Correspondences, a proposition by Catherine David

Catherine David was invited by BEIRUT ART FAIR to dedicate one of the spaces of the fair to present a new project that has never been exposed as a part of an art event. The project consists of the correspondence between two eminent figures of the Arab contemporary culture: the Saudi writer Abdel Rahman Munif, notable author of “City of Salt”, a five volume novel which analyzes the upheavals incurred by the discovery of oil in the Gulf countries and the painter Marwan (Marwan Kassab-Bachi), considered one of the greatest Arab artists.

This set of letters (largely illustrated in the case of Marwan) - complemented by a series of watercolor preparations realized by Marwan for the book covers of Munif – unveils a crossed reflection not only on literary and plastic creation, but also on the status of intellectuals and artists in the Arab and contemporary world.

Marwan Kassab-Bashi Letter	Marwan Kassab-Bashi Letter
Marwan Kassab-Bashi Untitled, 1999 Watercolor on Paper 38,2 x 29,9 cm	Marwan Kassab-Bashi Untitled, 2002 Watercolor on Paper 29,5 x 21 cm

As part of the panel discussions, “BEIRUT ART FAIR TALKS", proposed to visitors of the fair, the organizers invite professionals from the art world to exchange ideas on various topics in order to understand contemporary art from the ME.NA.SA. territory in all its richness and diversity.The program under development will seek to involve known personalities in the international art scene and to debate topics at the heart of transformations in the art market, while putting them into perspective in the ME.NA.SA. context.

Thus, these panel discussions will focus as much on the status of immigrated artists as the development of foundations and patronage in Lebanon and in the Middle East; or on matters relating to the role of media in the artistic sphere...

Friday, July 6th
4.30 - 6.30 pm	Talk between Catherine David, independent curator and Marwan Kassab Bachi, Artist 14 years of correspondence with Abdel Rahman Munif, poet & writer, followed by a guided tour of the exhibition.
6.15 pm	Book signing by Marwan Kassab-Bachi, the Book Corner
7 pm	Book signing by Gregory Buchakjian, Stand Agial Gallery
7 pm – 8 pm	Roundtable : Migrant artists
	Moderator : Véronique Rieffel, Director of the Institut des Cultures de L’Islam (Paris) & writer Speakers : Marwan Kassab-Bachi, Artist Emmanuel Guiragossian, Artist Simeen Farhat, Artist
8.15 pm	Book signing by Véronique Rieffel, at the Book Corner « Islamania, de l’Alhambra à la burqa, histoire d’une fascination artistique ». Editions Beaux-Arts 2011.
Saturday, July 7th
4.30 pm - 5.30 pm	Lecture: Transfering the passion of Art throughout the generations Yoyo Maeght - Independent curator May Menassa - Journalist, Art & Literary Critic (An-Nahar), Writer
5.45 pm – 6.45 pm	Roundtable: Patronage & Foundation
	Moderator : Jean-Marc Decrop, Art Advisor - South Asia Speakers : Nada Boulos, APEAL Secretary (Association for the Promotion & Exhibition of Art in Lebanon), Art Consultant. Jean Boghossian, Collector and Boghossian Foundation Director, Belgium Randa Armanazi, Public Relations & Communication Solidère, BEC director (Beirut Exhibition Center). Amanda Abi Khalil, Manager and curator of The Hangar / UMAM D&R
7 pm – 8 pm	Round Table : Today’s design are tomorrow’s antique
	Moderator : Sophie Skaf, Architect d.p.l.g Paris Speakers : Gregory Gatserelia, Director Smogallery, Beirut Kamel Miladi, Director of Must + Amber Lifestyle Concept Store, Tunis. Karim Begdache Pascale Wakim (Carwan Gallery) Célia Abou Arbid, Architect & Designer, Faculty at the Lebanese American University (LAU)
8.15 pm	Book signing by Sophie Skaf at the Book Corner, «20x20.Beyrouth.Paris.Tunis.Barcelone » autoedition 2010
Sunday, July 8th
5.15 pm – 6.15 pm	Roundtable : The role of the media in the artistic field
	Moderator : Diala Gemayel - Journalist Speakers : Elizabeth Markevitch, Founder & CEO of ikonoTV Judith Benhamou Huet, Art Critic (Le Point/Les Echos) Isabella Ellaheh Hughes, independent Curator & Dubai Editor (ArtAsiaPacific) Nayla Tamraz, director of the USJ “Curator” MA programme & writer Myrna Ayad, Editor (CANVAS Magazine)
6.30 pm – 7.30 pm	Roundtable : The Comics
	Moderator : Pascal Odille, Artistic Director - BEIRUT ART FAIR Speakers : Zeina Abirached, Designer Mohammed El Sharkawi, Scenarist Michèle Stanjofski, Designer & teacher at the Alba Rita Saab Moukarzel, President of the Syndicat des Professionnels du Graphisme et de l’Illustration au Liban (Lebanese Graphic Arts Syndicates), President of the Festival International de la Bande Dessinée (International Festival of Comics) – Beirut
8 pm	Book signing of the Comics artists, the Book Corner

An awaited engagement since the last edition, the Video Box of BEIRUT ART FAIR, invites a watch and rewatch of videos by the most remarkable video artists of the ME.NA.SA. region: notably Shirin Abu Shaqra, Michel Ayoub & Rima Chahrour, Jamil Baloch, Halida Boughriet, Ali Cherri, Rasha Kahil, Samar Mogharbel, Roy Samaha, Surabhi Saraf, Alfred Tarazi ou Qiu Zhijie.

“This is not wonderland”: monumental exhibition by Pascal Odille.

Lined with monumental sculptures, visual and sound installations, this course designed by Ziad Abichaker, «Cedars Environmental»*, embarks the visitor on an initiation journey to discover contemporary Lebanese creations with only guides, artists Rita Awn, Samar Mogharbel, Anita Toutikian, Katya Traboulsi and Alain Vassoyan.

* Eco-Board is a process to recycle plastic bags and plastic scrap (cups, plates, cutlery, CD’s, toothpaste tubes, tetrapak juice & milk packages) into plastic panel boards. A typical Eco-Board weighs about 15 kilograms and diverts about 2500 shopping plastic bags from ending up in a landfill. All Plastics used in are collected & recycled locally in Lebanon, without any chemical or industrial additives.

Is Art a transformation value ?

Alain Vassoyan Seen from afar, 2012 Installation: Resin & Light Box Courtesy of the Artist & Galerie Janine Rubeiz	Anita Toutikian Man Tree, 2012 Mixed media on Canvas Courtesy of the artist	Katya Traboulsi I AM WHAT I AM, 2012 Digital 3D on Light Box 1 m x 1 m Courtesy Galerie Epreuve d'Artiste
Samar Mogharbel Résistance, 2012 Installation, Terracotta Courtesy of the artist & Agial Art Gallery	Rita Awn Stills From a Wonderful Land, 2012 Digital image editing pigmented print on fine art paper mounted on aluminium Courtesy of the Artist	Ziad Abichaker Eco-Board