On January 24, 2013, Ayyam Gallery London made its long-awaited London debut, opening to an international crowd of over seven-hundred people eager to witness the gallery’s expansion into Europe. A queue extending along New Bond Street from Ayyam Gallery’s premises at No. 143, was a visible demonstration of the excitement currently surrounding the thriving Middle- Eastern art scene, and of the work of Ayyam co-founders Hisham and Khaled Samawi.
On display at Ayyam Gallery London’s inaugural exhibition were works by celebrated Lebanese artist and architect Nadim Karam, renowned for his public art works and urban regeneration projects. Visitors were invited to walk amongst Karam’s iconic ‘urban toys’ and view newly unveiled multi-media paintings depicting the interplay between love and war. Striking canvases and reflective sculptures filled the space with light and colour, with highly-polished stainless steel playfully mirroring the circulating crowds.
With Ayyam Gallery locations in Damascus, Beirut and Dubai, and a forthcoming space to open in Jeddah on 27 February, Ayyam Gallery London joins a body of exhibition spaces with a global resonance. Speaking before the launch, Khaled Samawi enthused: ‘Our presence in London will enable us to better represent our artists in today’s contemporary art market, firmly positioning the Ayyam institution as a global gallery representing artists with a global reach’.
Ayyam Gallery’s international appeal was reflected in the diversity of the opening’s audience: prominent collectors, writers and enthusiasts travelled from destinations across the world to join the Samawis, confirming Hisham Samawi’s belief in the ‘flourishing of international interest in Middle-Eastern artists.’
