Dia Azzawi Donates Major Work to 'Hold Beirut' Charity Auction for Displaced Families

Iraqi artist Dia Azzawi, based in London, has contributed a woodcut on paper entitled Pursuit from Afar (2018-19) to 'Hold Beirut', a charity auction facilitated by Artse, an art consultancy. Scheduled from July 28 to 31 on Artscoops, the auction showcases pieces from 30 Arab artists, including Taher Jaoui, Charles Khoury, and Katya Traboulsi. Funds raised will aid the Lebanese Red Cross and Beit El Baraka, assisting displaced families in Beirut and southern Lebanon amid rising tensions between Hezbollah and Israel since March 2, which have resulted in hundreds of deaths and over one million displacements, according to the UN's International Organisation for Migration. Azzawi's piece is valued at $25,000-$30,000, with total auction estimates between $100,000 and $160,000. Artse founder Cynthia Khoury, who encountered Azzawi at Art Dubai, emphasizes that themes of displacement have been pivotal in his work since the Sabra and Shatila massacre.