Art Dubai Fair (DXB)
Images courtesy: Photo Solutions
Year: 2018

In 2018 Art Dubai commissioned the Khaleeji artist collective GCC, who met in the VIP lounge at Art Dubai in 2013, created an immersive and large-scale interactive installation at the heart of the fair for The Room.

Titled GOOD MORNING GCC (.صباح الخير جي. سي. سي), this year’s edition of The Room recreated a live TV show on site, using the tropes of daytime talk shows commonly featured on TV stations across the Arab world as an anchor for the programming, which included daily segments such as fashion, cooking and health.

A particular highlight was celebrity wedding singer and TV chef Suliman Al Qassar, an icon of food performance and much-loved TV personality in the region, who launched the programme with a live cooking demonstration on the opening night of the fair.

The overall experience of the set was developed over the duration of the fair with daily performances, where visitors was able to interact with props, furniture and scenography.

GCC commented: “We’re interested in how, this year, The Room has been moved from its exclusive space into a more public area. As a result we chose to approach figures like Suliman Al Qassar because of their relatability as regional icons and innovative personalities. With GOOD MORNING GCC, each guest participant has transformed the boundaries of their chosen profession beyond the staid.”

GCC After Dark

From Wednesday, March 21 – Friday, March 23, GCC’s TV studio set on Fort Island served as a background for a series of after-hours parties, featuring a line-up of internationally renowned DJ’s. The night events took place under the title GCC After Dark.

Further details on the day and night programming around The Room will be announced soon.

This year’s edition of The Room was supported by Ixina with Sky News Arabia as the official media partner.