Eastern artists such as British Vanessa Hodgkinson, Bangladeshi Rana Begum, Pakistani Jamil Naqsh and Turkish Devrim Erbil, among others. In 2013, artworks by Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige, Sha- rif Waked, Huda Lutfi, Moataz Nasr, Akram Zaatari and Raafat Ishak were loaned to the Singapore Art Museum for Terms & Conditions, the first exhibition of Contempo- rary Arab art in Southeast Asia. Works by Dia Al-Azzawi, Walid Al-Shami, Issam Al-Said, Ahmed Cherkaoui and Saadi Al-Kaabi travelled to the Museum of Modern Art in Antwerp, Belgium, in 2014. In May of the same year, the Barjeel Art Foundation staged Sky Over The East at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation. The Foundation celebrates its fifth anniversary in 2015 and Al-Qassemi’s ambitions and plans keep growing. “I want to build a museum of Modern and Contemporary Arab art,” he says. “I feel everything is so temporary in the region and we need to build on having permanent displays.” “I want to build a museum of Modern and Contemporary Arab art. [...] Everything is so temporary in the region and we need to build on having permanent displays.” the ministerial patron HE Abdul Rahman Al-Owais Image courtesy Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation. emirati patrons 129 It was 2006 when the UAE’s Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development was established. In the same year, HE Abdul Rahman Al-Owais was sworn in as its head – a moment he recalls, which is among his proudest. “I felt responsible for making a change or at least to be a part of this change,” he says. “We are lucky that our leaders are patrons and have a vision.” The roots of his passion – and subsequent support – for art and culture not only run deep, but also span decades. Al-Owais hails from an art-appreciating family, and one with a love of poetry. As a child, he was fascinated with photography and dabbled in the medium to the point that he even set up a development lab at home. It is no wonder then that today he is Chair- man of the Board of Trustees of the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum International Photography Award. Before graduating in 1989 with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Information Systems from the UAE University, Al-Owais became a member of the Emirates Fine Arts Society in Sharjah, where he met pioneers such as Hassan Sharif and Abdul Rahim Salem. By the early 1990s, he had already begun to acquire works by Emirati artists and along with “the few art enthusiasts then” frequented the galleries and institutions of the day that staged shows of Arab art. It was around this time that he also developed an interest for Islamic art, particularly calligraphy, which he began collecting. In 2009, this fascination culminated in Eternal Letters , a book which documents part of Al-Owais’s collection of Islamic calligraphy. “I published that book to encourage others to document their collections as there isn’t enough documentation on calligraphy,” he says. Today, his collection – works of which he loans to exhibitions – is focused on Modern and Contemporary Arab art. Now the UAE’s Minister of Health (a post he has held since 2013), Al-Owais initiated several projects during his tenure as Minister of Culture,Youth and Community Development such as Horizons, a pro- gramme which allows art students to visit museums abroad. He had been inspired by a trip to Spain, during which he saw Picasso’s Guernica . He also commemorated the UAE’s 37th National Day in 2007 by commissioning several renowned Arab artists, including Nja Mahdaoui, Rachid Koraïchi, Mohammed Melehi and Safwan Dahoul, to create artworks. Among his major achievements is overseeing the UAE’s inaugural participation at the Venice Biennale in 2009 and it is this, among other accomplishments, which gained Al-Owais’s ministry recognition through the Emirates Award for Government Performance in 2012 for being the Best Federal Distinguished Ministry with less than 900 employees. “We are lucky that our leaders are patrons and have a vision.” Ahmad and Abdelmonem Alserkal i. the urban developers Ahmad Alserkal. Photography by Sofia Dadourian. Image courtesy Alserkal Avenue, Dubai. Abdemonem Alserkal. Photography by Sofia Dadourian. Image courtesy Alserkal Avenue, DubaI. emirati patrons 131 It would be fair to attribute the passion and commitment that the Alserkal brothers – Ahmad and Abdelmonem – have for the arts to their father, Essa, who has amassed a collection of vintage cars, sculptures and calligraphic works. In addition to Ahmad’s description of the family home resembling “a museum”, as children, the brothers were taken to view how slabs of Carrara marble were cut at the family-owned National Marble and Tile Factory in the Al-Quoz industrial area. In the late 1980s, the patriarch’s passion for Islamic and Arabesque design led him to host about a dozen Algerian ceramicists in Dubai to create designs for the family’s properties as well as for the Alserkal real estate division. These ceramicists, from whom Abdelmonem “learnt about calligraphy and its principles” continue to live and work in the emirate under the family’s patronage. Ahmad went on to complete a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management at Emirates University and is now Chairman of the Alserkal Group. He also oversees the family’s collection of calligraphic works as well as a non-profit heritage house in the Al-Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, which stages exhibitions for aspiring Emirati artists. “I’ve noticed an improvement in the art we’re seeing and in Emirati art too,” he says. “I don’t feel enough has been done for Emirati art, but I’m sure it will happen. I believe we will see big changes in the next few years.” Abdelmonem, on the other hand, pursued studies in San Diego, where he visited the galleries in La Jolla as well as those in other cultural centres in the USA and Europe and “from these experiences, I wondered why not implement the same in Dubai”. In 2006, the Alserkal family developed the plot adjacent to the now-defunct National Marble and Tile Factory into Alserkal Avenue, one of Dubai’s most prominent art districts, which is also home to garages, design studios, as well as music and community spaces. In 2008, Ayyam Gallery became the first commercial gallery to open in the district and today Alserkal Avenue is undergoing an expansion to accommodate more galleries from the UAE and abroad. “It makes me happy and proud to know that we have changed Dubai’s cultural landscape,” says Abdelmonem, who has been the recipient of the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Patrons of the Arts Awards. “It was the galleries that had a vision. They took a risk, just as I did.” In 2015, the Avenue is set to unveil an additional 76,200 square metres of space – double its existing size – to accommodate galleries, an events centre, outdoor courtyard area and F&B outlets. “I don’t think what happened in Dubai can happen anywhere else,” says Ahmad, who owns an award-winning stamp collection. “What our government did here is really amazing.” With business interests in Oman as well, Ahmad founded Stal Gallery and Studio in Muscat, Oman in 2013 to support emerging artists in the region. Indeed, the brothers have made a sizeable impact on the cultural landscape in the Emirates – one that stems from a sincere belief in the importance of art and culture and how they enrich communities. The brothers have made a sizeable impact on the cultural landscape in the Emirates – one that stems from a sincere belief in the importance of art and culture and how they enrich communities.