Dalloul Art Foundation

Due to the current devastating situation, DAF will be closed for the public for the coming week.
For any inquiry please call (+961) 1 791 229 or email us at [email protected]

The opening of our new exhibition Prints & Printmaking was an unforgettable evening celebrating the creativity and innovation of Arab printmakers!
Thank you to all who joined us - artists, guests, and supporters alike. Your presence made this event truly special!

Prints & Printmaking is open September 6 - December 5
Tuesdays - Fridays: 11AM - 5PM
Saturdays: 10AM - 1PM

Link in bio for RSVP

As Hope in an Age of Dystopia comes to an end, we are reminded that hope is not always easy, but it’s always essential.

Thank you to everyone who participated and supported us through this journey of creativity and innovation!

A tribute to the August 4th, 2020, Beirut Port Explosion.

Artwork details

MAHMOUD SAID, Egypt
Le Port de Beyrouth, 1954
Medium: Oil on canvas
58.5 x 69 cm

"I trust my Eyes then my Hands. ⁠
I trust my Hands and my Heart." 🕊️ ⁠
— ⁠
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'La Danse du Soir' (2021) by Lebanese artist Sara Abou Mrad is part of the Matilda series, exploring femininity, sensuality, and eroticism. ⁠
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Matilda, the protagonist of many of the artist’s pieces, symbolizes female sensuality and fragility. She is represented here in her purest form: n**e and connecting intimately with the world around her.⁠
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Explore this artwork at the Hope in an Age of Dystopia exhibition, open until August 15 (Tuesdays to Fridays 11AM - 5PM, Saturdays 10AM - 1PM). Book your visit via the link in our bio.⁠
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La Danse du Soir (Collection Matilda), 2021⁠
Medium: Acrylic on canvas⁠
155 x 120 cm⁠
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These two installations, part of a project created by Lebanese artists Joana Hadjithomas () and Khalil Joreige between 2018-2022, propose several possible curatorial frameworks for an exhibition at the anticipated "space museum." The works bring together two major Lebanese cultural and scientific projects of the 1960s: First, the Rachid Karameh International Fairground in Tripoli, Lebanon, designed by Brazilian architect between 1962 and 1967. Second, The Lebanese Rocket Society, addressed in the award-winning documentary 'The Lebanese Rocket Society. The Strange Tale of the Lebanese Space Adventure, 2012', directed by Hadjithomas and Joreige.⁠
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The documentary narrates the story of the short-lived student society at Haigazian University in the 1960s, who tested and launched rockets in an attempt to conquer space. It includes an alternate history animation sequence that features the Lebanese Rocket Society's own Space Museum.⁠
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While both these projects were interrupted by the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990) before reaching their completion, the artworks reflect the same drive without straying into nostalgia: anti-imperialism, desire for change, human progress, scientific knowledge, and a look toward the future.⁠
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These 'scenarios' or exhibition plans, represented as 3D-printed slabs ( in concrete and bronze), are not just curatorial frameworks for the museum's 'imaginary' exhibition. They are windows into a future that could have been, a future that still inspires and intrigues us.⁠
This artwork is part of Hope in an Age of Dystopia exhibition, at DAF, open until August 15: Tuesdays to Fridays 11AM - 5PM Saturdays 10AM - 1PMTo book a visit, click the link-in-bio.⁠
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Scenario For a Space Museum | Scenario 4, 2018 - 2022⁠
Medium: Bas Relief, Concrete⁠
Edition Number: 4⁠
32 x 72 x 4 cm⁠
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Scenario For a Space Museum | Scenario 1, 2018 - 2022⁠
Medium: Bas Relief, Bronze⁠
Edition Number: 2⁠
32 x 73 x 5 cm⁠
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Moroccan artist Moustapha Akrim’s (), installation , Attajamhur, 2022, asks us to confront the petrification of our legislative bodies of power, and ask what it means when our laws are enacted only for the sake of control. ⁠
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The term ‘Attajamhur’ (public assembly), calligraphed with rusted metal, is referencing the article within the Moroccan constitution that deals with the right for assembly. Here, the words are layered on top of one another so they are no longer legible. Instead, they become petrified and rusting: unmovable, they do not give way to change. ⁠
