The Bank holds a first-of-its-kind exhibition entitled “Homage Without An Homage” celebrating the life and legacy of Emirati artist Hassan Sharif, one of the region’s most influential artists whose work impacted the local and regional contemporary art scenes.

Julius Baer, the leading Swiss private banking group, has announced today its continued partnership with Art Dubai, the foremost international art fair in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia regions, for the third consecutive year. The Bank will leverage its sponsorship of the prestigious Dubai-based fair locally to pay tribute to Hassan Sharif, the late renowned Emirati artist. In its 11th year, Art Dubai is set to take place in Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai from 15 to 18 March 2017, and is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai.

After two years of exhibiting the works of prominent contemporary Swiss artists, the Bank chose to dedicate this year’s sponsorship to the celebration of the thriving contemporary arts landscape in the region. Julius Baer will hold an exhibition to pay tribute to Hassan Sharif, who passed away in September 2016 leaving behind a legacy spanning more than four decades. The legendary artist was known across the region for introducing the next generations of UAE artists to the ideas of Western conceptual art. His work has been acquired, among many others, by Centre Pompidou, Paris; M+ Museum, Hong Kong; Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha; the Sharjah Art Foundation, Sharjah; the Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah; the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi; and the Solomon R Guggenheim Museum, New York.

Commenting on this year’s presence at Art Dubai, Rémy Bersier, Head Emerging Markets and member of the Executive Board of Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd. said: “We are proud to hold the first tribute of this scale to Hassan Sharif who is recognised as a pioneer in the UAE and Middle Eastern art scenes. We wanted the exhibition to be an homage to the life-long influence that Hassan Sharif had on a network of local and international artists and to re-introduce him to the public through their lenses. Dedicating our participation in Art Dubai this year to commemorating the legacy of a great Emirati artist like Hassan Sharif is a clear reflection of our commitment to the UAE and the broader Middle East.” 

The exhibition by Julius Baer is curated by Cristiana de Marchi, who has known and worked with Hassan Sharif for over 10 years, adding depth and perspective to the event. It will showcase works by artists from different generations who have been mentored, influenced, and inspired by Hassan Sharif’s practice and teaching, including international artists who have all visited or lived in the UAE during their careers. The exhibition is accompanied by a programme of performances and video screenings as well as a series of talks addressing various aspects of Hassan Sharif’s practice, career, and legacy, featuring a core group of UAE conceptual artists including Hussein Sharif, Mohammed Ahmed Ibrahim, and Mohammed Kazem. The show also includes work by artist, writer, and filmmaker Nujoom Al Ghanem, Emirati artists Ebtisam Abdulaziz, Layla Juma, Shaikha Al Mazrou and Jumairy, along with international artists and friends Vivek Vilasini, Cristiana de Marchi, Salwa Zeidan, Ramin and Rokni Haerizadeh, and Hesam Rahmanian.