ART GALLERY AT 26-28 FEBRUARY 2021 DUSIT THANI LAKEVIEW CAIRO - Fann A Porter
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ART GALLERY AT 26-28 FEBRUARY 2021 DUSIT THANI LAKEVIEW CAIRO
In 2016 the gallery settled in the heart of Jumeirah,
under the umbrella of a multi-concept community space,
The Workshop Dubai, within an authentic residential
neighborhood, where it became part of its cultural fabric
and a destination for art and culture lovers across Dubai.
The gallery branch in Amman, Jordan, launched in 2020,
under the roof of yet another amazing community space,
Manara Art and Culture.
Fann A Porter proudly represents young emerging artists,
whose artworks reach the viewers effortlessly. Majd
Kurdieh’s Very Scary Butterfly Gang and The Fasaeen
on their mission to steal the sorrows and sadness of the
neighbors paint a smile on all faces. Houssam Ballan’s
diversified abstract approach and minimalist color
scheme capture human beings in their daily routines
stripped from the limitation of gender, time, and place.
Omar Najjar’s brush strokes bring in life and movement to
the abstract, dragging the viewer voluntarily into that captured slot in time, to live and experience
it again and again.
The vision of Egypt INT’L Art Fair’s founder, Mohammad Younis, his endeavor, and belief in the
importance of opening up Egypt art market to allow artists and galleries from all around the world
to participate and be seen in Cairo, resonates perfectly with our initiative and vision, “Art For All“
(AFA) Collective. AFA Collective is an initiative aimed at making art more accessible with bespoke
“Art For All” was my conviction since I started my art gallery back in 2009. It continues to be installment payment plans, embodying the ethos of a gallery housed in a multi-disciplinary
the message the gallery aims to establish and practice, starting from the location of the gallery community engagement space.
itself, all the way through its details, the type of artwork it exhibits, and the group of artists it
represents. I wanted it to be physically close to the people, a welcoming space that embraces them Our successful experience in participating at the first edition of this art fair made us come back
and brings art closer to their heart and soul, to make it part of their daily life. again to be part of the second. We thank the organizers for their efforts to facilitate all logistics,
and we hope to be always present at this event in the future.
Jumeirah Beach Residence - JBR, where the gallery was born, was the first residential project that
allowed for the outdoor shopping experience in Dubai by the seaside. Our second location, The Ghada Kunash
Kempinski Hotel, was very special in the way it was directly connected to the Mall of The Emirates. Managing Director and Art Curator
Both were destinations for all residents and visitors of Dubai of all social and cultural backgrounds.
06 22
MAJD KURDIEH PAGE 06
SYRIA
HOUSSAM BALLAN PAGE 22
SYRIA
OMAR NAJJAR PAGE 40
PALESTINE
40 48
OTHMAN MOUSSA PAGE 48
SYRIA
ABOUT FANN A PORTER PAGE 52
& EXHIBITION HISTORY
Majd Kurdieh is a painter whose childlike drawings speak to the soul. His work is a combination
of art and literature. The painter lives on the edge of a forest in Lebanon away from civilisation
and closer to nature where he dreams up his paintings like an alternative world. He uses
cartoon-like characters to talk about the current state of the world. Most of Kurdieh’s works
are accompanied by his quotes in Arabic that translate to positive or powerful messages.
His works revolve around two characters, Fasaeen, one boy (Fasoon) and one girl (Fasooneh),
who are always smiling despite the fact that their world is filled with hardships. Fasoon
and Fasooneh are joined by a ‘gang’ made of other animal characters called the ‘Very Scary
Butterfly Gang’. Together, their main mission is to steal sadness looming over the world with
their sole weapon, the flower.
His works connect with people on a deeper and meaningful level and are widely collected
around the world.
Recently, Kurdieh has featured in solo and group exhibitions at Azad Art Gallery, Cairo (2020);
Egypt Art Fair (2020; 2019); BBA Gallery, Berlin (2019), Manara Arts & Culture, Jordan (2020,
2019); Fann A Porter, Dubai (2020, 2019, 2018, 2016), El-Sawy Culture Wheel, Cairo (2019),
and Athar Al Farasheh, Aleppo (2011), Sikka Art Fair, Dubai (2018) and Art Bahrain, Manama
MAJD
(2019, 2018). His works are housed in public and private collections in the Middle East and
abroad, including HE Dr. Zaki Nusseibeh’s private collection and the Atassi Foundation.
