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Founded by Andrée Sfeir-Semler in 1985, the Sfeir-Semler Gallery, with spaces in Beirut and Hamburg, is dedicated to international contemporary art with an emphasis on conceptual and minimalist art. Over the past 15 years, the gallery has stood at the forefront of artistic production in the Arab world, maintaining a unique intercultural link between Western and Middle Eastern contemporary artistic practices. We caught up with Lina Kiryakos, the gallery’s director, regarding the opening of their new space in downtown Beirut scheduled for this Thursday, August 24.
Can you elaborate on the vision and mission of this new space of the Sfeir-Semler Gallery?
The Sfeir-Semler Gallery only opened its doors in Quarantine, Beirut in 2005. This space, which we still occupy, spans over 1,000 square meters and hosts three major exhibitions per year. These are typically very ambitious exhibitions, which we keep open to the public for several months.
The new location will, of course, serve as an additional exhibition platform for our artists, providing a more dynamic schedule with the aim of hosting six to eight exhibitions annually.
Why open a new branch? Is the location strategic?
With this new venue, set to launch on August 24, we aim to be closer to the city’s bustling neighborhoods in hopes of introducing our artists to a new audience. I might even say that this move is a bet on Beirut — its cultural richness and potential — but also an act of resilience and faith, faith in our country and our city.
The inauguration of your space is paired with an exhibition, Arabesque, by Rayyane Tabet. Can you provide more details?
Arabesque is a project that was previously showcased in our Hamburg location in 2021. It delves into themes concerning cultural appropriation.
Rayyane Tabet’s Arabesque exhibition combines intricate reflections and charts the migration of ideas through time and space. In doing so, it raises questions about heritage, appropriation, subjectivity and perception.
Article written by Lilia Geha
https://www.agendaculturel.com/article/un-nouvel-arrivant-chez-sfeir-semler
