Beirut-based Dalloul Art Foundation hosts Prints & Printmaking exhibition

Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer

The Dalloul Art Foundation (DAF) in Beirut will present Prints & Printmaking, an exhibition celebrating the artistry of Arab artist-printmakers (Sept 5 – Dec. 5). It will showcase a selection of fine art prints on paper from the DAF collection, some of which have rarely been seen in public. Comprising more than 310 fine art handmade prints on paper, Prints & Printmaking features the creations of 34 renowned Arab artists from across the Middle East and North Africa, including Farid Belkahia, Chaibia Talal, Dia Al Azzawi, Rafa Nasiri, Suad al-Attar, Marwan Kassab-Bachi, Walid Abu Shakra, Kamal Boullata, Mustafa El Hallaj, Huguette Caland, Shafic Abboud, Halim Jurdak, Samira Badran, Mohammad El Rawas, Ayman Baalbaki, Said Baalbaki and Yvette Achkar, among other notable Arab printmakers, who have shaped the medium’s evolution.

“Through the Prints & Printmaking exhibition, DAF aims to offer visitors a deeper understanding of printmaking’s artistry, while raising awareness about this medium’s significance in shaping the themes and narratives explored by various artists,” says the Foundation. “The exhibition aims to be not just a display of art, but also an educational opportunity to learn about the history and techniques of printmaking.” The selected artworks demonstrate a diversity of printmaking techniques, including intaglio, relief, lithography, and silkscreen. The show will also feature archival material, artists’ books, and an authentic copy of the first book ever printed in the Eastern part of the Ottoman Empire, The Book of Psalms, which was printed in the monastery of Saint Anthony of Qozhaya in Lebanon in 1610. It has been borrowed on loan, courtesy la Bibliotheque Orientale de l’Universite Saint-Joseph from USJ or Universite Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth, in Beirut.

The history of printmaking is a testament to humanity’s enduring creative and technological exploration. From its ancient origins in Mesopotamia with stamp and cylinder seal printing to the highly specialised and experimental printmaking styles of the 20th century, printmaking has evolved through physical and chemical innovations, shaping the dissemination of image and text across cultures and continents. The 20th century was marked by an insurgence of nationalism, state-building and major political upheavals and changes. The replicability and accessibility of the printmaking medium made it a crucial tool for artistic experimentation, social commentary, and cultural revival.

  The Will of Life by Dia Al Azzawi.

Arab artists and printmakers fuelled the resurgence of printmaking while maintaining its potential as an autonomous art form. Wafa Roz, Director of DAF, said that “with Prints & Printmaking, we want to bring much-needed attention to the rich and intricate world of printmaking in the Arab world — a medium that has often been eclipsed by the rapid rise of digital technologies. This art form, with its deep roots and diverse techniques, deserves to be celebrated and more deeply understood. Through this exhibition, we hope to highlight the unique processes that go into printmaking, while shining a spotlight on the incredible talent of a myriad of Arab printmakers.”

Besides prints, the show will include four filmed interviews produced and conducted by DAF with well-known modern and contemporary Arab artists-printmakers, like Mohammad Rawas, Samira Badran, Said Baalbaki, and Zeina Badran. DAF also offers printmaking workshops at its space, led by Lebanese printmaker Ahmad Ghaddar, aka Renoz (b. 1994). They will provide art enthusiasts with a hands-on opportunity to explore the world of printmaking, allowing them to engage with the medium in a personal way. Further details will be released on DAF’s website and social channels.

The Ramzi and Saeda Dalloul Art Foundation is a Lebanon-based arts institution dedicated to preserving and showcasing modern and contemporary Arab art. Established in 2016 by Dr. Basel Dalloul, the foundation’s roots trace back to his late parents, Dr. Ramzi Dalloul and Saeda al-Husseini, who began collecting art in the early 1970s. They purchased art they loved, created by artists with whom they had formed personal connections over the years. Viewing artists as “the keepers of truth and archivists of history”, they acquired a collection of nearly 3,000 pieces, showcasing the diversity of modern and contemporary Arab art. The collection was initiated as “a labour of love” – Dr. Basel has the honour of still continuing it. Through public programmes, exhibitions, online publications, archiving and research, DAF aims to introduce modern and contemporary Arab art to local, regional and international audiences. The Foundation has extended the accessibility of its collection and resources to regional and international audiences with the launch of dafbeirut.org. DAF also opens its doors to researchers and doctoral students, offering access to its resources, collection management system and internal research facilities to support their academic studies.  “Essentially,” notes Roz, “DAF comprises a vast collection of modern art that belongs to a generation of artists who were born between 1900 and 1940. These artists witnessed multiple revolutionary and political movements, shifted borders and contested boundaries, as well as political upheavals and transitions in their respective countries.”

“The MENA region encompasses different countries, cultures, religions, and ethnic groups, all of which contribute to the richness and dynamism of Arab art,” she adds. “DAF continues to showcase such diversity. More particularly, we aim to collect art created by artists from different generations, both to complement DAF’s vast collection of modern art, and to expand its collection of contemporary art. We know that capturing the zeitgeist of our contemporary period is as important as digging into the historical complexities of our past … Through art, we aim to archive and preserve the Arab region’s history and cultural heritage.”