three months from the rendezvous, Beirut Design Fair is actively preparing its next edition (September 19 to 22)!
The organizers are pleased to announce the formation of the Selection Committee and the strengthening of their team for this event scheduled in parallel with Beirut Art Fair, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary.
Beirut invites you to this unforgettable encounter with creation in Lebanon.
THE 2019 SELECTION COMMITTEE
Gathering talents and quality
The policy that has been Beirut Design Fair’s since its creation, consisting of raising the level of quality in the Fair, year after year, pays dividends: the level of the 2nd edition of BDF (2018) has been perceived as more demanding as per the objectives of the Selection Committee and the organizers.
This ambition is underscored by the role of the Selection Committee, which brings together in 2019 three major experts playing a leading role on the international design scene. They come from Lebanon, USA, France, and hold mankind in the core of their endeavours. We are pleased and honored that Rebecca Anne Proctor, Nadia Jabri and François Leblanc Di Cicilia have agreed to contribute so much to the quality of this event, and we confidently entrust them with the keys to your «rendez-vous».
The selection committee for Beirut Design Fair reflects the event’s position as a platform for fostering encounters and showcasing talent: one where rigor meets generosity, where diversity is celebrated in a cosmopolitan atmosphere, and where the promotion of creativity is rooted in an economic and cultural context.
Seeking quality first and foremost, the role of the Selection Committee is to allow the fair to find a balance between regional and international exhibitors, between established and emerging or independent designers, between modern and contemporary creations. The confluence of these recognized professionals offers multicultural expertise on a variety of topics centered around the pursuit of meaning, relevance and beauty.
This interaction is essential to maintain the primary orientation of Beirut Design Fair: to become the design showcase of the East Mediterranean, where all collaborations are made possible beyond frontiers.
REBECCA ANNE PROCTOR
Rebecca Anne Proctor is the Editor-in-Chief of Harper’s Bazaar Art and Harper’s Bazaar Interiors, a role she has held since 2015. She has written prolifically for publications including The New York Times Style Magazine, Bloomberg Businessweek, Canvas, Artnet News, Frieze, BBC, Galerie, The National and The Business of Fashion as well as written several art catalogues on Middle Eastern art and culture.
In her previous life, after obtaining her M. Litt from Christie’s London in Modern and Contemporary Art History, Rebecca worked at Gagosian Gallery before moving to Paris to pursue a double MA in Middle Eastern Studies and Conflict Resolution from the American University of Paris and a Master’s in «Sociologie des Conflits» from L’Institut Catholique. Two dissertations later, one developed in Lebanon’s Baalbek region, she moved to Abu Dhabi in 2009 where she worked at the Barakat Gallery and then at Ayyam Gallery in 2011 as an art consultant. Always hungry for new horizons and encounters, Rebecca is an extensive traveler. She travelled throughout the Middle East, Turkey, Iran, North and Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Additionally, Rebecca is regularly asked to
animate panels, debates and round tables on arts, culture and media Arts in
Europe, the Middle East and North America, at artistic events or on TV, in
front of the most varied audiences.
Nadia Jabri
Nadia Jabri is the founder of Letternoon, an international platform specializing in curated Middle Eastern contemporary art and design through an online shop, exhibitions and limited edition production based in New York City.
Trained in
international affairs and human rights at Columbia University’s School of
International and Public Affairs, Nadia worked in various international
advocacy roles in legal and public affairs. Inspired by her cultural
experiences, she saw an opportunity to pursue her commitment to social progress
and well-being with a lifelong passion for design and innovation. She created Letternoon to provide first time
access to emerging design and content with a mission to change misperceptions
about the region. It is her hope that
retail diplomacy will inspire greatly needed creative connections and
collaborations.
François Leblanc Di Cicilia
Director of the Gallery S. Bensimon in Paris for ten years, François Leblanc Di Cicilia, known as a real talent scout, also personally advises designer’s studio and brands for their creative and commercial development. He founds in love with design and craft during his 4 years’ mission for the Galeries Lafayette Group into the Decorative Art Museum in Paris. His life’s comitment is to share know-how and creativity to build bridges between people.
Some highlights : Japanese and Finnish Season exhibition for the Decorative Art Museum, First creative design exhibition at Le Bon Marché (Paris) and at Lane Crawford (Hong Kong), first Argentine, first Lebanese design exhibition in Paris.
François has worked with several designers and creators, mainly exhibited their works first like Michael Anastassiades, Sabine Marcelis , German Ermics, Marc Dibeh, Sebastian Wrong, Cristian Mohaded, José Levy, Formafantasma, Chritian Haas among many others.
REINFORCED TEAM
Growing expertise
The Lebanese anchoring of this Beirut event affirms itself with the reinforcement of the team (development, scenography): the support of Randa Armanazi for the development of this initiative and its influence in the Middle East and in Europe; the affirmation of its Levantine roots with the museum-scenographic experience to which Rawad Rizk invites us.
Randa Armanazi
Strategic Planning & Development
Founder of ALFAC the Lebanese Cultural Festivals Association, an NGO that promotes and supports Lebanese Talents in the fields of Art, Music, Fashion and Design.
Randa has over 38 years experience in developing Cultural, Artistic, Leisure and Entertainment projects and Activities that integrate in order to reposition Cities, Real Estate Developments, and Cultural Hubs in the Middle East, North Africa and Europe.
She created the Saifi Village Art District, the Beirut Exhibition Center (BEC), SV Gallery, Artists’ Residencies and curated multiple International Art Exhibitions and Art Installations in the Beirut Central District to reposition Beirut as the Cultural Capital of the Middle East.
Randa has initiated and led Marketing Strategies, Branding, Advertising, Communications & PR, and is accomplished in promoting new projects and new destinations.
Rawad Rizk
Scenography
Rawad Rizk, established his design studio in Beirut (RR | architects) six years ago while he was still a student at ALBA. His work span from architecture to product design. His approach to architecture and problem solving made him a name in the industry despite his young age. His name featured on projects such as «union marks» the cocktail bar in Borj Hammoud (Beirut) , and the «neo comet» pavilion named best stand design for Horeca 2017 edition (Beirut).