Yesterday, Christie’s opened its branch in Saudi Arabia – the first international auction house to do so.
The new space will be curated by Noor Kelani, who was appointed the maiden managing director of Christie’s in Saudi Arabia. Previously, Kelani had served as an advisor to various private collectors as well as overseer of operations at the Ayyam Gallery in Jeddah. In her new position, she will be managing the clientele for fine arts as well as overseeing the luxury segment of the auction house.
Christie’s has had an outpost in Dubai since 2005, but this marks the first permanent branch of the auction house. An opening date for the branch is yet to be announced, though it would be accompanied by exhibitions and private sales. A spokesperson also shared the auction house’s plans to “support cultural regional events within the Kingdom, with regular international touring highlights from important auctions into the Kingdom for the public and clients to view.”
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Ever since Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman became the unofficial leader of the country, Saudi Arabia has steadily become more progressive. For the art scene, it meant a rapidly growing art infrastructure that included more private and public collections, biennials, and art exhibitions. The wealthy class in the country has been eager to acquire blue-chip art, while Saudi has also been welcoming to international collectors. Perhaps the first time this became evident to the world was when the famous Salvator Mundi painting by Leonardo da Vinci was revealed to have been bought by none other than the crown prince.