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Instead of words being singularly meaningful, they are one heavy mass that is eroding. Attajamhur forces us to try to dislodge these principles from their petrification.⁠
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This artwork is part of Hope in an Age of Dystopia exhibition, open until August 15: Tuesdays to Fridays 11AM - 5PM⁠
Saturdays 10AM - 1PM⁠
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To book a visit, click the link-in-bio.⁠
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Attajamhur, 2022⁠
Medium: Bas-relief Metal⁠
290 x 83 x 6 cm⁠
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"Exhibiting in London nearly two decades after my work debuted outside Saudi Arabia at the British Museum in 2005 holds a special significance for me." - ⁠
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Internationally acclaimed contemporary artist Ahmed Mater is presenting a mid-career retrospective, Chronicles, at Christie’s London headquarters from 17 July to 22 August.⁠
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Curated by Dr. Ridha Moumni, Chairman of Christie’s Middle East and Africa, the exhibition invites visitors to explore Mater’s artistic response to Saudi Arabia’s evolving identity. ⁠
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Dalloul Art Foundation proudly loans three artworks— Artificial Light (2012), Nature Morte (2012), and Makkah (2012) from the series Desert of Pharan. These artworks document the rapid development of Islam’s holiest city, a place in a state of constant transformation.⁠
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find more in the link in bio⁠
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Makkah, 2012⁠
Medium: FineArt latex printer and Matt 200g. unbleached printing paper⁠
Edition Number: 1/5⁠
124 x 177.5 cm⁠
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Nature Morte, 2012⁠
Medium: Laser-chrome print on KODAK real photo-paper⁠
Edition Number: 3/5⁠
120 x 122.5 cm⁠
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Artificial Light, 2012⁠
Medium: C-print on aluminum⁠
Edition Number: 2/3⁠
225 x 322.5 cm⁠
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Palestinian artist Amer Shomali’s () installation: Broken Weddings in Deir Nakhas, 2018, is a conceptual reconstruction of traditional Palestinian embroidery (Tatreez). Shomali was deeply moved by the story of an old Palestinian embroidered wedding dress (Thobe) offered for sale in an Israeli auction house. The seller's father, an Israeli member of the Haganah, had found the undressed wedding dress in an abandoned Arab house during the 1948 Nakba. This poignant tale suggests that the wedding never took place, or the bride tragically died before being able to save her long-life embroidered wedding dress. ⁠
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As a tribute to every wedding that never took place, Shomali meticulously reconstructed details from the dress patterns of each Palestinian village and replaced the stitches with an utterly untouched silk ball. Shomali explains that the newness of the silk spools represents not just “ broken weddings, unperformed songs, unbuilt homes, unborn children. but also the resilience and hope that these symbols carry. It stands witness to all that could have been for those whose lives were amputated in 1948.”⁠
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Broken Weddings in Deir Nakhas, 2018 is not just a monument to loss, but a testament to resilience. It forces its viewer to acknowledge the survival of the 'wedding dress', with all the history it carries, and its transformation into something new. This transformation, from a symbol of loss to a beacon of hope, is a powerful reminder of the potential for renewal even in the face of tragedy.⁠
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This artwork is part of ‘Hope in an Age of Dystopia’ exhibition at DAF, open until August 15: Tuesdays to Fridays 11AM - 5PM Saturdays 10AM - 1PM⁠
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To book your visit, click the link-in-bio.⁠
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Broken Weddings in Deir Nakhas, 2018⁠
Medium: Thread and mixed media on wood panel⁠
166 x 332 cm⁠
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DAF, in collaboration with Agenda Culturel, is proud to reiterate that it was lead partner of the first edition of Beirut Art Days that took place across several art and cultural venues in Beirut between July 3rd and July 6th.  

This celebration of art and creativity showed the vibrancy and dynamism of the city and its cultural spaces, museums, and galleries!

