Christie’s comes calling
By Isabel Ovalle
Art collection in Qatar is booming, as both nationals and expats living in the country are reaching out to Christie’s auction house to learn more about the potentially “addictive” practice of buying art. This tendency encouraged the company to appoint a consultant for Qatar – Farah Rahim Ismail. Farah told The Peninsula that “the art scene in Doha is vibrant, it’s an exciting time”.
The consultant for Christie’s has noticed that “Internationally, people are finding in art a more tangible way to invest their money. The number of collectors as well as appreciation for art is on the rise and part of our commitment is contributing to that”.
According to this vocational art lover, passion for art has reached the younger generations, “there are many Qataris, particularly a younger set, who are very keen to develop their art appreciation and want guidance about how to start collecting. They want to learn and discover how the art world works, as it can seem intimidating at first.”
Farah looks forward to “continuing to engage the interests of Qataris and the mixed audience here in Doha, by providing guidance and stimulating people into taking their first steps into an area they are new to.”
The auction house is in the process of putting together the Qatar programme for 2013 and they consider listening to what is relevant and exciting for the growing collector base in Doha and throughout the region “incredibly important”, she explained. “We will certainly be holding two major events, whether exhibitions or highlights, and throughout the year I am open to a number of clients who have asked for formal intimate talks across a range of issues, such as collecting, what to look out for, or photography. It is very encouraging,” she added.
Originally from Malasya, Farah arrived in Qatar straight from London just as “its museums continue to forge ahead with an impressive and bold programme, such as the forthcoming Yan Pei-Ming exhibition at QMA Gallery, Katara, twinned with educational initiatives across the museums in a clear commitment toward learning and cross-cultural dialogues”. The art consultant also referred to the Katara studios and galleries which are “building foundations towards a promising organic development of artistic exchanges, among local and international artists with their residencies and exhibitions”.
Farah “really enjoyed the recent Mal Lawal exhibition at Al Riwaq which, for me, was a fascinating insight to the passionate collecting activities of many Qataris. It feels like a clever marrying of local voices and projects, which helps create a sustainable artistic and cultural scene.” Farah insisted that the interest taken by Qatar in culture is “impressive, they have a very ambitious programme”.
Christie’s is where the artistic action is, with offices in cultural niches such as London, New York, Hong Kong and Dubai. About 55 percent of the buyers at Christie’s auctions for Modern & Contemporary Arab, Iranian and Turkish Art in the region are from the Middle East, whilst the other 45 percent are international. Christie’s Middle Eastern clients have increased since the auction house’s presence in Dubai and represent today a global buying activity accounting for 8 percent of the company’s turnover.
The company was established in the Middle East in 2006 and since then the regional sales have been approximately $225m in the region. “We have the main base in Dubai, but we serve the region and the demands of our clients in Qatar also”, clarified Rahim. Nevertheless, “we come to Doha to facilitate assistance to our clients here who are already active internationally, given that Qatar’s presence in the global art market is growing and there is new clientele we are trying to engage”.The Peninsula
