<i>Welcome to the latest edition of The Arts Edit, the weekly newsletter from The National's Abu Dhabi newsroom rounding up this week's most noteworthy arts and culture stories.</i> <b>IN FOCUS</b> On Saturday, I was in Diriyah to witness the first <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/art-design/2025/02/07/sothebys-first-saudi-auction-abu-dhabi-adq/" target="_blank">Sotheby's</a> auction in Saudi Arabia, which resulted in record sales for Arab artists. The sale of works by Saudi artists Mohammed Al Saleem and Abdulhalim Radwi, as well as Syrian Louay Kayyali, far exceeded estimates and broke records for the respective masters. One-third of bidders came from Saudi Arabia, 30 per cent of participants were under the age of 40 and the majority of contemporary pieces sold went to local bidders, which was thrilling to witness. All in all, it’s both a sign of the growing significance of Arab art on the world stage and further establishes the Gulf as a central part of the art economy. "Modern and contemporary Middle Eastern art all outperformed my expectations," Ashkan Baghestani, Sotheby’s head of sale for fine art, said. Total sales reached $17.2 million, with three pieces selling for more than $1 million. About 2,500 attended the Origins exhibition ahead of the sale with an additional 700 visitors attending panel discussions. The event itself was filled beyond its capacity, with many standing along the sides of the 250-seat space to witness the sale. Other Arab artworks outperformed estimates. Palestinian artist <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/2024/01/17/samia-halaby-show-cancellation/" target="_blank">Samia Halaby</a>'s <i>Blue Trap (In A Railroad Station)</i>, painted in the 1970s, sold for $384,000. Lebanese artist Saloua Raouda Choucair's sculpture <i>Secret of the Cube </i>went for $144,000 and <i>Untitled, </i>a piece<i> </i>by her compatriot Aref El Rayess that depicts his time in Saudi Arabia, sold for $108,000. All works by Saudi artists outperformed estimates, including pieces by <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/film-tv/2024/12/13/johnny-depp-saudi-arabia-ahmed-mater/" target="_blank">Ahmed Mater</a> and Maha Malluh, totalling $1.1 million. Pieces by international names such as Pablo Picasso, Fernando Botero and James Turrell also showed strong demand locally. Find more details from the auction <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/art-design/2025/02/09/sothebys-first-auction-saudi-arabia-result-sales/" target="_blank">here</a>. <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/art-design/2025/02/07/sothebys-first-saudi-auction-abu-dhabi-adq/" target="_blank">Speaking to <i>The National </i></a>before the auction, Sotheby’s chief executive Charles F Stewart stressed that, particularly at a time when the South-East Asian market has softened, the Gulf has become a pillar of the art world. “This region is really coming into its own,” said Stewart. "Its ambitions are being realised and that’s being showcased on the global stage. People talk about it everywhere." This will not be a one-off event for the international auction house. Rather, it’s the start of a new phase for the firm, with a sharper focus on the Middle East. In August, Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company (ADQ) acquired a significant minority stake in the company. “The Middle East really does stand out from any other region in the world, in terms of its growth, agenda, optimism and realised ambition," Stewart added. "Both of these moves – the ADQ investment and our auction in <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/art-design/2024/11/07/sothebys-auction-saudi-arabia/" target="_blank">Saudi Arabia</a> – are symbols of our growing interest and commitment to the region." This year, several of Abu Dhabi’s long-term plans for cultural development will come to fruition, with the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/art-design/2024/05/22/guggenheim-sheikh-zayed-museum-abu-dhabi/" target="_blank">Saadiyat Cultural District</a> – including the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi and teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi – nearing completion. The district, which includes the already successful <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/art-design/2025/01/29/louvre-abu-dhabi-exhibition-kings-and-queens-africa/" target="_blank">Louvre Abu Dhabi</a>, is set to increase the emirate’s already significant cultural footprint dramatically. This has, in turn, increased Sotheby’s interest in being involved with Abu Dhabi directly. “The significance of the investment is really about opening doors and opportunities – increasing connectivity and enhanced focus. That’s really exciting for us,” said Stewart. “In Abu Dhabi, I can’t wait to see what the impact of the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/2024/09/02/guggeinheim-abu-dhabi-architecture-pictures/" target="_blank">Guggenheim Abu Dhabi,</a> <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/art-design/2024/12/02/zayed-national-museum-architecture-galleries-abu-dhabi/" target="_blank">Zayed National Museum</a> and the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/art-design/2024/10/25/natural-history-museum-abu-dhabi-collection-preview/" target="_blank">Natural History Museum</a> will have on the cultural awareness and engagement of residents and visitors alike. It’s totally transformative.” We’re still in the midst of a very busy season for the art world in the region. The <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/art-design/2025/02/05/sharjah-biennial-opening/" target="_blank">Sharjah Biennial </a>began on Thursday, with more than 650 artworks on show. The works are being presented in 17 locations across Sharjah, extending beyond the city to include sites in Al Hamriyah, Al Dhaid and Kalba. The works are each deeply personal, responding to the theme of "to carry" in an idiosyncratic manner. Some reflect migrant experiences or overlooked pockets of history. Others re-examine age-old customs and traditions with a novel twist. Find more <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/art-design/2025/02/06/sharjah-biennial-guide/" target="_blank">here</a>. <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/art-design/2025/02/09/art-cairo-expanding-appreciation-arab-works-egypt/" target="_blank">Art Cairo </a>ends <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/art-design/2025/02/09/art-cairo-must-see-galleries/" target="_blank">on Tuesday </a>at the Grand Egyptian Museum, which juxtaposes contemporary art with ancient artefacts. And Sikka Art and Design