Perrotin Closes Dubai Gallery as Middle East Crisis Deepens
Perrotin Dubai, Gate Village Building 5, 05 Sheikh Zayed Rd. Courtesy Perrotin.
Perrotin has announced the temporary closure of its Dubai location, becoming the latest gallery to shut its doors amid ongoing Iranian missile strikes across the Gulf.
The Iranian Red Crescent Society reports that more than 780 people have been killed in Iran since US-Israeli strikes began last weekend. Iran has responded with retaliatory strikes aimed at Israeli and US interests in the region, including in Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
An announcement shared yesterday via Perrotin’s Instagram account read: “Due to recent events, and as the safety of our visitors and team remains our top priority, the gallery in Dubai will stay closed until further notice.”
The gallery, which also has locations in London, Paris, Tokyo and Los Angeles, had been due to open the exhibition Monira Al Qadiri: Altered States from tomorrow, but confirmed that it has now been postponed.
Elsewhere in the UAE, the Sharjah Art Foundation has cancelled tours in line with current advice that residents remain at home. The Art Newspaper reports that commercial galleries Lawrie Shabibi and The Third Line have also closed.
These latest announcements follow several from across the region made over the weekend, including by Qatar Museums.
In a X post dated 28 February, the governmental body, which oversees the Museum of Islamic Art and the National Museum of Qatar among others, wrote: “All museums, galleries, heritage sites and creative hubs are closed today until further notice.
“...The safety and wellbeing of our visitors and staff remain our highest priority. Updates will be shared across our official channels.”
On the same day, the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities announced the temporary closure of all of its sites, which include the Bahrain National Theatre and Bahrain National Museum.
Earlier today Israeli and US warplanes launched a fresh wave of strikes across Iran and the Israeli air force said it was attacking Tehran and Beirut simultaneously, making it likely that further art spaces will shutter across the Middle East in coming days.
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