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RELEASE: CHRISTIE鈥橲 OCTOBER SALE IN DUBAI FEATURES RICH OFFERING OF WORKS FROM AROUND THE MIDDLE EAST & TURKEY

Dubai -听Christie鈥檚 October 26th, 2010 Dubai sale of Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art is blessed with a rich offering of works reflecting the emergence of the Iranian Modern Art movement in a group of works unseen for more than 30 years, a further selection of works from the renowned Farsi Collection, one of the most comprehensive groups of modern Egyptian art in private hands and a diverse range of 20 works from modern and contemporary Turkish artists.

William Lawrie, Director, Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art and Head of Sale, said:听鈥淲e are delighted to have been entrusted with these two great private collections of Egyptian and Iranian art which have in turn attracted a wealth of individual collectors, from 15 different countries, to consign other significant works to this, our ninth sale series in the Middle East. I believe this is our richest sale yet in terms of its diversity and rarity.鈥�

The 20 pieces within the Turkish group is highlighted by听Fahrelnissa Zeid鈥檚听(1900-1991)Dervishes,听painted circa 1950 (estimate: $80,000 -100,000). Zeid, the aristocratic Turkish pioneer artist who later married into the Jordanian Hashemite Royal Family, holds a singular place in the history of Turkish modern art. As a female artist living in Paris in the 1940s, she was one of the so-called 鈥楨cole de Paris鈥� artists. Underlying much of her work is the influence of Turkish miniatures or tile mosaics, blended with her experience of Fauvism and abstraction.

The whirling dance is a Sufi tradition that is part of the Sema ceremony performed at Dhikr.听 The ceremony takes place in the Semahane or dance room and is a type of ritual from the north of Syria. The goal of this ceremony is to reach Majbhd (Sacred Ecstasy). The Dhikr (Remembrance of God) includes prayers, instrumental music and the wearing of the symbolic attire, as shown in the work. The painting depicts the repetitive spinning movements, driving to religious ecstasy. It also represents the dervishes鈥� traditional clothing such as the white whirling skirt; representing the mourning and the jacket, the belt and the distinctive tall hat, representing Ottoman gravestones.

Devrim Erbil听(b. 1937) is represented with two pictures in this sale;听Hommage a Matrakci听Nasuh, painted in 2009 (estimate: $20,000-25,000) and a painting representsIstanbul听(estimate: $70,000-90,000). Panoramic views of Istanbul have a long history in Turkish Art. This interest stems from the work of Matrakci Nasuh, one of the most significant figures of 16th century Turkey and active during the time of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent. Nasuh鈥檚 most celebrated work was Beyan-i-Menazil, a book of plans and descriptions, with 107 full page miniatures, illustrating the towns and cities during the army鈥檚 eastward march on a campaign against Safavid Iran in 1533-36. Erbil鈥檚 earlier views of Istanbul strongly recall Nasuh鈥檚 illustrations-jewel-like naturalistic colours with a similar combination of the bird鈥檚 eye view and horizontal elevation. In his later paintings the perspective and proportions become more naturalistic, whilst the colouring becomes monochrome and expressive, as to be seen in this painting.

Nazif Topcuoglu听(b. 1953) presents intriguing works with a visible combination of dramatic lighting and structured composition which gives them a Caravagesque sense of theatre, juxtaposed with his signature choice of 鈥渁ctors鈥�, always girls and young women, often caught in unusual situations. Furthermore, the sale offers, the work听Lamentations, from the artist鈥檚 鈥楴ew World Series鈥�, painted in 2007 and estimated at $18,000 -22,000.

Mustafa Horasan鈥檚听(1965)听Untitled听is from his 鈥楥ollision Series鈥�, where he acknowledges the works of art by other artists which have made a profound impression on him. The present lot, painted in 2010 and estimated at $18,000 -22,000, is a homage to the installation artist Maurizio Cattelan.

Last night I met a costume听by听Haluk Akakce听(b. 1970) explores the relation between man and technology, depicting abstract figures and dream-like landscapes where architecture, geometry and human kind coexist. The title of his paintings create an imaginary narrative, and the painting depicts an abstract mutant creation of his dream, referencing Celtic and Islamic architecture and presenting abstract landscapes in a way which is almost pseudo-calligraphic.听

Further Turkish works included in the sale:听

Firat Neziroglu (b. 1981),听Sleeping Man, executed 2010, estimate: $3,500-4,000
Alev Gozonar (b. 1961),听Untitled, executed in 2008, estimate: $6,000-8,000
Irfan Onurmen (b. 1958),听Untitled, painted in 2009, estimate: $7,000-10,000
Esra Satiroglu (b. 1981),听Letters听(from the Communication Series), 2010, estimate: $5,000-7,000
Ertugrul Ates (b. 1954),听Speak no Evil, 2009, estimate: $45,000-55,000
Abdurrahman Oztoprak (b. 1927),听Painting 435, estimate: $30,000-40,000
Abidin Elderoglu (1901-1975),听Simsek, 1969, estimate: $80,000-100,000
Balkan Naci Islimyeli (b. 1947),听Commandments听(From the Word series), estimate: $60,000-65,000
Canaan Tolon (b. 1955),听Glitch听XXI, 2008, estimate: $20,000-30,000
Murat Germen (b. XX),听Muta morfoz, 2010, estimate: $10,000-15,000
Ahmet Elhan (b. 1959),听Yerler IV, 2007, estimate: $10,000-15,000
Mehmet Guneyli (b. 1955),听Dervishes, estimate: $10,000-20,000