Every budding artist deserves a chance to prove its worth, and EMERGEAST is exactly doing that!  It’s interesting to see artists unfolding so many aspects of life with colours and their vision. All they need is a platform to display their art and talent. EMERGEAST is one such online gallery, which gives the emerging artists across the region a chance to showcase their artwork. Launched in May 2014 as the first online art gallery dedicated to emerging Middle Eastern artists and young collectors, EMERGEAST has come a long way.

Nikki Meftah, one of the cofounders at EMERGEAST, explained why there was a need to have an online art portal. She said: “Having both worked in the arts coupled with a passion for art collecting, my friends would ask my advice on where to purchase affordable artwork by Middle Eastern artists. My friend and the other co-founder, Dima Abdul Kader, noticed a gap in the market, as there was no portal that made art from the Middle East region accessible.” This online portal reaches out to a wide international audience who are not necessarily aware of the region’s up and coming talent. It’s not easy to sell an art, and Meftah firmly believes that a lot of hard work goes into the process. “The challenge has been the region’s low confidence in online buying. With only 30% of the population currently buying online, we aim to break down these barriers and create a globalised platform raising awareness on the region’s hidden talents,” tells Meftah. EMERGEAST is soon going to have its fourth auction on November 6, 2017, at The Ritz- Carlton, DIFC in Dubai. The auction is put in place for young collectors to experience another way of art buying, which will give them a chance to take part in an exhilarating auction and experience the thrill of bidding. It’s also a way of educating people who’re unfamiliar with the auction process.

The fourth edition of the auction offers a variety of paintings, photography, and sculptures without the hefty price tag. Highlights include artworks by Egyptian artist Hossam Dirar, Iranian artist Sassan Behnam Bakhtiar, and Lebanese artist Selim Attieh. Meftah further added: “We have had three auctions to date in Dubai. Our auctions have had a travelling theme where our venues to date reflect our ethos and our target audience. We like to encourage our visitors to attend our opening receptions to browse and get to know the artworks and to feel comfortable asking us anything before they lift their paddles! Our EMERGEAST auctions are an initiative that is very aligned with our mission of ‘art is for all.”