The Facts
On September 16, 2026, Christie's announced 'MAWASIM: 20 Years of Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art,' a live auction scheduled for November 1, 2026, at The Abu Dhabi EDITION. The sale marks the first fine art auction by Christie's in Abu Dhabi and commemorates 20 years since the house's inaugural UAE sale in Dubai in 2006. The auction will feature over 70 works spanning more than six decades, including pieces from the Dalloul Collection in Beirut and the Barjeel Art Foundation in Sharjah. A pre-sale exhibition and cultural program will run from October 28 to November 1, coinciding with a busy season that includes the inaugural Frieze Abu Dhabi (November 19–22) and the opening of Guggenheim Abu Dhabi on December 11, 2026.
The Signal
The auction underscores Christie's deepening commitment to the Middle Eastern market and Abu Dhabi's emergence as a global cultural hub. By partnering with major regional collections and timing the sale alongside new institutional openings and the city's first international art fair, Christie's is betting on sustained collector interest in modern and contemporary art from the Middle East and North Africa. The selection—tracing artistic movements from pioneering modernists like Mohamed Melehi to contemporary practitioners—signals growing institutional validation and market liquidity for a category that has expanded dramatically since 2006.
- Artists: Paul Guiragossian, Mohamed Melehi, Samia Halaby, Marwan
- People: Dr. Ridha Moumni, Marie-Claire Thijsen, Meagan Kelly Horsman
- Auction Houses: Christie's
- Museums: Guggenheim Abu Dhabi
- Locations: Abu Dhabi
- Prices: USD$300,000-500,000
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