Echoes of the Orient

The inaugural exhibition of the brand new Bassam Freiha Art Foundation is curated from the private collection of Bassam Said Freiha to offer a perspective into how the Middle East has been perceived, portrayed and romanticised over time – particularly the depiction of femininity. As Prof Faredah Al-Murahhem notes: “Western Orientalists in the 19th century often fantasized about the harem and the veiled women, leading to a skewed understanding of the concept”, with paintings often presenting scenarios that were inauthentic or sensationalized from an Islamic viewpoint.

To challenge such stereotypes and in order to foster a deeper intercultural dialogue, the exhibition juxtaposes Western portrayals with works by Arab artists. Featured alongside works by Rudolphe Ernst, Léon Comerre, Paul Leroy, Jan-Baptist Huysmans and Fabio Fabbi from the Bassam Freiha Collection are significant works on loan by Arab modernists, including Habib Srour, Moustafa Faroukh, Cesar Gemayel, Tawfik Tarek, and early works by the acclaimed Emirati artist Abdul Qader Al Rais.

To 15 August.

Above: Rudolf Ernst (1854–1932), Odalisque (undated)