A swirl of color and culture in the heart of the UAE: Christie’s is bringing highlights from the legendary Dalloul Collection to Dubai, ahead of a global auction in November 2025. Featuring works by revered artists like Samia Halaby and Mahmoud Said, the exhibition puts the spotlight on modern Arab art – and places Dubai firmly on the global art map. With values rising, collectors and investors alike are taking notice.
Golden afternoon sun filters through the glass dome of Christie’s Dubai. A visitor in linen trousers pauses in front of a vibrant painting – a riot of reds and yellows by Palestinian-American artist Samia Halaby. “It’s like jazz,” he whispers, “but in paint.”
This is no ordinary preview. It’s the curtain-raiser for one of 2025’s most anticipated auctions: highlights from the Dalloul Collection, one of the largest and most respected private holdings of modern Arab art, are going under the hammer. The Dubai exhibition offers an exclusive first look.
The Dalloul Collection – assembled over decades by Lebanese collector Ramzi Dalloul – includes over 4,000 works by artists from Morocco to Iraq. Now, around 150 of these are set to be auctioned by Christie’s in London and Paris next March. Dubai gets the first glimpse, with pieces ranging from evocative portraits to abstract geometry.
Among the standouts: a rare canvas by Egyptian master Mahmoud Said, whose lush, enigmatic portraits have long captivated collectors. And Samia Halaby – whose rhythmic, digital-age abstractions are becoming increasingly sought after – is represented with several dynamic works. “She’s a giant, still being discovered,” says Hala Khayat, Christie’s head of Modern and Contemporary Arab Art.
For Halaby, who was born in Jerusalem in 1936 and now lives in New York, the auction signals overdue recognition. For Dubai, it’s a statement: the city isn’t just a luxury hub – it’s becoming a cultural capital. “We’re seeing more collectors from Asia, Europe, and the Gulf converge here,” says Khayat. “Dubai is where art and investment meet.”
The auction is more than a celebration – it’s a market moment. Middle Eastern art, long under-recognized, is now on the rise. Works by Mahmoud Said have sold for over $2 million. Halaby’s prices have doubled in recent years. The Dalloul Collection auction is expected to draw global interest – not only from museums, but also from investors seeking cultural and financial returns.
For investors, this is a rare convergence of cultural value and market momentum. And for art lovers, it’s a chance to witness a region’s visual legacy come alive – under the desert light of Dubai.
