This article appeared in The Artistic Unity Issue #67 which was dedicated to the art scene in the UAE in which we unravel the threads of unity by exploring the perspectives of various stakeholders within the UAE’s art community. Through insightful interviews with galleries, art institutions, and auction houses, a vivid mosaic emerged, depicting how unity has been woven into the fabric of the art scene
Can you share your journey into bringing art to the UAE? How did it start, what inspired you to do so and what were the challenges?
I am from the Middle East and I always wanted to come back to the region as I loved the warmth, hospitality and family values. I came to Dubai by chance in 2006 with my two young boys, who too fell in love with the UAE. They did not want to leave, so we extended our trip. The following year was the first edition of Art Dubai and I participated and developed a great client base from day one. The next year was the launch of ArtParis Abu Dhabi, which I participated in for two years before it became Abu Dhabi Art. I have loved being a part of those fairs since day one and it has given me the opportunity to visit the region since. The directors of the fairs told me I should open in Dubai, and I did just that. I founded a gallery there, which opened in 2015. I have loved every second of having an outpost in the United Arab Emirates. I opened my gallery in New York 41 years ago and it was a natural progression to open in the Middle East. Of course, it was a great decision, but came with its own challenges as well. At the beginning I wanted to show a mainly Western programme, but I felt the collectors, foundations, and museums were mainly interested in my artists of the region, encompassing South-East Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East. I still continue my Western programme, but the majority of my exhibitions are sourced from the greater region. Also, four years ago I was hacked very badly for a large amount of money, which was extremely difficult to overcome. I had either the option of closing the gallery or to take care of all the funds that were stolen. Of course, I took the second option, which was a huge burden.
Thankfully we are recovering. Covid has also hit us quite badly, but we are now coming out of that dilemma slowly as well. Overall, it has been an amazing experience. The Dubai art scene is very holistic. Thanks to the government, the Ministry of Culture and the support of our loyal collectors, museums and foundations in the region, we have had an amazing experience.
Could you outline the key elements of your gallery programme and how it evolved?
My gallery in New York was always an international programme, with an emphasis on artists of the Middle East, South-East Asia, and Central Asia. We continued this in the Dubai gallery with a special focus on the region as well. We still have many great Western artists in our programme such as Wim Delvoye, Lorenzo Quinn, Dale Chihuly, and Richard Hudson, to name a few.
In what ways has this endeavour played a role in nurturing the art scene in the UAE?
I feel it has definitely nurtured the art scene in the UAE. We had a big emphasis on our educational programming, including curated exhibitions and artists’ talks. We also publish very thorough catalogues with scholarly essays that support our exhibitions.
Can you provide an overview of the current state of the art scene in the UAE?
The UAE has really become a global art hub and is taken quite seriously with a very vibrant gallery scene, ever-expanding museums and foundations. Many artists during Covid moved to the region, so it has become quite active in the arts. The government has been very generous in encouraging talent and providing golden visas to the art community, so we are getting the best of the best talent from across the world here. We are fortunate to have exhibition programmes both in museums as well as various foundations and galleries that are very global in their content.
What are your expectations regarding the evolution of the art scene in the UAE over the next two decades?
I have great hope for this vibrant art scene to develop even more in depth. Two of the best art fairs are in the UAE, Art Dubai and Abu Dhabi Art. They draw many visitors from around the world, especially museum directors and curators. With the amount of development that has happened in just the last 10 years I can only imagine what will be in the next 20 years. The sky’s the limit for the UAE.
About Leila Heller
Leila Heller, founder of Leila Heller Gallery, brought her passion for art to the UAE, opening a gallery in Dubai in 2015 after participating in major art fairs in the region.
