Christie's and Alserkal Announce Partnership for an Exhibition in Dubai

The renowned auction house Christie’s has announced a groundbreaking partnership with Dubai’s dynamic arts hub Alserkal to present a major exhibition of the work by the late Syrian artist Marwan Kassab‑Bachi at Alserkal’s Concrete space in Alserkal Avenue. 

Scheduled to run from 12-22 April 2026, the exhibition will coincide with both Alserkal Art Week and the renowned Art Dubai fair, making the event a high-profile moment on the region’s cultural calendar. 

This collaboration marks the twentieth anniversary of Christie’s first auction of Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art in Dubai—underlining the institution’s long-standing commitment to the region. The exhibition’s concept builds on a recent London show titled Marwan: A Soul in Exile, which celebrated Marwan as a seminal figure in Middle Eastern art and educator beyond his work as a painter. 

In Dubai, the re-imagined exhibition will delve deeper into Marwan’s role as a teacher and cultural connector, particularly highlighting his years directing the Summer Academy at Darat al Funun in Amman from 1999-2003, where he influenced a new generation of regional artists. 

For Alserkal, whose mission centers on nurturing artists and building cultural infrastructure relevant to the Gulf and wider Arab region, the partnership with Christie’s is described by Executive Director Vilma Jurkute as “both timely and deeply meaningful.” 

Christie’s Middle East & Africa Chairman Dr Ridha Moumni emphasised the exhibition’s broader significance: by bringing Marwan’s legacy to Dubai, Christie’s and Alserkal will honour the artist not only as visionary and creator but as a bridge between cultures and generations. The event therefore stands as a celebration of Arab art while reinforcing Dubai’s status as an international art capital.