More than at any other time in recent history, the entire art world is this year tackling geopolitical identity issues. And while we usually delegate Biennales and non-commercial art events to take the pulse of our contemporary reality, this time an art fair took up this task: Art Abu Dhabi.

This year the fair was bigger than ever and had a hugely relevant Central Asian and Caucasus section, curated by Elvira Eevr Djaltchinova-Malec, which was aptly called “Drifting identities.”

Founder of the Warsaw Institute for Modern and Contemporary Asian Art (WIMCAA) Foundation – based on the spreading of Asian and global art – Djaltchinova-Malec was invited by the fair’s artistic director, Dyala Nusseibeh, to curate a section that presented different aspects of the rich cultural tapestry of the region without shying away from the political concerns and instability which often characterize this part of the world.

From left to right, Abdelmonem Alserkal – prominent art patron based in Dubai, founder of the Alserkal Avenue, Alserkal Foundation, Elvira Eevr Djaltchinova-Malec, Almagul Menlibayeva, and Danagul Tolepbay image: Elvira Eevr Djaltchinova-Malec

Djaltchinova-Malec has been working on this concept of the Silk Road in different shows – namely Silk Road 2.0 – Artists re-loaded conference in Warsaw, Silk Road 2.0 – New Opportunities panel for art for 021 Art fair in Shanghai – adapting it to the changing geopolitical landscape of the region.

“Our foundation was established in 2016, and already, eight years ago, we started to explore the topic of the Silk Road,” Djaltchinova-Malec told TCA. “We wanted to understand the desire of China and countries who joined Chinese projects for the New Silk Road, and we invited artists and art professionals from Vietnam, the United Kingdom, Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Germany, Tibet, France, and Ukraine for the foundation’s first conference.”

The Belt and Road Initiative, sometimes referred to as the New Silk Road, is a global infrastructure development strategy adopted by the Chinese government in 2013 to invest in more than 150 countries and international organizations.

Tapestry by Almagul Menlibayeva; image: Elvira Eevr Djaltchinova-Malec

It’s the first time that the curator is presenting these artistic geographies in the context of the Gulf. On one hand, this is opening up Central Asian narratives to an Arab public that might be curious to learn more about art in this region. On the other hand, it is helping to open markets and create access to a different pool of new collectors. Thanks to an individual outreach which started well before the fair, the experiment proved successful.

“Fortunately, many collectors from the Gulf already know artists from Central Asia, as there are a few art galleries in the UAE which represent them, as well as institutions like the Sharjah Foundation,” Djaltchinova-Malec stated. In addition, many collectors and artists from Russia who are knowledgeable about Central Asian narratives and sensitive to colonization issues, are now based in the UAE.

“We tried to involve as many collectors from other circles as possible. We reached out to them with artist presentations, and we received good feedback even before the fair opened,” said Djaltchinova-Malec. “We wanted an exhibition in the booth which would not only be for the commercial space, but would represent a way to highlight these underrepresented voices.”

The curator fittingly highlighted that the very concept of the Silk Road was based on markets and the exchange of goods. “Unpredictable things can happen in a bazaar,” she said, “and in this sense an art fair is a modern-day equivalent of the medieval bazaar, a place to establish a spontaneous and multicultural dialog.”

Alejandra Castro Rioseco- Dubai based art collector & The Why Not Gallery, CH64 Gallery: image: Elvira Eevr Djaltchinova-Malec

Art Abu Dhabi 2024 offered a diverse array of artistic expressions. Divided into various segments, including emerging galleries, the Something New Something Bold section was curated by Myrna Ayad, whilst a new Collector’s Salon dedicated to bridging the past and present through antique art, geographies, and dialogue between civilizations was curated by Roxane Zand.

“We had a real good neighborhood in terms of focuses in the fair” Djaltchinova-Malec said, “so we could look on artist’s biographies, artist narrations from the New Silk Road, how we understood it in the past and how it is nowadays. The Silk Road, the history of it, is a very dynamic entity. It was impossible to plan the trajectory of travelers in medieval times, but it also is nowadays. There are always surprises, even when we schedule everything very carefully.”

While Georgia is not part of Central Asia, it was among the countries represented. For Djaltchinova-Malec, the inclusion of Georgian artists was a natural fit, as the Caucasus region has been intricately woven into the cultural tapestry of the Silk Road.

“Georgia was a country on the medieval Silk Road, and the Caucasus was very naturally involved in this cultural trade, in the dialogue of technology and the exchange of ideas,” she said.

The decision to invite Georgian artists was also driven by a desire to represent the narratives of identity and decolonization.

“The Silk Road: Drifting Identities” featured the Astana-based Pygmalion Gallery, founded by Danagul Tolepbay, which curated the Kazakh National Pavilion on Decolonial Futurism in the Venice Fondazione La Biennale di Venezia, the Berlin gallery Galerie Michael Janssen with Kazakh artist Gulnur Mukazhanova, and two galleries from Tbilisi, Georgia: The Why Not Gallery and CH64 Gallery.

Artwork by Yerbolat Tolepbay; image: Elvira Eevr Djaltchinova-Malec

“Pygmalion Gallery from Kazakhstan brought three generations of artists, the Georgian galleries brought six artists with different backgrounds and angles, and Michael Jansen brought a solo show. Artist Yerbolat Tolepbay in the Pygmalion booth spoke about his memories of the Soviet Union, Perestroika and the painful transformation of society. At the same time, he stood at the forefront of creating a national school of contemporary art.”

The curator also strongly resonated with the works of Almagul Menlibayeva, Gvantsa Jishkariani, and Gulnur Mukazhanova. These female artists turned the traditional medium of textiles and felt making techniques into a language of rebellion that speaks powerfully about their paths in search of identity.

Gvantsa Jishkariani- Georgian artist, textile and felt works, The Why Not Gallery; image: Elvira Eevr Djaltchinova-Malec

“In light of the recent events in Georgia, the art of Mikheil (Mishiko) Sulakauri – a graffiti artist represented by Tbilisi’s CH64 Gallery – seems to represent the position of young artists from the New Silk Road. These artists are coming from the streets and are able to shout out the pain and desperation of society in response to the hypocrisy and political entanglements of the elites.”

The response from collectors, both from the region and beyond, was overwhelmingly positive. The fair also attracted a diverse audience, including school groups, university students, and art enthusiasts. “Some kids are well-prepared as they often visit the many museums in Abu Dhabi,” stated the curator. “They asked many questions, wanting to learn about Central Asia, about mythology, literature, nature, the flora and fauna, hunting with eagles, pigments and textile traditions.”

Despite tackling delicate themes, such as the ethnic cleansing committed against the Kalmyk people during the establishment of communist power by the Soviet Union and independence fighters from the nations of the former Russian Empire, there was no form of censorship in place. On the contrary, in an art fair taking place in a turbulent time of war, art seems to not only be a tool of soft power, but an instrument to bring clarity and nuance to the Far and near East as a whole.

As Djaltchinova-Malec explained: “The main thing I was interested in is a biography of the artist, their lineage in the history of their region or country, city or community.”

This approach allowed for a multifaceted representation of the artistic landscape of Central Asia.