DUBAI.- Following the recent announcement that Christie’s will hold the first online-only sale for Middle Eastern art, complementing the existing auctions in Dubai, Christie’s will, for the 16th consecutive season, offer Modern and Contemporary Arab, Iranian and Turkish Art on 29 and 30 October 2013. The season starts already ahead of the traditional sales, on 24 October, when the two-week long online only sale for Middle Eastern art opens for bidding and which will run until 11 November 2013. The pre-sale exhibition will be open for the public from 27 October onwards at the Emirates Towers Hotel, where all lots as well as highlights of the Part III sale will be on view. In addition, Christie’s Dubai will be re-launching their successful Watch sales which will be held immediately after the Part I sale on the evening of 29 October and Christie’s Education will be organizing a tailor-made three-day course entitled Introduction to the International Art Market from 26-28 October.

Michael Jeha, Managing Director Christie’s Middle East, commented: “As my colleagues around the world announce Christie’s expansion into the growth markets with sales to be held this year in both Shanghai and Mumbai, Christie’s Dubai continues to lead the market in the Middle East with a set of new initiatives aimed at increasing accessibility to our auctions to existing and new clients interested in buying art from the region. I am also delighted to welcome back watch sales into the auction calendar and to host a team from Christie’s Education who will, through a programme of personal tours, discussions and exclusive led by leading local artists, curators and gallery owners, be de-mystifying the international art market.”

Part I – Tuesday, 29 October at 7pm
A captivating work by the modern Iraqi master, Shaker Hassan Al-Said (1925-2004), who co-founded the Baghdad Modern Art Group in 1951, is one of the early highlights of the sale. His work is deeply rooted in the intellectualism of both Sufism and western philosophy. He worked with abstract forms but within the suffused pale greys and blues is the Arabic phrase La Ghalib Illa Allah, There is no Conqueror but God, also the title of the work. The artist’s deep spirituality is reflected in his use of this phrase across the canvas. The work was previously in the collection of Dr. Sulaiman Al Askari, the editor in chief of Al Arabi Magazine and the former President of the National Council of Kuwait, with whom the artist was a close friend. Executed in 1987 at the time of the Iran-Iraq war, this work has a deep significance in revealing the artist’s hope for the future fate of his homeland.

Watches – Tuesday, 29 October at 8pm
The re-launch of Christie’s successful watch sales will offer an 18-karat gold tourbillon wrist-watch by Breguet originally made for the 200th anniversary of the invention of the tourbillon movement by the firm. The tourbillon was created in the late 18th, early 19th century to counter-act the effect of gravity which can effect accuracy. Made to mark the anniversary of this technological advance, the watch is estimated at $60,000-80,000. Another highlight is an 18 karat rose gold oversized skeletonized time piece with flying tourbillon by Cartier estimated at $40,000-60,000. A “Haute Joaillerie” diamond-set 18 karat white gold bracelet watch by Piaget, with an estimate of $40,000-60,000 is another highlight not to miss. The bracelet is entirely set with 236 baguette-cut diamonds with a total weight of 30.58 cts and 192 round brilliant cut diamonds of a approx. weight of 15.41 cts.

Part II – Wednesday, 30 October at 7pm
A beautiful oil painting by the master of modern Egyptian art, Mahmoud Saïd entitled Assouan – Les Rochers, leads the part II sale. This soft landscape painted in 1949, shows a view of the majestic Nile from the river bank with a felucca in the distance and two women collecting water at its edge. It carries an estimate of $50,000-70,000. Part II will offer around 100 lots with estimates beginning from $2,000.

Part III – opens for online bidding ONLY – 24 October until 11 November
The first ever online only sale of art in this category is led by a powerful image by the celebrated international artist Mona Hatoum (Palestinian/British, b. 1952). Over My Dead Body, a photograph from an edition of six shows the artist in profile with a plastic toy soldier climbing along the bridge of her nose. The statement ‘Over My Dead Body’ is written in capital letters across half of the picture, a powerful, strong message from this prodigious and celebrated artist. It was executed between 1988-2002 and is expected to sell for $30,000 to 45,000.

Christie’s Education course – 26 until 28 October
An exceptional education programme will be offered by Christie’s Education from 26-28 October at the Jumeirah Towers Hotels. It is a tailor-made course and first of his kind in the Middle East: An Introduction to the International Art market. The course will focus on both international and local themes, with exclusive access to private collections, personal tours and discussions with leading artists, curators and gallery owners. Lectures will be given on themes as the power of the collector; how to value art; Art Insurance; artistic productions in the Middle East and the structure of the art world.