The sixth edition of Beirut Art Fair will be held at the Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Centre (BIEL) from September 17 to September 20. The art fair is the only one in the Middle East to focus on art and design from the MENASA region (Middle East, North Africa, South and Southeast Asia).
It will feature 49 modern and contemporary art and design galleries from around the globe, showcasing latest works by over 300 contemporary artists and designers from Morocco to Indonesia. The artists include emerging talent as well as established names such as Mehdi Meddaci, Gao Brothers, Christian Shadi Alzaqzouq, Paul Guiragossian, Solmaz Panahi, Duvier del Dago, Richard Yasmine, Wyssem Nochi and Wael Farran.
“In recent years the spotlight has been on contemporary art from the MENASA region with exhibitions taking place at Foundations, museums and galleries around the world, and the emergence of many new talent. The success of the recent art auctions held in the region has demonstrated the increased interest in buying, collecting and investing in MENASA art. The establishment of two new museums in Beirut this year — Aïshti Foundation and Musée Sursock, has enhanced the arts scene,” fair director Laure d’Hauteville says.
“For the past five years Beirut Art Fair has been the main window to MENASA creativity on both the national and international scenes, playing a leading role in the global arts ecosystem and market. We will continue to showcase the best works and collections from established as well as emerging artists in the region to satisfy the appetite of collectors of all forms of art, be it painting, sculpture, drawings, photography, video or installations.
“Our aim is to go beyond stereotypes, present trends, ideologies, religions and political views, to promote a dialogue between cultures and broaden horizons, and to help visitors discover new artists. Last year we welcomed around 20,000 visitors and registered sales of over $3 million [Dh11.02 million]. We expect an even better response this year,” she adds.
The fair is well-known for its innovative cultural programme. A highlight of the Beirut Art Fair 2015 programme is an exhibition of digital art titled “Virtual/Reality”, which includes a video from well-known performance artist Marina Abramovich’s “The Kitchen, Homage to Saint Therese de Avila” series and Brigitte Zieger’s animated film “Eldorado Wallpaper”.
“We constantly endeavour to promote new themes and new encounters with art and artists through our cultural programme. This year we are focusing on digital creation, which still faces a lack of visibility and understanding from the public. Split between art and science, it is nevertheless a significant element of contemporary art, and it will be even more important in the future as it opens up the possibility of new playful interactions with the viewer.
“The exhibition we are presenting explores and questions digital art through artworks from several backgrounds. It invites visitors on a journey that combines reality and the virtual world, and promises to destabilise their senses, taking them across the kingdom of illusions,” curator Pascal Odille says.
The cultural programme also includes round table discussions focused on the changes affecting the art market, and putting them into perspective within the MENASA context. Renowned personalities from the international art world have been invited to discuss topics such as the financing of collections, the operation of an international art fair and the development of documentary photography.
The fair supports young Lebanese designers through the BLC Bank Design Platform. This year Loic Le Gaillard, one of the founders of leading international design gallery Carpenter Workshop Gallery, has been invited to present the work of his favourite talents from among the new generation of Lebanese designers.
The fair also provides a platform for Lebanese photographers to sharpen their skills and to showcase their work to a wider audience through the Byblos Bank Award for Photography. The winner, to be announced during the fair, will receive professional mentoring and support for holding a debut solo show.
The fair also offers local charity organisations an opportunity to promote their causes. This year, the Brave Heart Fund, which provides financial aid to children born with congenital heart disease, is collaborating with publisher Dar Onboz to present a collection of engravings created by illustrator Hassan Zahreddine for Nadine Touma’s book “Sama”, which won the first prize at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. The show will be accompanied by a daily storytelling performance.
Beirut Art Fair is part of Beirut Art Week, which runs from September 15 to September 22 and is supported by the Ministry of Culture, Beirut Municipality and Solidere. During this week, Beirut will come alive with over 22 public art projects such as multimedia installations, monumental sculptures and interactive performances in the streets, in the shops of Beirut Central District and at landmarks around the city such as Martyr’s Square, Beirut Souks, Zaitunay Bay, Saifi Village and Harbour Square.
Jyoti Kalsi is an arts enthusiast based in Dubai.
The fair is open to the public from September 18 to September 20, from 3.30 to 9.30pm. For more information visit www.beirut-art-fair.com
Cities Boutique presents a ‘spectacle’ at Beirut Art Fair 2015
Dubai based design and lifestyle store Cities Boutique is participating in Beirut Art Fair 2015 with a thematic exhibit centred on the concept of “The Spectacle”. Characterised by its vibrant colours, energy, and theatrical look, the exhibition focuses on the work of contemporary Lebanese designers such as Khaled El Mays, Nayef Francis and Hawini, while also featuring works by Greek-American artist Fotis Gerakis and British design firm Duffy London.
The idea of “the spectacle” is inspired by the “Circus Series” of furniture designed by El Mays to be unveiled at the fair. “Khaled’s concept is based on the animated structure of a circus. We were so inspired by the meaning behind this series that we decided to build on the idea of the circus experience and take it further with the theme of “the spectacle”. We have combined different elements such as Khaled’s quirky chairs from the circus series, the “Trapeze” swing-chairs by Francis, pieces by Hawini and paintings by Gerakis to create a modern design experience of a spectacle, which can be defined as something that is memorable and fills viewers with energy, inspiration, a sense of wonder and a longing for more. We hope our exhibit evokes the same responses,” Cities owner Hazem Aljesr says.
–Jyoti Kalsi
