Christie's MAWASIM: 20 Years Modern Contemporary Middle Eastern Art Abu Dhabi

The word carries the weight of seasons, of cyclical return and renewal: in Arabic, mawasim speaks to the turning of time and the rhythms that structure memory. Christie's has chosen it as the title for a watershed moment in its regional practice, a comprehensive survey that gathers seventy works by significant figures in modern and contemporary practice across the Middle East and Africa.

This is not a debut that happens by accident. The sale represents Christie's first venture into fine art auctions in Abu Dhabi, and in assembling it, the house has elected to think generously about artistic lineage, cross cultural exchange, and the diverse vocabularies that shape a region's visual consciousness.

A Generous Frame

MAWASIM: 20 Years of Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art does not confine itself to a single nation or moment. Instead, it traces artistic dialogues across borders, drawing together works by established and celebrated painters, sculptors and mixed media practitioners. Among those represented are Faisal Liabi Sahi, Fahrelnissa Zeid, Mohammed Chabâa, Mahmoud Saïd, Ayman Baalbaki, Ali Banisadr and Saliba Douaihy. Each name carries significance within the historical record of the region's artistic development; together, they compose a portrait of creative vitality and formal experimentation.

The curatorial ambition here is evident. Rather than presenting works in isolation, the sale articulates connections between artists working across different media, generations and geographies. This approach reflects a matured understanding of how contemporary art history in the Middle East and Africa has unfolded: not as a series of parallel trajectories, but as a constellation of exchanges, influences and shared aesthetic concerns.

A Journey Across Continents

Collectors and institutions will have the opportunity to engage with the full scope of the sale during a pre auction exhibition held at The Abu Dhabi EDITION from 28 October through 1 November 2026. Prior to that, highlights from the selection travel to Christie's London for viewing between 8 and 14 October, a gesture that underscores the international reach of this endeavour and the significance accorded to these works within the global collecting landscape.

The auction itself takes place on 1 November in Abu Dhabi, an event that marks not merely a sales occasion but a recognition of the region as a vital centre for the appreciation and acquisition of modern and contemporary art on a world stage.

A Milestone for the House

For Christie's, this inaugural fine art auction in Abu Dhabi signals an expanded commitment to the artistic heritage and contemporary practices of the Middle East and Africa. The scale of the sale, its historical reach, and the breadth of artistic voices represented all underscore an institutional belief in the enduring significance of these works and the collectors, curators and institutions who champion them.

To encounter these seventy works is to understand that the narratives surrounding modern and contemporary art extend far beyond the familiar Western canonical frameworks. Here, in this thoughtfully assembled collection, lie the stories of artistic innovation, cultural resilience and formal daring that have shaped creative practice across two continents over twenty years.

MAWASIM opens a new chapter not only for Christie's but for all those who recognise that the future of art history requires a generosity of vision, a willingness to look beyond established hierarchies, and a commitment to honouring the full spectrum of creative achievement.

Key Facts

Sale title: MAWASIM: 20 Years of Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art
Number of works: 70
Venue: The Abu Dhabi EDITION
Sale date: 1 November 2026
Pre auction exhibition: 28 October–1 November 2026, The Abu Dhabi EDITION
London preview: 8–14 October 2026, Christie's London

The Simply Luxury View

This sale matters precisely because it refuses the narrow frame. By bringing together seventy works across two decades and multiple nations, Christie's has made a case for understanding modern and contemporary Middle Eastern and African art as a coherent, vital and internationally significant field, worthy of the same scholarly attention and collecting intensity that attaches to established Western narratives.

For the discerning collector, MAWASIM represents an occasion to engage with works of undisputed quality and historical importance at a moment when the global art market is finally expanding its attention beyond familiar territories. The breadth of the sale, the stature of the artists represented, and the institutional authority of Christie's behind the endeavour all suggest that this is a landmark event in how the market and the museum world are coming to value and contextualise these practices.

Official brand website: christies.com

Imagery is used for editorial purposes. All rights remain with the respective owners, photographers and licensors.

Imagery courtesy of Christie's (@christiesinc).