Beirut Emerges as a New Hub for Contemporary Art in the Middle East

Beirut is positioning itself as a central hub for contemporary art in the Middle East, driven by private collectors establishing new museums and a vibrant gallery scene. Two major museums are slated for 2020: the Beirut Art Museum (BeMa), designed by HW Architecture and spearheaded by collector Abraham Karabajakan, focusing on modern Lebanese art with works by Paul Guiragossian, Elie Kanaan, and Shafic Abboud; and the Beirut Arab Art Museum, housing the Dalloul Art Foundation's 4,000-piece collection spanning 20th-century art from Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Tunisia, Morocco, and Jordan, assembled by Ramzi and Saeda Dalloul. Tony Salamé's Aishti Foundation, designed by David Adjaye, showcases 2,500 international contemporary works, currently featuring "The Trick Brain" curated by Massimiliano Gioni with 240 pieces by 60 artists including Isa Genzken, Maria Lassnig, and Cindy Sherman. The Sursock Museum reopened in 2015 with expanded contemporary programming. Notable gallery exhibitions include Rayyane Tabet's "Fragments" at Sfeir-Semler, reconstructing the Tell Halaf archaeological site's journey; Katya Traboulsi's "Perpetual Identities" at Salek-Barakat, using bombs to represent nations; Rania Matar's "She" at Tanit; and Talar Aghbashian's urban landscapes at Marfa Projects. Carwan Gallery bridges art and design. The scene is supported by lively collecting and events like the Beirut Art Fair in late September.