Megabucks sex up Middle East art explosion

It's not just oil they talk about in the Middle East, these days. With millions of the region's dollars being spent in an explosion of art collecting, they could just as easily be talking about oil paintings.
This weekend, hundreds of people are expected to traipse through Abu Dhabi's Emirates Palace hotel to visit the Gulf state's second ever art fair; a lavish display of contemporary art from across the Middle East and further afield.
The fair is viewed by some as Abu Dhabi's attempt to push its cultural credentials ahead of the inauguration of Saadiyat Island -- a vast offshore development that will house offshoots of the prestigious Guggenheim and Louvre museums.
For many it also represents a wider trend that sees the Middle East coming of age as a global powerhouse of art patronage; a rite of passage that is also fueling a scramble by auction houses for a share of the cash.
Read More:http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/11/05/middle.east.art/index.html?hpt=C2