Sotheby’s to host first fine art auction in Abu Dhabi

Sotheby’s will return to Abu Dhabi this December for the second edition of Collectors’ Week, featuring its inaugural international fine art auction titled ‘Breaking Ground’. Scheduled for December 10 on Saadiyat Island, the auction will showcase works by global masters such as Claude Monet and Andy Warhol, alongside prominent regional artists including Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, Hassan Sharif, and Najat Makki.

The event follows a successful luxury goods sale last year that generated $133.4 million across categories such as jewelry, handbags, and collectible cars. This year’s art auction is strategically timed to coincide with the opening of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the inaugural Frieze Abu Dhabi.

According to Katia Nounou Boueiz, head of Sotheby’s UAE, the auction house has seen significant growth in the region, with a nearly 70 percent rise in bids and almost 100 percent growth in total spending over the last five years. The upcoming program also includes luxury sales scheduled for December 9.