Art Dubai Goes All-In on Digital—Will the Global Art Fair Circuit Follow?
In 2022, Art Dubai became the first major art fair to introduce a dedicated section for digital art. This bold move has since influenced other events like Paris Photo and Art SG, which adopted similar initiatives in 2023 and early 2024 respectively. As the digital art world gains momentum, many are wondering: Is digital art destined to remain in its own lane, or can it claim a spot on the central stage of major art fairs?
Now in its fourth year, Art Dubai Digital is strategically positioned to lead this dialogue, thanks to its location in a city known for embracing innovation. “The Gulf region has always looked to the future, and Dubai, especially, is captivated by technological progress,” noted Art Dubai’s artistic director, Pablo del Val. “Technology is deeply embedded in the city’s identity.”
Dubai’s commitment to cutting-edge innovation is reinforced by developments like the Dubai A.I. Campus and its A.I. and Web3 Festival. When Art Dubai Digital launched, it aligned with another game-changing event—the unveiling of the Museum of the Future, an institution that aims to anticipate rather than archive. In the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, a new chapter in immersive art began this week with the grand opening of teamLab Phenomena, a massive permanent installation by the Tokyo-based digital art pioneers teamLab.
The Gulf’s tech-driven cultural expansion doesn’t stop there. In Saudi Arabia, the Diriyah Art Futures institute made headlines with its glitzy debut late last year, heralding the region’s ambition to lead in digital art education and creation. Meanwhile, Qatar brought its landscapes into the virtual realm through Qatar Adventures, which attracted 15.9 million visitors in the metaverse from November 2024 to February 2025.
But with all this technological progress, the big question remains: Are collectors responding? The Gulf’s innovation-friendly climate has undeniably attracted young tech professionals and crypto investors—ideal patrons for digital art. When the digital section first launched, Mila Askarova, director of Gazelli Art House, observed that even among experienced collectors, there was a lot of discussion around setting up digital wallets and choosing platforms—signs that many were just beginning to explore this space.
Engaging this new and evolving audience is the task before Gonzalo Herrero Delicado, curator of this year’s Art Dubai Digital. His chosen theme, “After the Technological Sublime,” explores the push-pull dynamic between wonder and unease that characterizes today’s tech environment. Rather than focusing solely on tools like blockchain or augmented reality, the theme invites viewers to think deeply about what digital art expresses conceptually, much like traditional media.
Delicado believes earlier editions’ focus on format led to a feeling that digital art was detached or secondary. Reframing the narrative around the 17th-century philosophical concept of the sublime, he aims to spark deeper conversations rooted in society, identity, and innovation. “I wanted to readdress digital art towards the important questions that define our time,” he said.
Kenza Zouari of Hafez Gallery in Jeddah agrees. Compared to the frenetic scene during the NFT boom, today’s market shows more considered collecting behavior, with buyers prioritizing artistic integrity over gimmickry. Institutional investment in experimental digital programs, she notes, has also encouraged galleries to take more daring curatorial risks.
As the Middle East powers ahead in tech-infused cultural initiatives, Art Dubai’s pioneering move may well signal a broader shift in how the art market engages with the digital realm.
— V.2 Editorial Team
