World Art Dubai 2025 (WAD) at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) welcomed its penultimate day with a first-time showing of a controversial UK graffiti master and a visit from one of the world’s youngest artists.
The 11th edition of WAD continues until Sunday, 20 April, at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), bringing together 400+ artists, 120+ galleries, and more than 10,000 original artworks from over 65 countries.
Alongside the thousands of pieces on display are what are said to be the first original Banksy works to go on public exhibition in Dubai. Wonderwall Fine Arts, exhibiting in partnership with Qube Art Gallery [HB04], brought two of Banksy’s street art pieces – ‘Toxic Fuel’ and ‘Running Coppers’ – to show exclusively at WAD this year, along with certificates of authenticity from an art dealer specialising in the anonymous street artist. Previous Banksy exhibitions in the emirate have promoted themselves as using digital or recreated pieces.
Unlike most canvases at the fair, which caps prices for art at $20,000, the Banksy works are not for sale. Kimberley McMahon, CEO at Wonderwall Fine Arts, explains: “We spot Banksy artworks in the UK, collect and restore them, and then ship them to our private collection based in Al Quoz, Dubai. There are two pieces we rescued from the Gaza Strip 14 years ago, which we haven’t released to the public eye yet.” When asked about buyer interest, McMahon responded: “None of the original artworks are for sale – Banksy is priceless. We’re launching our print business at the end of May, where limited edition prints will be available for purchase.”
Although the signature multi-layered stencilled pieces can’t be bought, buyers visiting the 2025 show are generally showing strong interest in purchasing, with many returning from previous years and new collectors attending too.
Indian multidisciplinary artist, Mahesh Sharma [BB01], whose 3D portrait of the Dubai Royal Family was purchased by a VVIP buyer, said: “I’ve been to World Art Dubai before and came back because of my sheer passion for art. The piece I sold represents three unwavering generations in Dubai – HH Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. This year’s inspiration for my collection specifically focuses on Dubai’s culture. I did a whole year of research in the UAE, looking into how collectors think and the styles they prefer, so I changed my style to embody this. Dubai is a multicultural city, so naturally, one must make multicultural art!”
Katharina Sophia Schultz of KATHAS Cutting Art [N09], also tapped into national pride to sell a piece capturing a game of polo in the UAE, said: “World Art Dubai is my first-ever exhibition. I’ve painted since I was just a year old. But at 16, I burned all my work and told myself I’d never paint again. It took me until I was 24 to come back to it. I started merging painting with crafty cutting techniques in ways that felt true to me. Someone bought my piece today, and it felt so rewarding since I’ve never had a job outside of art. World Art Dubai makes me feel deeply connected to the people, the culture, and the community. I hope to come back next year.”
However, some of the 400 exhibitors were more relaxed about their prospects for earning the eye-catching red dots that denote sold artworks.
Chinese artist, Tianyun Qiu, of Art Oriental Ltd. [GA02A] said that she’s exhibiting at World Art Dubai purely to celebrate art: “I chose World Art Dubai this year, since I learned it’s one of the world’s most dynamic, influential and international art platforms. I do not expect to sell any of my pieces – I’m merely here to admire everyone’s work – I even helped someone else sell! I’m just soaking in all the creativity and enjoying the show.”
As well as purchasing art from up-and-coming and established artists, visitors to the four-day art fair this weekend can also enjoy a pop-up by the Ripe Market on the DWTC concourse, with homegrown artisans selling craft pieces, fashion, and prints from 4pm-9pm.
Among thousands of visitors on Day 3 of the four-day art fair was two-year-old Ace-Liam from Ghana, who holds a Guinness World Record for being the world’s youngest male artist. He attended the exhibition to seek inspiration for his colourful, abstract works, along with his mother Chantelle,
The young record holder certainly had plenty of potential playmates, as Sunday at WAD 2025 is family day. Kids 12 and under enter for free with paying adults and young artists can join workshops that include woodworking, arts and crafts, painting, and DIY projects. Grown-ups stay entertained too, with pottery demos, live art and music performances throughout the day. And when it’s time for a snack, a lineup of food trucks – Knot Bakehouse, Flat 12 coffee truck, Yamanote Japanese bakery, and more – offers something for everyone, including vegetarian and kid-friendly options.
Other can’t miss artists include celebrations of life’s beauty by Alena Zvereva [MA04A]; the quirky textile world of Ria Dian [LA07]; and the “painting with intention” of Zeina Zaki [MB10].
World Art Dubai 2025 is brought to you with support from legal sponsor Knightsbridge Group and official property sponsor ANAX Developments.
To purchase tickets and review a full programme of events, please visit https://worldartdubai.com/
Save the Date: April 17–20, 2025, at Dubai World Trade Centre
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Download images here: Press Kit – WAD 2025
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