Sfeir-Semler Gallery has reopened one of their two Beirut spaces, located in the Karantina neighbourhood in the northeast of Beirut, Lebanon. The gallery had previously closed both the Karantina and downtown gallery spaces in September due to Israeli airstrikes in the ongoing Israel-Hezbollah conflict.
The gallery has reopened with an exhibition of Lebanese artist Walid Raad, titled Another Festival of (In)gratitude, which was previously on display across both Beirut spaces. The exhibition includes large-scale video works, sculptures and a series of photographic prints. The gallery also has a space in Hamburg, which is currently being used to safely store works by its artists.
“In times of war, we can only do what we can do,” gallery owner Andree Sfeir-Semler told ArtReview in a written statement. “That means we reopen the gallery to give people an oasis, a space to experience art as a relief and a beacon of hope for peaceful times, despite the bombing every night.”
“We are fully aware that people’s heads might not be free to think and look at art right now. But we need open spaces for coming together, for feeling some sense of normality, maybe withdraw for a moment or two from the continuous terror, and try to focus on things which give energy.”
