Crit Club, a roving debate series founded by artist and curator Cem A., reimagines the traditional art-world panel discussion by staging face-to-face debates between two figures in a sporting-style arena, complete with absurdist interludes by athletes. Last month, the series invited journalist and art critic to Dubai in collaboration with Alserkal Avenue to debate the motion "Are art fairs relevant?" against artist-turned-dealer Umer Butt, founder of Grey Noise gallery. The debate forced participants to switch sides mid-way, emphasizing that the goal is not to reach a definitive answer but to explore false binaries.
This matters because Crit Club challenges the stale, collegial format of conventional panel talks, injecting humor, physicality, and genuine rhetorical conflict into art-world discourse. By banning audience filming and encouraging role reversal, the series creates a space for honest, unpolished conversation about pressing issues like the sustainability and value of art fairs—a topic that remains deeply relevant as the art market grapples with the exhaustion and commercial pressures of fair culture.