The Abu Dhabi Art Fair 2024 was nothing short of inspiring, showcasing remarkable talent and unforgettable pieces. As a collector, these 4 artists stood out, each offering something distinct and captivating.
I’ve done the research for you—here are four diverse artists that are perfect for young collectors looking to kickstart their art collections.
Safeya M.R. Sharif (b. 1999), an Emirati artist from Dubai, explores abstraction, spatial representation, and hyperreality through innovative materials like linoleum and canvas stretchers. Her work blends printmaking, painting, and installation, often featuring doors and hallways as symbols of safety and territory, reimagined in non-functional contexts. Influenced by the Supports/Surfaces movement, Safeya’s art examines memory, void spaces, and subjective interpretation, inviting viewers into a realm where reality and imagination converge.
Represented by Aisha Alabbar Gallery
Khaled Jarada (b. 1996), a visual artist and illustrator from Gaza City with a degree in Multimedia, has published numerous children’s books and exhibited his work locally and internationally. In 2021, he joined the Spanish Academy of Rome for an artistic residency, following a 2020 scholarship from the French Institute for his Pandemic Diaries project. Khaled’s expressionist art focuses on figures, the human body, psychological impact, and contemporary issues, blending profound themes with dynamic visual storytelling.
Represented by Fann a Porter.
Hamad AlFayhani (b. 1999, Doha) is a Qatari visual artist and filmmaker whose work explores isolation, illness, and the connection between beauty and suffering. A graduate of Northwestern University in Qatar, he uses film and photography to reflect on emotional landscapes shaped by personal experiences. His compositions examine social and cultural dynamics, exploring how beauty and pain, tradition and modernity, coexist in parallel realities, revealing the fragile yet enduring nature of existence.
Represented by Wusum Gallery.
Sarah Abdu (b. 1993) is an artist whose illustrative practice centers on anthropomorphized melancholic figures, exploring themes like self, memory, home, mortality, and the unconscious mind. Since 2017, her work has focused on embodiment, integrating temporal, spatial, and emotive traces through a meticulous process. Recently, Abdu has expanded her practice into sensorial, mnemonic installations that invite viewers into reflective, poetic processes of reconciliation and remembrance.
Represented by Athr Gallery.
