Announcement of the 10th edition of BEIRUT ART FAIR

The 10th edition of BEIRUT ART FAIR was officially announced at a press conference in Beirut, at Le Gray Hôtel, on Thursday, June 20, 2019, in the presence of Lynn Tehini, representing HE Mr. Mohammad Daoud, Minister of Culture, Bénédicte Vigner, Cultural Cooperation Attaché at the French Embassy, Gabriel Sistiaga, First Counselor of the Spanish Embassy, Ousama Ghannoum, Jordanian Collector, representing Dr. Khalid Khreiss, General Manager of the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts, Joanna Baloglou , Head of Corporate Communication at SGBL, as well as a large number of collectors in the region.

Laure d'Hauteville, the founder and director of the fair, Joanna Abou Sleiman-Chevalier, its artistic director, Marie-Mathilde Gannat, the VIP coordinator, and Dr. Marie Tomb, the editorial director, unveiled the program of the fair.The 10th edition of BEIRUT ART FAIR will be held from 18 to 22 September 2019, under the patronage of His Excellency Mr. Saad Hariri, President of the Council of Ministers.

A revealing event in the Middle East, BEIRUT ART FAIR acts as a catalyst in the artistic and cultural life of the country. Laure d'Hauteville reaffirms the fair's commitment to the discovery of the contemporary regional and international scene. The event also wishes, for this anniversary, to pay tribute to Lebanon through exhibitions of exceptional works from Lebanese private collections.

Lynn Tehini, representing HE Mr. Mohammad Daoud, Minister of Culture said that "BEIRUT ART FAIR enjoys great prestige and is important for the cultural, touristic and economic scene of the country. The fair is one of the pillars of the promotion of Lebanon on the international scene of contemporary art. The Ministry actively supports BEIRUT ART FAIR and we are proud to celebrate together its tenth anniversary ".

Laure d'Hauteville, the founder and director of the fair, reiterates her commitment to promoting openness to the world and innovation, by relying on a renewal of the artistic program and proposing new trends. She reaffirms the core values of the fair: freedom of expression, dialogue of cultures and tolerance. "BEIRUT ART FAIR remains more than ever committed to lifting not only artistic walls, but also interpersonal, psychological and social ones. The fair will present various artistic experiences in parallel with the galleries stands, reflective of its spirit of openness and innovation.

BEIRUT ART FAIR reaffirms its role as a cultural incubator with 50 renowned Lebanese and international galleries showcasing emerging artists alongside recognized talents present in museums and biennials. Coming from 18 countries, they reflect the rising and sharp scene of regional and international contemporary art.

Joanna Abou Sleiman-Chevalier, the artistic director of the fair, explains, "BEIRUT ART FAIR is devoted to discovering the young contemporary art scene, and rediscovering artists whose work might unfairly be less acknowledged: it is this curatorial direction that gives meaning to the fair. This year, the fair will be more contemporary than ever. We are very pleased to present a number of promising young galleries, some of which have been operating for less than a year. We do not focus on a specific region, since the fair is truly being part of a global interconnected scene. "

BEIRUT ART FAIR relies on a selection committee comprising important figures of the international art scene: Olivia Bourrat, scientific director of Agence France-Muséums, Jean-Marc Decrop, specialized expert in Contemporary Chinese and Middle Eastern Art, Tamara Inja Jaber, artistic advisor to major collectors and arab governmental institutions, and Lyne Sneige, arts & culture director at the Middle East Institute (MEI) in Washington, DC.

REVEALING BY SGBLOn the occasion of the 10th year anniversary of BEIRUT ART FAIR, the organizers have invited Rachel Dedman to curate the section "REVEALING by SGBL". She has selected ten promising artists from the MENA region following an open call to which more than 400 candidates responded.

This unique platform offers emerging talents privileged access to collectors and allows them to take advantage of the dynamics of the fair.

Joanna Baloglou, Head of Corporate Communication at SGBL, said: SGBL, as a major player in the Lebanese cultural scene, has always been committed to supporting artistic creation in its many forms in the region. And today more than ever at BEIRUT ART FAIR, we can say that in 4 years, the REVEALING by SGBL platform has succeeded in bringing real expertise in the discovery of the talents of tomorrow. And this 10th edition will prove it!

MODERN LEBANON: UNEXPECTED TROVE - THE UNSEEN WORKS OF HUSSEIN MADIThe exhibition "Unexpected Trove-The Unseen Works of Hussein Madi" will present a series of paintings from the collection Mazen & Loulia Soueid, which have never been exhibited before, including rare landscapes by the renowned Lebanese artist Hussein Madi (b. 1938). Painted between 1965 and 1970 during his early years in Rome, the collection, presumed lost for almost forty years, was only recently rediscovered. These key canvases are witnesses of a pivotal period in Madi's artistic trajectory.

Curator: Abed Al Kadiri.The exhibition will be accompanied by a limited-edition catalog published by Dongola, with an analytical introduction by art historian Dr. Marie Tomb.The exhibition is taking place under the high patronage of the Italian Embassy in Lebanon, and is produced in collaboration with Christie's.

A TRIBUTE TO LEBANONThe exhibition "A Tribute to Lebanon" explores Western creation inspired by Lebanon from the eighteenth century to the present day, through works and historical objects from the eclectic and fascinating collection of Philippe Jabre.Gaby Daher, exhibition curator and collector, said, "the exhibition is a journey through time and space. It will invite visitors to discover the image of Lebanon filtered through the Western eye. It will unveil more than one hundred exceptional works of art and artifacts, including automata, dolls, photographic albums, historic Orientalist paintings and rare pieces by major 20th-century artists, including Andy Warhol, David Hockney, AR Penck, and photographs by Don McCullin taken during the war in Lebanon in the 1980s ".
Scenography by the architect Jean-Louis Mainguy.

VIP PROGRAMMarie-Mathilde Gannat, VIP coordinator of the fair, added that "many museums, private collections and Lebanese foundations will open their doors to VIPs for extraordinary and confidential visits, including the Sursock Museum, Beirut Art Center, Dar El Nimer, the MACAM museum, and the Art Galleries of the American University of Beirut. Important private collections, such as the Ramzi and Saeda Dalloul Foundation, Nadim Karam's A.MUSE.UM, and Philippe Jabre, will also welcome VIPs. These artistic excursions will be punctuated with convivial moments, dinners and unforgettable evenings which characterize the Land of the Cedars ".

CONFERENCES / ROUND TABLES - SIGNATURESThe 5 days of BEIRUT ART FAIR will offer multiple opportunities for cultural exchange with a rich program of conferences and round tables around modern and contemporary art, with a focus on the MENA region. Among the topics will be the role of cultural institutions, the factors that shape art and the artist, and the question of "Arabity." The celebrated photographer Don McCullin will also be present for an exclusive conversation. 

BEIRUT ART WEEK 2019The fair's satellite event (17 to 24 September 2019) BEIRUT ART WEEK electrifies the Lebanese capital by offering a journey of new experiences throughout the city. From an ephemeral exhibition in a building marked by the war, to a Cuban evening in an abandoned factory, to intimate get-togethers in palaces evoking 1001 Nights, BEIRUT ART WEEK is not to be missed! The series of events mixes contemporary art, dance, and traditional music in atypical places, thus highlighting the architectural and cultural heritage of the city. This immersive multidisciplinary event invites people to explore and celebrate, while following the frantic pace of Lebanese conviviality.A COMMON EVENT WITH BEIRUT DESIGN FAIRFor this important turning point of the 10 years of the fair, BEIRUT ART FAIR partners up with Beirut Design Fair to offer the public a common event, and a unique emotion!