Festival ended on Sunday, having featured a moving exhibition by photographer <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/2024/08/09/ronaldo-al-nassr-2024-kit-adidas/" target="_blank">Aqib Anwar</a> documenting <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/art-design/2025/02/07/aqib-anwar-instagram-sikka-art-friday-prayers/" target="_blank">Friday prayers in Dubai</a>. On February 20, the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/art-design/2025/01/16/xposure-international-photography-festival-2025-guide/" target="_blank">Xposure International Photography Festival</a> begins in Sharjah, hosting 300 events around the art form. We look forward to seeing you there, and at the many other exciting events coming to our region in the coming weeks. What exactly is <i>Captain America: Brave New World</i>? Millions have spent years wondering. The fourth <i>Captain America</i> film, and the first to star <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/film/2022/09/22/captain-america-star-anthony-mackie-fixes-hurricane-hit-roofs-in-new-orleans/" target="_blank">Anthony Mackie</a> in the title role, has remained one of the most talked-about Marvel films since it was first announced in 2022 – with fan speculation, public debate and high-profile rumours keeping anticipation high for the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/film-tv/2023/11/10/deadpool-captain-american-release-date/" target="_blank">long-delayed</a> <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/film/2021/11/03/how-to-watch-all-marvel-films-in-order-of-story/" target="_blank">Marvel Cinematic Universe</a> film. One of Marvel’s few public comments on the debate came in 2022 when <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/film/2022/09/13/marvels-israeli-superhero-sabra-sparks-online-debate/" target="_blank">controversy swirled</a> around the character Ruth Bat-Seraph, played by Israeli actress Shira Haas (from Netflix’s <i>Unorthodox</i>). The character first appeared in Marvel comic books in 1980 as an Israeli superhero and Mossad agent also known as Sabra. The announcement that Ruth would appear in <i>Brave New World</i> sparked protests in the global Palestinian community, with Marvel responding that the character would be “reworked”. Last year, it appeared that the film's version <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/2024/07/15/captain-america-israel-sabra/" target="_blank">may no longer be Israeli</a>, as an official character biography for this film described her as a “former Black Widow” – a fictional group of female assassins in Marvel lore – with no mention of Israel, Mossad or the name Sabra. Those reported changes garnered a backlash in Israel. The film's producer confirms that the character has indeed been reworked but has maintained the nationality of her comic book counterpart. “She's Israeli, but she's not Mossad. Now she works in the US government,” Nate Moore, who served as Marvel Studios’ vice president of production and development until January, told me. “What we thought was interesting was a lot of the characters in the film revolve around President Thaddeus Ross [<a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/film-tv/2023/06/29/harrison-ford-on-his-final-outing-as-whip-cracking-indiana-jones/" target="_blank">Harrison Ford</a>]. Ruth works within the government under Ross, so her perspective on that character and Sam's perspective sort of put them on a collision course. She's first-generation Israeli, but she works within the US government." Were the changes the result of the backlash against the character? “No, not necessarily,” Moore responds. The changes were no different from the changes that all <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/2024/07/31/robert-downey-jr-timeline-doctor-doom/" target="_blank">MCU</a> characters go through when adapted from comics to film and television, where they often rework characters to fit their filmic storytelling, which operates independently from the decades of comic book lore. Find more exclusive insights from our conversation <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/film-tv/2025/02/07/captain-america-israel-sabra-reshoots-eternals/" target="_blank">here</a>. Some of the earliest evidence of <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/jordan/2022/09/20/jordans-king-abdullah-says-jerusalems-christians-are-under-fire-in-unga-speech/" target="_blank">Christian communities in Jordan</a> is found in spiritually infused artistry dating from the third to the 19th centuries, serving as creative expressions of faith and devotion. These include exquisite mosaics retrieved from the city of Madaba in central Jordan featuring a rare Aramaic inscription commemorating the blessed deeds of St Cyprian and those with Christian iconography such as birds, gazelles and lambs. Personal and purpose-built objects for daily worship also reflect this heritage, such as a bronze scooper used in worship spaces for transferring incense and ashes, as well as metal censers – vessels used in Christian liturgy to hold the charcoal that burns the incense. The attached chains allow the censer to be swung, enabling the fragrant smoke to disperse through its perforated lid. Featured as part of the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/art-design/2025/01/09/vatican-exhibition-christianity-jordan/" target="_blank">Jordan: Dawn of Christianity</a> exhibition in Rome, these pieces reveal a spiritual legacy that has endured until today. Held in the august halls of Palazzo della Cancelleria and organised by the Jordanian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the exhibition features more than 90 artefacts from 34 archaeological sites across Jordan. With many displayed outside the Hashemite Kingdom for the first time, the exhibition was inaugurated by <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2025/02/08/jordanian-royal-family-release-heartfelt-photo-of-baby-princess-iman-with-king-abdullah-ii/" target="_blank">Queen Rania</a> and commemorates three decades of diplomatic relations between Jordan and the Holy See. Running until February 28, the exhibition also marks the 60th anniversary of Pope Paul VI’s historic visit to Jordan in 1964. Find more <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/art-design/2025/02/11/jordan-dawn-of-christianity-rome/" target="_blank">here</a>. <b>DATES FOR YOUR DIARY</b> · Jennifer Lopez at Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi – February 20 · Lionel Richie at Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi – February 22 · Max Richter at Dubai Opera – February 26 <b>OTHER HIGHLIGHTS</b>