In the past few years, the battle for cultural supremacy among some of the smallest Arab states has reached a new intensity. Three of the seven United Arab Emirates – the abundantly wealthy Abu Dhabi, its enterprising neighbour Dubai and the tiny but highly creative Sharjah – are fuelling their cultural competitiveness with a frenzy of museum building, importing art and expertise, and bidding for the lucrative trade in contemporary art. Each of these three emirates announces itself as the “cultural capital” of the UAE.

At the entrance to the first Gulf Art Fair, held in Dubai earlier this month, stood a specially commissioned installation called “Marketplace”, by British artist Sarah Strang. With its workbenches and booth-like structure on which Dubai craftsmen were working, the piece echoed a traditional Middle Eastern bazaar, updated by the title of one section – “Hammer price” – which refers to the moment a work is sold at western auctions. Buying and selling, east and west. Tradition and modernity. A second part involved a postcard made of 18-carat gold, hammered paper-thin and stamped with the words “Made in Dubai”.