If all you know about my country is what you see on the news, then you probably don’t know how much art and culture there is to explore in Lebanon. Yes, my country has been dragged into war and yes, it can be dangerous, but artists are still working for a better world. Here’s my list of great places to that are representing artists from my country and promoting great art. You can find them online and, hopefully, one day you will come to visit.

  1. Beirut Art Center, Jisr el Wati, Matn district,Beirut Art Center.
    Our art center is working to bring people together through art. They curate shows of well-known artists as well as shows for emerging artists. They offer art making and creative writing workshops, have film and performance programs, give out commissions for artists and have residencies. The rooftop garden is a serene place to hang out, as is their library.  
  2. Zalfa Halabi Art Gallery, Verdun, Beirut district, Zalfa Halabi Art Gallery
    Located in the Achrafieh neighborhood, this gallery focuses on new and contemporary art—mainly they work to promote emerging artists from my region. And they show work in all kinds of mediums such as photography, collage, ceramic, paper art, NFTs and digital art. Artists include Semaan Khawam who paints and sculpts and also uses graffiti and theatre to express daily life in Beirut. 
  3. Sfeir-Semler Karantina, Beirut district, www.sfeir-semler.com
    With galleries in Beirut and Germany, this gallery works hard to promote art and artists from the Arab world. They take their artists to major art fairs and do a lot behind the scenes to bring artists from Lebanon to the greater art world. Check out Ania Soliman’s paintings that are created using AI-generated imagery and archival materials. 
  4. Doop Art, Bourj Hammoud, Matn district, bamleb.com. Doop is an artist run space with the mission to “facilitate the exchange of artworks, concepts, news and arguments between artists and the community.” This gallery and their artists are dedicated breaking away from traditional Middle Eastern art forms and mediums in order to confront the issues facing the people of Lebanon. Ultimately, Doop artists are seeking meaning and fellowship.
  5.  Aishti Foundation, Antelias, Matn district, Aishti Foundation
    This Foundation is home of collector Tony Salame’s extensive contemporary art collection. The museums is situated in the David Adaye designed 35,000 meter complex that includes fashion boutiques, bookshops, restaurants and more. “After years of collecting and aspiring to someday give back to the Lebanese community,” says Salame, “it’s a dream come true.” The Foundation is dedicated to contemporary culture from art to design architecture and performance and operates “amid the worldwide epochal changes resulting from globalization.” The collection currently holds some 2,000 works of art with an attention to living artists in the Middle East. For a complete listing of galleries, auctions, and museums, visit www.bamleb.com