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DUBAI: This Spring, Sotheby’s Dubai will offer over 80 works of art from the collection of Abdulrahman Al-Zayani, one of the leading collectors in the Middle East.  

The first unveiling of the collection will take place at Sotheby’s Dubai from Feb. 28 to March 3. This will be followed by an exhibition of the collection in its entirety in London from Apr. 21 to 25, ahead of the live auction on Apr. 25. 

Hailing from Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and North Africa, the artists in the collection represent the vast artistic production created over the last century in the Middle East. Exploring myriad themes and mediums, each work represents a different aesthetic whilst tying into a rich thread of cultural heritage. 

In recent years, Al-Zayani has also launched A2Z, a luxury advisory service for private clients in New York, London and the Gulf who want to expand their jewelry and collections. 

Said Al-Zayani in a statement, “As I open the doors to my collection, the overarching sense is that these pieces were acquired with love, and I am excited for them to go to new homes where they will be discovered and appreciated anew. As with all journeys, new pathways must be travelled, and so with this auction I am opening a new chapter of both my story and the story of these timeless artworks.”  

“The world of Middle Eastern art has transformed since I first started almost two decades ago, and I am proud to witness and be a part of that evolution, living in a region that is now becoming one of the cultural hubs of the world,” he added.  

Works by Abdel Hadi El-Gazzar, Hassan Hajjaj, Fahrelnissa Zeid, Hatem El-Mekki, Mahmoud Moussa, Mohammed Melehi, Fouad Kamel, Gazbia Sirry, Farid Belkahia, Behjat Sadr and Taner Ceylan will go on view to the public, alongside worldwide auction highlights including jewellery, watches and arts of the Islamic world and India.