Chaza Charafeddine - Hannah Leilit, 2018
BEYOND: Modern and Contemporary Lebanese Art and Design is set to display some of the greatest achievements in modern Lebanese art and design. The preview exhibition organised by the Lebanese International Finance Executives (LIFE), a worldwide membership organisation of Lebanese financiers based in the diaspora, will be open to the public from 8-16 November. Curated by Elena Geuna and Zeina Raphael, the exceptional exhibition is a special way of celebrating LIFE’s 10th anniversary. And the various works will be showcased at the Berkeley Square galleries in London owned by Phillips, a leading global platform for buying and selling 20th and 21st century art and design.
T. Sakhi - Lost in Transition Urban Chair - Photo Credit: T. Sakhi
“This exhibition was conceived for the occasion of LIFE’s 10th anniversary in order to showcase the richness and diversity of Lebanon’s creative landscape. BEYOND is a testament to the multicultural Lebanese identity,” Nadine Massoud, CEO of LIFE,said. “We are delighted to partner with Phillips for this unique exhibition and are grateful to them for their support.” BEYOND will enable visitors to admire the work of 80 artists and designers from the diminutive Mediterranean nation, who work across a variety of media. "Through painting, sculpture, photography, ceramics, design, fashion, and jewellery, this exhibition offers a vivid and diverse portrayal of the Lebanese cultural landscape. Combining traditional techniques and daring innovation, the works presented here seamlessly weave together the country’s history with a wide and diverse range of personal narratives, emphasising the role of art within a society’s understanding of itself,”Geuna and Raphaelsaid in a joint statement.
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T. Sakhi - Lost in Transition Urban Chair - Photo Credit: Tony Elieh
Akram Zaatari Footnotes to Studio Practices. Najm posing with wedding dress. Photo by Hashem el Madani, Studio Shehrazade, Saida, 1950s
Some of the highlights of the exhibition include Nada Debs’sMarquetry Mania dining table,Mona Hatoum’s You are still here, Fauna Bench by Khaled El Mays and Lamia Joreige’sThe end of ... Beirut. Plus, visitors can take in more stunning pieces donated by other participating creatives like 200Grs, Ayman Baalbaki, Rabih Kayrouz, Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige, Mary-Lynn Massoud and Rasha Nawam, Georges Mohasseb, Nabil Nahas and Akram Zaatari.
The Gala Dinner and Charity Auction
A gala dinner and charity auction will take place at the Guildhall after the last day of the preview exhibition on November 16. Proceeds from the sale of the works will benefit LIFE Generation, the charity arm of LIFE that runs a scholarship programme providing financial aid and mentoring to Lebanese students in universities around the world. Throughout the past decade, the LIFE gala dinner has become a focal point for the global Lebanese finance community, providing a platform to come together in celebration of shared achievements and to express its solidarity through fundraising that benefits the education of Lebanese students aiming to pursue a career in finance.
