Artual Gallery by Hind Ahmad, in Downtown Beirut, marked its opening with an exciting exhibition, titled ‘The Thousand and One Nights’, in which East truly meets West.
Curated by the award-winning and internationally renowned industry professional Maria Brito, the inaugural exhibition features a selection of works by seven contemporary American artists, inspired by the legendary compilation of Middle Eastern folk tales.
Gallery owner, Hind Ahmad described the show as the perfect launch project for Artual, adding that she had long hoped to team up with Brito.
“I’m delighted to be collaborating with Maria. I love the way she curates and her eye for spotting talented artists is renowned” Ahmad Said. She added “With this inaugural show, Artual Gallery marks the beginning of a young, dynamic and innovative approach to the contemporary art scene in Beirut”.
Dating to the early ninth century, ‘The Thousand and One Nights’ follows the fortunes of the brilliant storyteller Scheherazade, who marries King Shahryār, despite knowing that he had begun killing his wives after just one night of marriage, embittered by his first spouse’s infidelity. However, Scheherazade successfully seals her fate as future queen by regaling Shahryār with wonderfully imaginative tales over 1,001 nights, during which time the king falls in love with her.
The participating artists – Rosson Crow, Allison Zuckerman, Holly Coulis,
Jamea Richmond-Edwards, Jonathan Chapline, Monica Kim Garza
and Canyon Castator – have drawn on Scheherazade’s much-loved stories, which include ‘Aladdin’s Wonderful Lamp’, ‘Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves’,
‘The Magic Carpet’ and ‘The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor’, in their work, which has been created specifically for the new gallery’s launch.
These stories have become crucial cultural touchstones in the Middle East, while the heroine Scheherazade has long been regarded as a symbol of female strength and creativity, inspiring a vast array of artistic interpretations ranging from film and ballet to theater and visual arts.
‘The Thousand and One Nights’ exhibition runs until May 3rd, 2019.
The Curator
Maria Brito is an award-winning contemporary art advisor, creative designer, public speaker, author and curator who was born in Venezuela, but has lived in the US for 20 years. A Harvard graduate, she has helped prominent CEOs, celebrities and entrepreneurs to build their art collections, while also serving as an art advisor and consultant for a variety of tech companies. Brito is the author of two books – ‘Out There’ and ‘Greek Gotham’ – and has also written extensively on art and culture in leading magazines.
The Gallery
A new hub in Beirut for art enthusiasts, Artual Gallery by Hind Ahmad is a three-story, permanent space in Downtown which sets out to initiate a genuine cultural dialogue between East and West. ‘The Thousand and One Nights’ exhibition marks its first show, with several other projects already planned for 2020 and beyond.
Opening Hours: From Tuesday till Sunday: 10am till 6pm.
Open on Monday by appointment.
Address: Eden Garden Bldg., Ground Floor, Fawzi Al Daouk Street, Downtown Beirut – Lebanon
Facebook/Instagram: @Artual Gallery