The office for the UAE Pavilion, UAE’s cultural pavilion at the contemporary art event Venice Biennale, has launched the UAE online art archive, uaeartarchive.org.

The UAE Art Archive has been developed specifically to offer a platform for people interested in the art scene across the UAE to have a better understanding of art and the cultural infrastructure of the country and to showcase artists’ work.

Its launch is complemented by an image design contest that will enable anyone who is resident in the UAE to submit their design for the homepage banner of the art archive, which can be found at uaeartarchive.org.

The contest is supported by Emirates Airlines, who is providing the winners with two economy class tickets to Venice with a three-day stay at a four-star hotel in Venice and two tickets to visit the 53rd Venice Biennale, running from June 7 through November 22.

“The UAE Art Archive provides a unique platform, for the first time, in the contemporary art community where we can all come together and share this vehicle across all seven Emirates,” said Dr Lamees Hamdan, commissioner of the UAE Pavilion.

“This is a collective space for artists practicing in the UAE to show their work, whereby profiles can be uploaded with a biography, reference to online websites and gallery affiliation can be made and exhibition histories and artwork can be created. The archive is published online and is open to everyone all over the world,” Dr Hamdan added.

“This is also an opportunity for UAE residents to participate in an exclusive competition and to be a part of an online community that is really working from a grass roots level for the art and cultural scene across the UAE. This competition, I believe, is one of the most effective paths in which we can engage people’s interests and encourage them to support our own pool of creative contemporary talent.”

Ahmed Khoory, senior vice president for commercial operations – Gulf, Middle East and Iran, Emirates Airline said: "Emirates is delighted to be a part of this exciting initiative. I hope that the people of the UAE can take inspiration from the majestic beauty of this great country when developing their submissions.

“The UAE Pavilion has worked hard to encourage UAE residents to embrace and express their creativity and we look forward to continuing our partnership with them for many years to come."

Commencing today (July 23), the competition will be judged by the ambassadors to the UAE Pavilion, and will close on September 2. An announcement of the winner will be made on September 16 at a Suhoor (morning meal) during Ramadan.

“As an ambassador to the UAE Pavilion and one of the judges of this competition, I am enthusiastic to see the first glimpse of how the UAE’s art scene has evolved and what our local creative minds have in store,” said Sultan Al Qassemi.

“This contest is an innovative way to examine the developments which are currently taking place across the UAE’s art agenda,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service