ART & JEWELRY CUSTOT GALLERY DUBAI

Art & Jewelry in Dubai.

The Custot Gallery, an art gallery in Dubai, presents Art & Jewelry, the first exhibition of jewelry by artists in the Middle East. So, gallery owner Stéphane Custot spoke with Esprit Joaillerie.

What guided the decision to open a gallery in Dubai?

Located halfway between Asia and Europe, Dubai represents a perfect opening for international art.
Dubai hosts a well-established and respected art fair, Art Dubai, which attracts collectors from all over the world. The gradual establishment of major museums such as the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Guggenheim undoubtedly transforms this part of the world into a new major global cultural hub. Dubai is undergoing significant changes, developing the economy, tourism, and creating an environment with endless possibilities.
The Alserkal Avenue neighborhood in Dubai is one of them; it is truly unique.
I was immediately drawn to the character of this place, where tire salesmen and art galleries coexist. It offers a strong potential for innovation and sparks as much interest as curiosity.

What is the Emirati view of art, and particularly of monumental sculptures, your specialty?

The Emiratis love art; they are curious to discover new things. There are very good Emirati artists. The new generation has studied in the United States, Europe, and travels there very often. They are sensitive to Western art.
The Emiratis have a taste for monumental things; the architecture of their buildings is monumental; they have brought in the greatest architects in the world to build incredible towers there.

I would like to place monumental sculptures by regional and international artists in the city of Dubai to make them better known.

 Is there a new market for art in Dubai?

There is an art market in Dubai with Christie’s that has been established for now 11 years. Also, the Alserkal Avenue neighborhood opened in 2008 with galleries representing artists from the country and the region.
In 2015, Aleserkal Avenue expanded with the arrival of international galleries such as Leila Heller and Nous.
The market has gone from being a regional market to an international one.
Things are changing very quickly.

How did the idea of exhibiting the jewelry of artists in Dubai come about? What were your selection criteria?

I have always had a passion for jewelry; it was a project I had been working on for several years.
In the region, people love jewelry but art is still relatively new to them. This exhibition brings together the two fields and offers easier access to art.
It is the first of its kind in the Middle East!
We hope to attract new people to the gallery in this way.

We have been preparing this exhibition for 8 months with the artists and the galleries specializing in artist jewelry: Louisa Guinness (London); MiniMasterpiece (Paris); Elisabetta Cipriani (London); and the galleries The Third Line (Dubai) and Aayam (Dubai).
It is an international exhibition featuring artists from Europe and the United States, but we are also presenting the work of five artists from the Middle East: Azza Al Qubaisi (Emirati), Nadim Karam (Lebanese), Sahand Hesamiyan (Iranian), Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian (Iranian) and Pouran Jinchi (Iranian/American).

We exhibit not only historical jewels by Pablo Picasso, Lucio Fontana, Niki de Saint Phalle and Alexander Calder, but also creations by great contemporary artists such as
Anish Kapoor, Ron Arad, Bernar Venet and Sophia Vari.

What is an artist’s jewel?

An artist’s jewel is a miniature work of art, often conceived for a loved one. It is the work of painters or sculptors for whom this practice is unusual, often inherent in their mode of creation.

Do you have any other jewelry projects? 

Custot Gallery Dubai has an mezzanine space.
According to the reception and enthusiasm that the exhibition will generate
«Art & Jewelry» is quite conceivable that this space could be used as a showcase for fine jewelry, allowing for the parallel development of a second business.

An exhibition to be completed with that of the MAD in Paris
«From Calder to Koons: jewels by artists».

Art & Jewelry
March 19 to June 2, 2018

Custot Gallery Dubai

custotgallerydubai.ae |
+971 (0)4 346 8148
Unit No. 84 Alserkal Avenue
Street 6A, Al Quoz 1
PO BOX 390094 Dubai United Arab Emirates