Art historian, founder of Sfeir-Semler Gallery, and member of Art Dubai’s Selection Committee, Andrée Sfeir-Semler (A.S.S) explains to Selections what this year’s selection committee focused when deciding on the participating exhibitors.
As a member of the Selection Committee, what criteria become most important when evaluating gallery applications?
A.S.S: When I look at applications, I am very drawn to conceptual coherence and conviction: a gallery must demonstrate a clear vision, how it supports its artists, how it builds discourse over time, and how it positions itself within a broader cultural ecology. While I pay close attention to the relationships between artists in the programme, the rigour of past exhibitions, and the planned presentation, I’m mostly interested in the quality of the proposed artworks and projects. Which works? How do they communicate together? Is the gallery truly engaged in shaping conversations rather than simply responding to the market? And is it art that brings high quality and singular, unique, perspectives to the discourse out of the region?
Art Dubai galleries spans both modern and contemporary practices. How do you balance between historical narratives and current artistic production when selecting exhibitors?
A.S.S: The distinction between modern and contemporary is not a hierarchy but a dialogue. Historical practices are not static; they continue to inform and challenge the present. A strong presentation understands this continuity, how a modern position can resonate with today’s urgencies, and how contemporary work can be enriched by historical awareness. Modern and Contemporary are distinct sections within the fair, and Art Dubai Modern has greatly contributed to awareness around the modernists work in the SWANA region. But they are located within the same gallery halls at the fair, and the balance comes from selecting galleries that acknowledge and treat these categories as part of an evolving narrative that remains intellectually alive.
Given your long-standing engagement with artists from the SWANA region and beyond, how do you assess whether a gallery programme sets a meaningful benchmark for creativity and curatorial excellence today?
A.S.S: A meaningful programme reveals itself over time. It is not about one successful artist or a single strong exhibition, but about consistency, depth, and integrity. I look for galleries that accompany artists through different stages of their practices, that invest in research, and that are willing to challenge expectations. These are galleries committed to the long haul, capable of supporting their artists through thick and thin, while remaining attentive to social, political, cultural contexts, and promoting curatorial excellence without becoming illustrative or didactic. The benchmark is set when a gallery creates space for complexity and for works that resist easy consumption, while also ensuring the longevity of today’s artistic production, by placing work in museums for example, and by acting as a repository and transmitter of knowledge for future generations.
In a global art market marked by uncertainty and rapid change, what responsibilities do selection committees hold in shaping not only a fair’s identity, but also the trajectories of galleries and artists who participate?
A.S.S: Selection committees carry a responsibility that goes beyond assembling a fair that is visually compelling or commercially viable. Having been on Art Dubai’s selection committee since day 1, I feel very strongly the responsibilities that come with shaping ecosystems. The choices we make can support emerging scenes, sustain critical practices, and open visibility for voices that might otherwise remain marginal. In a moment of instability, it becomes even more important to act with discernment and fairness, but also with courage to support galleries that propose something necessary, even if it is not immediately legible within market trends.