An Airport Terminal Becomes a Gallery for NOMAD Abu Dhabi
The roaming design fair opens the doors to its latest edition.
Since its foundation back in 2017, design fair NOMAD has been bringing the very best in the collectible market to unique locations, ranging from Karl Lagerfeld’s former residence to the iconic Palais Bulles in Cannes.
Now, the “nomadic” design fair has set up shop inside the historic Terminal 1 at Zayed International Airport.
Emblematic of Gulf modernism, the architecture was conceived by Paul Andreu, with the fair taking over the famous circular lounge and arched walkways.
Across the space, international heavyweights like Gallery FUMI and Nilufar are placed alongside regional galleries and emerging talents.
Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council, which is dedicated to preserving and reimagining Emirati crafts, has worked in collaboration with Mexican artist and designer Ricardo Rendón, while The AP Room presents “The Roots” by Dubai-based Iranian artist Roham Shamekh.
“Encompassing categories and themes that thoughtfully and intuitively engage with a range of creative practices (that is, a broad spectrum of artists and designers, art forms, periods, and geographical origin) NOMAD Abu Dhabi unveils a distinctive, multi-faceted perspective,” said founding director Nicolas Bellavance-Lecompte.
A new project launch comes in the form of “Departures”, which functions as a large-scale installation. Located inside the departure hall, this section sheds light on monumental, site-specific works.
Elsewhere, Bottega Veneta presents “Destinations”, a curated show of work by eight designers from North Africa and the Middle East, and Maison Perrier-Jouët, is showing an installation titled “Cohabitare” by Formafantasma.
“Like NOMAD itself, Abu Dhabi balances deep respect for heritage with bold, forward-looking ambitions,” adds Bellavance-Lecompte.
“The city’s rich cultural landscape, anchored by the Saadiyat Cultural District and institutions such as Louvre Abu Dhabi, provides a vibrant setting for dialogue between local traditions, Islamic aesthetics, and cutting-edge art and design from around the world.”
NOMAD takes place from November 19 to 22. Head to the website to find out more.
