Christie's, the leading art auction house, said it will celebrate the ever-growing arts and cultural environment in Middle East by staging a series of events in October and November.

The company is gearing up for six weeks series of art exhibitions and events in major countries in the region including Doha, Jeddah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, said a top official.

The events include: Doha – A Journey Through Modern Art, Public Art Exhibition (from October 4 to 5); Dubai – Exhibition and Sale Series includes Important Collections (from October  24 to 27); Abu Dhabi – Off the Walls – Collecting Middle Eastern Art (November 3 to 28) and Jeddah – Educaton Event with Canvas (November 20 to 21).

“Our clients from the Middle East have a long-standing and growing passion and commitment to the arts,' said Jussi Pylkkanen, president of Christie's Europe and Middle East.

'As the cultural landscape continues to diversify and develop, Christie's is excited to continue to be a prime mover in the region, partnering with collectors, working on educational initiatives and complementing the new art fairs as well as staging our 9th consecutive sales season in the region.”

On the Doha event, Michael Jeha, Christie's managing director, Middle East said, 'Our first public exhibition in Doha takes place in early October to coincide with the events that form part of the celebrations that honour Doha as the Middle East Capital of Culture, 2010.'

'We are delighted to be showcasing a selection of superb Modern and Contemporary Art from the region and look forward to welcoming the growing audience in Qatar to our exhibition,' he said.

'The season continues with the Christie's 9th series of public exhibitions and sales in Dubai from Oct 24 to 27 and will be led by another outstanding group of modern paintings from the collection of Dr Mohammed Said Farsi, the first Lord Mayor of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, including works by artists Mahmoud Said, Abdul Hadi El Gazzar and Hamed Nada.'

'An outstanding, glittering and glamorous single-owner collection of jewellery comprising forty-one parures, or suites of jewellery, leads the Jewelery and Watches sale on October 26, Jeha added.

On the Abu Dhabi show, he said 'A celebration of art and collecting continues in November when Abu Dhabi Art in collaboration with Christie’s presents 'Off the Walls - Collecting Middle Eastern Art', an outstanding exhibition of modern and contemporary Middle Eastern Art to be staged at The Emirates Palace Hotel from November 3 to 28.

'The exhibition comprises works on loan from private collectors and corporations and promises to be the greatest exhibition of its kind in the region to date,' the official said.

Christie’s ongoing commitment to educational activities continues with a Canvas Education events in Jeddah on October 20, Jeha added.-TradeArabia News Service