Amina Muaddi attends Alaia show in Paris

DUBAI: The recently inaugurated Nuhad Es-Said pavilion at the National Museum of Beirut is envisioned as a space where Lebanese from all walks of life can unite to celebrate culture and art.

Dedicated to the memory of Lebanese art connoisseur and curator Nuhad Es-Said, it occupies a special area within the museum, creating an environment that encourages artistic and cultural conversations.

“We want to reiterate the museum’s position in society and the pavilion will be viewed as a cultural hub and unite all Lebanese people,” Lama Salam, a member of the National Heritage Foundation in Lebanon, told Arab News.

“As Lebanese people, our culture and heritage unite us. The more we sit down, research and discuss our heritage and see that we have so much to be proud of the more we realize how beautiful our culture is,” she added.

The pavilion features a restaurant and multi-purpose seating area that can be rented out and used for galleries, showcases and events.

Salam said the design of the pavilion features large gates and archways as an ode to the museum’s architecture.

“Gates were already part of the museum’s foundation but we chose to incorporate them more to symbolize something more significant,” said Salam.

“The gates act as symbolic portals from the past leading to the present and hopefully into the future. As you pass through all these gates you walk through the past, the present and, God willing, through to the beginning of the future.”

Salam described visiting the pavilion as a unique experience unlike offerings at traditional museums.

“When you sit in the restaurant, you are surrounded by history, the preserved iron gates, the historic wall, and a beautiful view of Beirut’s green racetrack with pine trees in the background.

“Since this pavilion is an annex to the national museum, which we consider a cultural treasure, it offers a unique experience,” she said.

RIYADH: The Visual Arts Commission has announced the curatorial team for the inaugural Art Week Riyadh, scheduled to take place from April 6 to 13 under the theme “At the Edge.” 

The team features artistic director and curator Vittoria Matarrese, associate curators Basma Harasani and Victoria Gandit Lelandais, and public program curator Shumon Basar. 

Matarrese, the former director of the Bally Foundation in Switzerland and the performing arts department at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, praised the initiative.

“Art Week Riyadh represents an extraordinary opportunity to engage with a city and region undergoing profound cultural transformation. It is a platform to explore these shifts and reveal how tradition and acceleration coexist and evolve.”

Harasani said the project “is a testament to the remarkable progress the country has made in establishing itself within the global cultural narrative, while still preserving its authenticity and showcasing the very best the Kingdom has to offer.” 

Art Week Riyadh will take place at Jax district, featuring activities across the city. And a curated selection of artworks from more than 30 local, regional and international galleries and collections.

Additionally, it will have panel discussions, interactive sessions, and special events designed to showcase Riyadh’s cultural vitality, its evolving artistic landscape, and growing influence on the global stage.

Gandit Lelandais, a specialist in contemporary art from the Arab world, said the “fact that Art Week Riyadh exists demonstrates the intentional development of a thriving art ecosystem.”

There was “a clear vision to foster a healthy environment for growth among all the key players — galleries, artists, institutions, scholars, collectors, and more.

“This initiative is invaluable, offering a city-wide platform for critical discussions, dialogue, and reflection under one roof.” 

Basar said: “Art Week Riyadh offers a moment to frame everything that has happened in the arts in Riyadh, in the Kingdom, and in the region over the last years and decades. 

“And to dialogue that with global-scale conversations in an increasingly multipolar world.” 

The curators have broadened the concept of the theme “At the Edge” to create a program uniting leading cultural institutions, renowned artists, art patrons and enthusiasts, top galleries, and prestigious art collections.