Marfa’ gallery- Seta Manoukian exhibition
art scene gallery
Syma Ceramics
agial gallery - rola el hussein
national museum
Beirut Art Center
and more

Mohamad Said Baalbaki’s artwork, Broken Dreams/Reve Brise, 2022, features the word “Réve-lution” crafted in vibrant cursive red neon script. The word itself is a linguistic blend that combines “rêve” (dream in French) and “revolution,” symbolizing the intersection of hope and transformative change.⁠
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Baalbaki’s choice of neon infuses the piece with the poignant dichotomy: it is traditionally bright and alluring, but also an omen of fading dreams and unmet expectations. The red glow of the neon script, spelling out “Révelution,” serves as a vivid symbol of passion and loss, highlighting the dual nature of revolutions filled with fervor, yet often leading to disillusionment.⁠
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Through this piece, Baalbaki engages with the broader narrative of global political unrest. The artwork stands as a powerful testament to the enduring human spirit, while simultaneously mourning the losses that accompany such upheavals, almost like a dream that is lost.⁠
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Mohamad Said Baalbaki⁠
Broken Dream/Reve Brise, 2022⁠
Medium: Neon⁠
Edition: 1/3⁠
49 x 66 cm⁠
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Ripples in a Pond, 2022, by Lebanese artist Yasmina Hilal, highlights the artist’s emphasis on tactile material. The distortions and blisters on the acetate surface give the piece a raw and gritty appearance, which evokes nostalgia and reflects the complexities of memory and perception.⁠
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Hilal’s art often tackles themes of motherhood and daughterhood, while emphasizing the importance of cultural representation. The vintage white lace dress that the pictured model is wearing was passed down to the artist within her family. The young woman stands in an exaggerated pose, typical of fashion photoshoots, with her face obscured, making her an anonymous subject in this scene. The connection formed by having the model wear a dress that is related to Hilal’s past, transforms fashion into a profound statement on collective memory and legacy.⁠
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In this piece, the recognition of heritage, captures the fleeting nature of reflection, memory, and the enduring impact of personal legacy.⁠
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This artwork is part of Hope in an Age of Dystopia exhibition, open until August 15: Tuesdays to Fridays 11AM - 5PM ⁠
Saturdays 10AM - 1PM⁠
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To book a visit, click the link-in-bio.⁠
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Ripples in a Pond, 2022⁠
Medium: Inkjet print on acetate,⁠
130 cm x 87 cm⁠
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Join us at DAF for a guided tour of our latest exhibition Hope in an Age of Dystopia!

This collection of some of DAF’s more recent acquisitions explores the theme of hope in an age marked by oppressive systems of control and the dystopian realities they create. It offers us all new paths to imagine a better future that prioritize intimacy, connection, and communication.

This event is part of Beirut Art Days, organized by Agenda Culturel.

Tours are available July 5 from 11AM - 6PM.

To book your visit, check link in bio.

Emirati artist Hussain Sharif’s artwork, Faces 3, 2021, is an installation of 502 recycled cans, each carefully shaped to create distinct facial features. This work emphasizes the themes of consumerism and the ephemeral nature of everyday objects, while encouraging the viewer to reflect on their own role and sense of responsibility.

In the context of the United Arab Emirates, a nation characterized by rapid modernization and intense consumerism, Sharif’s choice of medium—discarded cans—serves as a critique of waste and disposability inherent to contemporary societies. By transforming these cans into expressive faces, he re-infuses them with identity and value.

Sharif’s work hints at the resilience and adaptability of human spirits, echoing the resilience of the UAE itself, which has morphed dramatically over the past few decades.

This artwork is part of Hope in an Age of Dystopia exhibition, open until August 15: Tuesdays to Fridays 11AM - 5PM
Saturdays 10AM - 1PM

To book a visit, click the link-in-bio.

