[“The following copyrighted article is shared
with permission, and courtesy of theartpulse.com”]
Source link
An Article by CJ (1208 words, 6 min. read)
This year, the Arab Art Fair 2025 chose the prestigious Riveira Hotel, in the heart of Beirut, as the venue where art lovers headed to come in touch with contemporary art. The idea behind this event is to make art approachable to collectors and to connect artist to collector in an interaction that cannot but be productive and fruitful to both.
This fourth edition of the fair featured more than fifty five artists representing five countries.
The Environment You Choose Shall Shape You
In this edition, it was evident that the selection of participants followed a more stringent approach than previous years. This elevated the platform into an art exhibition that is worthwhile.
The display of the art work, despite the lack of a single designated curator overlooking the project, was harmonious, a clear indication that the organizers had a say as to how many pieces were selected or how many works were displayed by the artists. The result was that the eye of the observer was not overwhelmed with artworks that were placed only to fill up allocated spaces. The careful placement of certain exhibitors also made psychological sense and allowed the integration of art in a homogenous way rather than a random chaotic approach.
The participation of galleries was also noteworthy. The prestigious Cherrif Tabet Gallery presented fine works by Darwiche Chamaa, and Ghassan Ouais Their stand at the entrance of the fair sets a tone as to what was to come. The George Kamel Gallery from Syria, presented a segment with refined Syrian art, and a display that was very satisfying to experience.
ArtisticChoices
In this Arab Art Fair, one finds a mix between rising artistic talents and well-established artists. This was highly commendable. Art works could be accessible to art lovers and collectors at different budgets, satisfying a multitude of different tastes. We enjoyed the abstract works of Renee Fawaz as much as the Surealistic art of Antoine Mansour. We appreciated the delicate works of Abir Baltagi as much as the wild and fresh works of Anthony Abou Jaoude. The beautiful display of Claude Saba’s works resonated with us as we moved from the entrance of the first exhibit hall towards the rich display of distinctive Syrian Art at the Georges Kamel Gallery section and the solo exhibition of Sameer Al-Safadi. Ara Azad’s installations were as complex as they were simple..
The works of Mary Yammine greeted you in the middle section, where the movement of color makes you almost want to dive into the pond and swim with the fish.
Alain Daoud’s portraits welcome you to the third Hallwa as they gaze from their canvas upon the deeply profound works of Renee Fawaz. As one moves around this section, one appreciates the geometric lines of Nicole Bakhache Khayat and the serene works of Safaa Bazzi Saghir.
The overall displays were set in a refined way where the eye glimpses ever so slightly as it moves from one stand to another, and much like switching channels on a TV screen, the mood changes and the presentation sets the tone of what the eye is about to see.
A Director With a Goal
Director and Founder of the Arab Art Fair, Farhat Farhat, succeeded in attaining his major goal of bringing closer artist to art lover. The dilution of the middleman helped re-establish the connection between the two arms of what makes art a complete and satisfying circle. Even when galllerists presented their selections of art, the artist was present and had a direct connection with the client.
With art works that were produced after the year 2000, the Arab Art Fair presented a fine selection of contemporary art works, which should encourage other artists, who may have been hesitant to participate, to highly consider participating in future editions.
It did come to our attention that certain galleries were hesitant to or refrained from participating and we think that this was a mistake. In Art Fairs, that promise to highlight all art in the region, all galleries should participate and support efforts to promote art. Having them in the mix of what is presented becomes a true reflection of the entirety of what Arab Art is all about.
In addition, there were artists who were asked not to participate by their non-participating galleries. Whatever those reasons may be, none of them are justifiable as this venue does not represent a direct competition to the galleries, but rather it is a complementary platform that actually promotes the artists and, indirectly, the galleries who represent them.
Discussion Panels
What made this year’s edition memorable is the addition of three discussion panels on three different dates that discussed various important topics:
Poet and Media figure Lorca Spyeti leads an interesting discussion between world famous architect Bernard Khoury, expert auctioneer Nada Boulos and professors and visual artists Adnan Khouja and Hind Al Soufi.
Art critic professor Yakzan El Takki moderates a talk about how to collect art between art collector and philanthropist Dr. Tony Karam and expert auctioneer Farouk Abilama, art collector and gallerist Mohamad Khechen and collector and gallerist Kalim Bechara.
The final day features a talk about local art initiatives toward a new Lebanon moderated by Art Critic Fatima Abdallah and cultural pioneer Moustapha Yamout, cultural advocate Ruba el Amine and Arts Initiator Kassem Istanbouli.
The interaction between the panelists and the audience is an added breath of fresh where exchange of ideas only serves the promotion of art as a whole.
Also of note was the honoring of Saad Yagan with a Lifetime Achievement Award acknowledging his career as a prominent and established master painter whose works adourn collector’s homes in the region and worldwide.
Bringing the Arab World to the United Kingdom
A step forward for this edition is the addition of an exhibition for the Arab Art Fair on January 23 and 24, 2006 in London. Some of the participants in Beirut will join in the United Kingdom, and others will exclusively present their work in the UK edition of the fair. This may have been an outlet for some artists who could not participate in Beirut. It also provides a window of opportunity for Arab Artists to carry their works to the wider market of UK and, eventually, Europe. England is one of the biggest art markets in the world and this opportunity for artists is a step forward in their artistic careers.
The Future Lies Ahead
It is clear that this year’s Arab Art Fair was a positive step forward in the right direction. It would have been fantastic if the crowds were lured into visiting the fair to sample what was on display. Perhaps, a more aggressive campaign is needed to encourage collectors to visit future editions and not shy away from future Art Fair Offerings. We look forward to the reestablishment of Beirut as a major art hub attracting prominent artists and prestigious galleries from across the region. It is always said that no major steps are ever achieved unless one starts with solid smaller steps. We commend the organizers of this fair for taking several steps forward this year, and setting the tone for what is to come in the future.
