Atelier Fadi Mogabgab (Courtesy: Beirut Art Fair)
Atelier Fadi Mogabgab (Courtesy: Beirut Art Fair)

Beirut Art Fair opens today



Three UAE galleries and two more from the region will be opening their booths today at the Beirut Art Fair.

Welcoming 47 galleries from 14 countries from the MENASA region, the fair attempts to create cultural bridges between all areas of this wide region.

From Abu Dhabi, Salwa Zeidan will be exhibiting a range of artists including Zeidan herself, whose marble sculpture is pictured here. From Dubai, Gallery Ward, which is also present in Cairo will be showing Egyptian contemporary artists including Essam Marouf and Ahmed Kassim, who have both recently shown in the UAE. Jamm, an art consultancy and gallery that started in Kuwait will be showing works from Cristiana di Marchi, Ibi Ibrahim and Yashar Samimi Mofakham and a series of historical works.

The art fair begins today in Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Center (BIEL) and organisers say they hope it produces memorable encounters.

“This program was built throughout the year during our meetings and based on our best ideas: Freedom of choice, with no dogmatism, but always concerned with the quality of the work that is presented. This reflects well Beirut Art Fair’s atmosphere which is constantly open to innovative and exciting offers to be presented to collectors,” say Laure d’Hauteville and Pascal Odille.

* Beirut Art Fair runs from today until Sunday. For more info visit www.beirut-art-fair.com

Representing UAE overseas

If Catherine Richards debuts for Wales in the Six Nations, she will be the latest to have made it from the UAE to the top tier of the international game in the oval ball codes.

Seren Gough-Walters (Wales rugby league)
Born in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, and once an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi, she debuted for Wales in rugby league in 2021.

Sophie Shams (England sevens)
With an Emirati father and English mother, Shams excelled at rugby at school in Dubai, and went on to represent England on the sevens circuit.

Fiona Reidy (Ireland)
Made her Test rugby bow for Ireland against England in 2015, having played for four years in the capital with Abu Dhabi Harlequins previously.