Hussain Sharif
Faces 3, 2021
Medium: Recycled cans - 502 pieces
15 x 7 x 5 cm

Saudi Arabian artist Maha Malluh's artwork, Do You Want to Be Happy, part of Food for Thought, 2012 series, explores the role of religion in the Saudi society. In the 1970s, the distribution of cassettes with recorded religious lectures, targeted at women, shaped their minds and social conduct in a way that affected the Saudi culture.⁠
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The stack of cassette tapes, which Malluh collected from various local flea markets and junk shops, are displayed on an old wooden tray that was used to carry bread. From afar, the multicolored tapes are positioned in a way where the the blue ones read 'haram' in Arabic. In Islamic jurisprudence, haram is used to refer to any act that is forbidden by Allah. ⁠
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This artwork is part of Hope in an Age of Dystopia exhibition, open until August 15:⁠
Tuesdays to Fridays 10AM - 5PM⁠
Saturdays 11AM - 2PM⁠
To book a visit, click the link-in-bio⁠
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Food for Thought, 2012⁠
Medium: Mixed media , Mixed media (vintage audio tapes and wood bread baking trays)⁠
60 x 100 x 8 cm⁠
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In New York Mon Amour, 2017, Lebanese-American artist Marwan Chamaa () explores themes of commercialism and mass production. He combines iconic references such as Hello Kitty, Bruce Lee, and others, along with texts in Arabic, Japanese, and French to highlight the multicultural and consumerist aspects of the globalized New York City.⁠
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This artwork is part of DAF's ongoing exhibition, Hope in an Age of Dystopia, open until August 15, Tuesdays to Fridays 10AM - 5PM, & Saturdays 11AM - 2PM.⁠
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To book a visit, tap the link-in-bio⁠
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Marwan Chamaa⁠
New York Mon Amour, 2017⁠
Medium: Oil and acrylic on canvas⁠
110 x 140 cm⁠
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Eid Mubarak from DAF team.

Saudi Arabian artist and photographer, Adel Al Quraishi, was commissioned in 2013 by then Governor of Medina H.R.H. Prince Faisal bin Salman Al Saud, to capture the portraits of the last remaining guardians of the Prophet's Mosque (Al-Masjid Al Nabawi). The Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs had decreed that this will be the final generation of the guardians.
 
Dating back to the 11th century, the hundreds of guardians were in charge of the Prophet’s Mosque. With time their numbers shrunk and their duties became confined to overseeing Prophet Mohammad’s burial chamber and the minbar (pulpit). Their humble lives consisted of tending to the resting chamber, carefully cleaning it and washing the floors with rosewater, praying alongside pilgrims, and leading a simple life with little interaction with the outside world.
 
Adel Al Quraishi was the only man allowed to capture the portraits of the last eight guardians, four of whom have passed away since, thus documenting their final generation.
 
The gardians:

Ahmad Masibo Saleh
Sheikh Said Adam Omar
Imam Hussein Zaino
Abdallah Adam
Sheikh Nouri Mohamed Ahmed Ali
Abdallah Ali Sheikh
Ahmad Ali Yaseen⁷
 
 

Palestinian artist, Abdul Rahman Katanani installation, Girl Running with a Tile – Beirut Blast, 2020, depicts a young girl playing and running freely, symbolizing renewal and hope after the dystopian aftermath of the Beirut Port explosion in 2020.

The work is made out of silver corrugated metal sheets and flattened crude oil barrels which the artist gets from junkyards. He often shoots the barrels with real bullets to create the holes and dents, and then cuts out the flat metal sheets from the cylindrical section of the barrel.

This artwork is part of DAF’s ongoing exhibition, Hope in an Age of Dystopia, open until August 15:
Tuesdays to Fridays 11AM - 5PM
Saturdays from 10AM to 1PM
To book a visit, please tap the link-in-bio

Abdul Rahman Katanani
Girl running with a tile - Beirut blast, 2020
Medium: Zinco & Metal Mixed Media on Wood
230 x 210 cm

Don’t miss our latest episode of the “Art Talks: Visual Analysis” series, part of DAF’s previous exhibition ‘UNTITLED Abstractions’.

The talk is run by Dr. Rico Franses from the Bombay Institute for Critical Analysis and Research (BICAR).

Engage with different types of abstract art and delve into their complex formal and contextual elements.

In this session, we explore two 'Untitled' abstract paintings, keeping the artist and production date undisclosed to focus purely on the visual elements of the artwork.

Click the link-in-bio to watch the full episode. 

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Cairo-based artist .taman painting El Badlah (2016) features an androgynous moustached figure dressed in magenta 'badlah' (belly dancing attire). The work challenges conventional gender norms, prompting viewers to question societal expectations.

In executing the painting, the artist adopts a technique he developed called "Tamanism", where he uses petroleum derivatives, oil oxides, and pigments, to create works based on chemical reactions. The method results in a blurry, multi-dimensional effect that engages and intrigues the viewer.

