Dubai – Sotheby’s has announced it will stage the first ever live auction in Saudi Arabia in February 2025. Taking place in the historic town of Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the birthplace of the Saudi state, located northwest of Riyadh, the auction will offer modern and contemporary artworks, Islamic objects, jewelry, watches, cars, sports memorabilia and handbags, among other items, reported Arab News.
Titled “Origins,” the live auction will take place on Feb. 8, 2025, presenting global offerings and fine art by both home-grown Saudi artists and leading names in international art history. The auction will take place as a two-part evening auction and will be preceded by an exhibition of the contents of “Origins,” that will be showcased in a free, public exhibition, open from Feb. 1 – 8.
“This auction – and indeed our incorporation – is the culmination of many years of supporting cultural initiatives in the Kingdom, and a natural evolution of our business,” Edward Gibbs, chairman of Sotheby’s Middle East & India, told Arab News.
Increasingly, said Gibbs, Sotheby’s saw that Saudi Arabia was a space rife for a growing art market and live auctions, proven by its fast paced development, young demographic, growing collector base and the increasing presence of the regional and international art community.
“The auction comes hand in hand with our opening of an office in Riyadh, so marks a new chapter in our activities in Saudi — a phase that we are entering with great optimism and ambition,” Sebastian Fahey, managing director of Sotheby’s Global Fine Arts, told Arab News.
Diriyah
Diriyah is a significant place to stage Saudi Arabia’s first-ever live auction. In the historic town, now developing as one of the Kingdom’s gigaprojects, the First Saudi State was inaugurated just under two decades before Sotheby’s was established in 1744. At present, Diriyah is transforming into a local and global hub for art, culture and high profile events in the Kingdom, connecting its past and present through heritage and creativity.
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