Why the World’s Wealthiest Collectors Are Moving Their Attention to Dubai

**Tim Elliott** (0:00)
This is the Morning Drive at Mira Business FM. For every century, the global art market's axis has kind of revolved around London, Paris, and New York, really. And those are the cities where taste was kind of dictated, auctions were dominated, and historic collections were born. Today, the map of what's known as alternative assets and fine arts has been fundamentally redrawn. UAE and Dubai in particular is rapidly becoming one of the world's biggest magnets for artists and collectors and global galleries.
Jean-David Malat is the founder of the JD Malat Gallery in London and Dubai. He was born in Paris, trained at Sotheby's. He spent more than 20 years discovering emerging artists and advising elite collectors worldwide. And he is here, JD, it's good to me. Hello.

**Jean-David Malat** (0:54)
Good to have you with me on your show today.

**Tim Elliott** (0:56)
You're very welcome. It's good to have you, because we don't get a chance to talk about this kind of topic.
I can't remember when we've ever talked about art, to be honest. So I'm kind of keen to know more about you. I know you've got a Made in the UAE initiative at the moment. So I want to talk about that. First of all, though, you've operated at the highest echelons of the European art scene. But when was it that you thought, I have got to establish a permanent base in Dubai? When did that hit you?

**Jean-David Malat** (1:27)
I came back to Dubai in 2024 After many years, I decided to visit Dubai again.
Because I was busy with my life and with the gallery in London and doing international art fair. And a lot of my friends moved to Dubai. A lot of my collector moved to Dubai.
So I went there, and I saw the life in Dubai. And everywhere I was going, I was meeting people that I knew from all over the world, and especially from London. So I really thought I really need to do something in Dubai, in the region. And I find people so welcoming, and you know, like a different vibe and mentality that you have in London now. So I start looking for some different location, which was not so easy. I look at different area in Dubai, and I found this amazing space that I have in Dubai downtown. On the boulevard, I took three unit, and I make a large gallery on one floor. Very nice, very simple, high ceiling, it's beautiful. And I really, really love the vibe and the feeling of having a gallery in Dubai.

**Tim Elliott** (2:52)
And you're right, in the new center of the city. What is it about Dubai that's becoming, or helping it to become such a force in the global art world? Because that really is starting to happen.

**Jean-David Malat** (3:03)
It's Dubai and the region.
Like in last November, we did the Abu Dhabi Art Fair, which was very good for us. We did Art Dubai this year. Which was, they moved the date. It was supposed to be in April, but because of the event, they moved it in May. And we were so surprised how amazing it was. It was super well visited. I think they had more than 25,000 visitors this year. We did very well in terms of business, with people who are based here in Dubai. So it was very, I didn't expect that. And that's proved that Dubai is strong, and the art market is really growing.

**Tim Elliott** (3:49)
Do you think Dubai is benefiting from uncertainty in the traditional capitals of London, Paris and New York?

**Jean-David Malat** (3:57)
Yeah, I mean Dubai is getting there, you know? Like it's getting there in terms of art. The major auction houses are now in Dubai.
Some important galleries are coming to Dubai. In November, Fris, Abu Dhabi is taking place. So you have many events that now make Dubai an important art place.

**Tim Elliott** (4:27)
Yeah, and it's a variety of events as well.

**Jean-David Malat** (4:29)
A variety of events. So we're trying to be very active. We're very active with the galleries since we opened.
Basically, I'm almost opening a new show every month, which is quite heavy, but I think it's important also to be alive and to give the possibility to artists to show their art.

**Tim Elliott** (4:52)
I mean, it's time, isn't it? Because this was something... I mean, we said this before you came on air, but this is something that was missing from Dubai.

**Jean-David Malat** (4:59)
Yeah, you know, some... Many people told me that. Many people are saying that they're super happy that now JD Malat Gallery is in Dubai.