Visit Hope in an Age of Dystopia, until August 15: Tuesdays to Fridays 11AM - 5PM, & Saturdays from 11AM to 2PM.

To book a visit, tap the link-in-bio

Mohamed Taman - El Badlah (2016)
Medium: Chemical pigments on wood Edition Number: 1/3
171 x 121 x 3 cm

The book launch for _Lebanon and The Split of Life: Bearing Witness Through the Art of Nabil Kanso_ by Meriam Soltan on June 5 at the Saleh Barakat Gallery was a huge success!

Organized by DAF in collaboration with Saleh Barakat Gallery, and attended by academics, art lovers, and artists, the event featured an engaging panel discussion with Dr. Basel Dalloul, Founder and Chairman of Dalloul Art Foundation, along with Mohammed Al Thani, Director and Curator of Institute of Arab and Islamic Art - NYC, and author Meriam Soltan, and was moderated by Saleh Barakat, owner of Saleh Barakat Gallery.

The exhibition, which ran from June 6-7, included DAF's collection of Nabil Kanso’s seminal works with the two mural paintings, _Lebanon 1977: Vortices of Wrath_, from _The Split of Life_ series, and _Blazing Vortices: Lebanon Summer of 1982 (Sabra and Shatila),_ from _Lebanon Civil War_ series, as well as 10 drawings from the _Leaves from the Theatre of War_ series.

At the May Chidiac Foundation’s Media Awards Ceremony, 2024, Dr. Basel Dalloul and Mr. Samir Atallah proudly presented the _Courage in Journalism Award_ to Palestinian journalist Mrs. Heba Akkila for her brave coverage of the 2024 Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
akkila

With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of Mohamed El Baz, an experimental Moroccan artist born in 1967 in El Ksiba, Morocco.
Known for his boundary-pushing work, El Baz studied in France and retained a strong connection to his Moroccan roots. His notable 2014 series “Battle" (La Ronde de Nuit), uses digital screen prints on plexiglass and mirrors, inspired by a Moroccan card game, to reflect life's complexities and our own situations.
El Baz's project, "Bricoler l’incurable," explores contemporary issues and the function of art through mobile installations that formed new narratives. El Baz also addressed political and environmental themes, exemplified in his 2016 installation "The World is a Stage / Door of Heaven" at the Marrakech Railway Station during the United Nations Climate Change Conference.
El Baz's legacy of challenging artistic conventions will continue to inspire future generations.
Rest in peace, Mohamed El Baz.



Artwork details

Battle, Card Game, 2014
Digital screen printing on plexiglass
78 x 58 cm

Join us at for the book launch of 'Lebanon and The Split of Life: Bearing Witness Through the Art of Nabil Kanso' by Meriam Soltan , on June 5, from 4PM-8PM.⁠
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The launch on June 5 will be followed by a panel discussion with Dr. Basel Dalloul (DAF Founder and Chairman), Mohammed Al Thani (Director and Curator of IAIA ), and author Meriam Soltan , moderated by Saleh Barakat (Owner of Saleh Barakat Gallery). ⁠
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DAF’s collection of Nabil Kanso’s seminal works, Lebanon 1977: Vortices of Wrath (The Split of Life Series), and Lebanon Summer of 1982 (Sabra and Shatila), will be showcased throughout the exhibition at Saleh Barakat Gallery, open to the public June 6-7 from 11AM-6PM.⁠
⁠

Join us at for the book launch of 'Lebanon and The Split of Life: Bearing Witness Through the Art of Nabil Kanso' by Meriam Soltan , on June 5, from 4PM-8PM.⁠
⁠
The launch on June 5 will be followed by a panel discussion with Dr. Basel Dalloul (DAF Founder and Chairman), Mohammed Al Thani (Director and Curator of IAIA ), and author Meriam Soltan , moderated by Saleh Barakat (Owner of Saleh Barakat Gallery). ⁠
⁠
DAF’s collection of Nabil Kanso’s seminal works, Lebanon 1977: Vortices of Wrath (The Split of Life Series), and Lebanon Summer of 1982 (Sabra and Shatila), will be showcased throughout the exhibition at Saleh Barakat Gallery, open to the public June 6-7 from 11AM-6PM.⁠
⁠