The Bassam Freiha Art Foundation (BFAF), a new private art foundation in Abu Dhabi that opened its doors in March, is currently hosting two captivating exhibitions: Echoes of the Orient and Reclaiming Visions. Both seek to reclaim the Orientalist narrative while sparking an important dialogue between the West and the East that surrounds the Orientalist movement. The shows will be open to the public until the 15th of August, 2024.
Curated by Michaela Watrelot, the BFAF Director of Exhibitions, Echoes of the Orient features art pieces from H.E. Bassam Freiha’s private collection of 19th-century Orientalist paintings. He has amassed about 50 works over more than five decades, and in 1976, he opened a gallery called Mathaf in London to display some of them. Echoes of the Orient includes 29 artworks from the collection. One is welcome to see masterpieces by Western artists such as Rudolphe Ernst, Paul Leroy, and Fabio Fabbi. These paintings are juxtaposed with 19th-century photography from the Orientalist art movement by Gabriel Lékégian, Jean Pascal Sébah, and Tancrede Dumas, to name a few. In addition, on view are creations by celebrated contemporary and modern Arab artists like Habib Srour, Moustafa Faroukh, and Cesar Gemayel, among others.
The exhibition comprises three sections. One explores landscapes and architectural elements, and the other two are devoted to how women in the region were observed through the Western lens. Thus, the show mostly revolves around the theme of femininity.
All in all, Echoes of the Orient provides insight into the West’s fascination with the East. It invites visitors to explore the portrayal and romanticisation of the Middle East over time, spotlighting the role of the imagination in shaping Western perceptions of the East.
In the BFAF’s annex gallery, the Reclaiming Visions exhibit presents selected photographs from the Carry Over series by Sama Alshaibi, an Iraqi-Palestinian artist residing in the USA. They are complemented by exquisite sculptures by Emirati artist Azza Al Qubaisi, in which she reinterprets the abaya (a robe-like dress worn by Muslim women) and the ghonnella (traditional women’s headdress and shawl). Reclaiming Visions focuses on the exoticised representations of Arab women in historical images and delves into the complex relationship between history, power, and representation.
About the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation
Located in the Saadiyat Cultural District in Abu Dhabi, the BFAF was established by esteemed philanthropist and art collector H.E. Bassam Freiha (b. 1939, Beirut, Lebanon). As the only private institution in the district, it aims to showcase local, regional, and global private art collections rarely seen by the public. The foundation also promotes cultural and educational endeavours by hosting different workshops, panel discussions, lectures, and art talks.
When discussing BFAF, it’s essential to highlight its outstanding contemporary architecture. Designed by Rasha Gebran, Director of Architecture and Design at A.D.D. Consultants, the building features sleek lines and expansive glass windows that seamlessly blend with the serene waterscape around it. The venue boasts approximately 600 sqm of exhibition space and is encircled by the Sculpture Garden, where art and nature thrive together. Until 15 August 2024, visitors will be able to admire abstract outdoor sculptures by Azza Al Qubaisi and American artist John Clement in this peaceful setting.
To get more information about BFAF and its current shows, please visit the foundation’s official website.
You might also be interested in attending the Laal Collection Volume II, an exhibition at Total Arts presenting Iranian artist and collector Fereydoun Ave’s expansive collection. Additionally, we recommend that you visit the Arab Museum of Modern Art (Mathaf).
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