Christie's to Hold First London Auction of Middle Eastern Modern and Contemporary Art

On October 25, Christie's will hold its first London auction dedicated to modern and contemporary art from the Middle East, during Islamic Art Week. The sale includes approximately 60 lots spanning from the late 19th century to the present. Sotheby's will hold a similar auction during the same period, and Bonhams will follow in November. Traditionally, Islamic Art Week auctions in London focused on ancient sculptures, paintings, rare books, and carpets, while modern and contemporary Middle Eastern art was sold exclusively in Dubai. The shift to London is driven by practical reasons following the diplomatic crisis in the Middle East that affected cultural institutions, as well as marketing considerations: Christie's reports that only 30% of buyers at its Dubai sales are international. Both Christie's and Sotheby's aim to expand the buyer base for Middle Eastern contemporary art outside the region, which remains relatively unknown to major international collectors. The annual Dubai contemporary art auction, held concurrently with Art Dubai, will continue unchanged.