DUBAI.- Signaling the re-opening of the arts season in the Gulf region, the sixteenth Young Collectors Auction returns to Ayyam Gallery Al Quoz, Dubai on 16 September 2013. The auction invites both the seasoned and aspiring collector to view an array of carefully selected works from established and emerging artists incorporating painting, photography, limited-edition prints, video and installation. With over 75 lots ranging in price from $1,000 to $15,000 USD, the auction will offer a unique opportunity to invest in some of the most exciting contemporary artists working in the Middle East today in a relaxed and professional atmosphere.

The Young Collectors Auction (YCA) acts as a platform for unearthing new talent and providing international exposure for emerging artists. In the past, after showcasing his work at the YCA in 2012, Farzad Kohan went on to have a commercially successful exhibition at Ayyam Gallery DIFC. Kohan’s work will again feature in the YCA this September with mixed media piece 'This Forever Love' (2013), alongside works by renowned Palestinian artist Samia Halaby, Iranian artists Javad Modarresi, Alireza Fani and Syrian artists Safwan Dahoul and Fateh Moudarres. Lara Zankoul, an artist who has been recognized among the top ten emerging artists at the YCA in 2012 by CNN, will also have work included in the auction after debuting her work last year.

Many artists will be showing their work for the first time at the auction, offering a unique chance to bid on rising names in the contemporary art world including Kourosh Gulnari’s Bronze sculpture ‘Goddess of the Centuries’ (2011) and Sama Alshaibi’s ‘Intercontinental’ from ‘Warhead Series’ (2009), created through placing Pigment Print on a cotton rag.

From 9 -15 September 2013, Ayyam Gallery Al Quoz will exhibit a rich variety of art works for sale with specialists available to answer any questions. Both bidders and members of the public are encouraged to attend the preview and the auction and can take part from around the world through Ayyam Gallery’s online bidding portal: www.ayyamgallery.com/auctions.

The first of its kind in the region, The Young Collectors Auction was launched in 2009 as part of Ayyam Gallery’s innovative approach to catering to its diverse range of clients and to introduce new regional talents to the art scene. These public sales have highlighted some of the Middle East’s most exciting figures, featuring prominent and budding artists from across the Arab world, Turkey and Iran. The Young Collectors Auction works with other Middle Eastern galleries and collectors to ensure a vast selection of painting, sculpture and photography that is at once authoritative and robust. Expanding the number and quality of lots with each edition, The Young Collectors Auction has become an essential part of the region’s acclaimed lineup of yearly art events.