Born in Aleppo, Syria in 1985, Kurdieh lives and works in Amsheet, Lebanon.
KURDIEH (B. 1985, SYRIA)
07
My strange heart, you fit in a flower but not in the universe. How can I get to you?
Majd Kurdieh, 2021, oil on canvas, 140 x 100 cm Majd Kurdieh, 2021, oil on canvas, 140 x 100 cm
08 USD 4,000 USD 4,000 09
Everything beautiful I see is in you. As I approach you, my smile becomes clearer.
Majd Kurdieh, 2021, watercolor on paper, 30 x 40 cm Majd Kurdieh, 2021, watercolor on paper, 30 x 40 cm
10 USD 600 USD 600 11
The night and its sky and its stars and its moon and its moon
His morning began with your light - Ahmed Kamel and our late hours and you and I. - Mursi Aziz
Majd Kurdieh, 2021, watercolor on paper, 30 x 40 cm Majd Kurdieh, 2021, watercolor on paper, 30 x 40 cm
12 USD 600 USD 600 13
How to become a poet in only a moment. Upon the sea waves.
Majd Kurdieh, 2021, watercolor on paper, 30 x 40 cm Majd Kurdieh, 2021, watercolor on paper, 30 x 40 cm
14 USD 600 USD 600 15
Let’s live in the eyes of the night and tell the sun come along,
come along in another year. - Mursi Aziz And we invented jasmines. - Darwish
Majd Kurdieh, 2021, watercolor on paper, 30 x 40 cm Majd Kurdieh, 2021, watercolor on paper, 30 x 40 cm
16 USD 600 USD 600 17
The countries that exiled me come for a visit every evening. The heart took a bow and became a flower.
Majd Kurdieh, 2021, watercolor on paper, 30 x 40 cm Majd Kurdieh, 2021, watercolor on paper, 30 x 40 cm
18 USD 600 USD 600 19“My heart, I beg you
*No
-With regards to…
*No
-And the…
*The heart does not negotiate
[On the paper]: My heart is entrusted with protecting your house, enemies dream to approach it My strange heart, you fit in a flower but not in the abyss.
Majd Kurdieh, 2021, watercolor on paper, 30 x 40 cm Majd Kurdieh, 2021, watercolor on paper, 30 x 40 cm
20 USD 600 USD 600 21Figurative painter Houssam Ballan’s canvases are informed by his accomplished technical
abilities and through his extensive academic and research endeavour. As an artist, Ballan’s
frequent experimentation informs the growth in his work as he works intuitively. In his earlier
paintings, Ballan’s young protagonists are executed with close attention to detail, a form of
realism that relies on painterly effects and meticulous line work to create a sculptural sense
of figuration. As the bodies of his subjects are given dimensionality, the artist renders their
clothes as lines, patterns, and evident brushstrokes with a stylisation that alludes to the
passage of time and the presence of an ongoing narrative.
At the centre of his work is the idea that representation cannot solely be based on what one
sees, but the understanding of what one is seeing and the feelings it invokes in a person - be it
through looking at it from different angles, touching it, allowing it to move you subconsciously,
as well as other experiential interactions. Drawing upon the idea that when one tries to
remember a person or a specific incident, that person or incident is not remembered in
concrete shapes and lines and colours, but blurred into an overall multi-dimensional feeling,
the artist minimalises the detail in his work.
Ballan’s paintings are reminiscent of icons - the figures are usually situated in the centre of
the canvas, adding light to his work without painting any shadows on their faces. The artist
minimalises the size of the figures bodies, ignoring original dimensions, also characteristic of
icons. Ballan explains that ‘when painting an icon, Christian painters didn’t care more about
the sacred story or idea than other aspects of the work. I like this spontaneity in painting.’
Ballan is a tutor and member of the Teacher’s Association at the University of Damascus since
2009. Between 1999 and 2007, he participated in workshops with artist J. Bradley Adams
and painter Jose Friexanes, and trained in mural painting with Pierre Palas. The artist was
HOUSSAM
part of the 13th Cairo Biennale, Cairo (2019). Ballan has participated in numerous solo and
group exhibitions including Litehouse Gallery, London, UK (2020); Egypt INT’L Art Fair (2021,
2020); BBA Gallery, Berlin, Germany (2019); Hafez Gallery, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (2019);
Manara Arts & Culture, Jordan (2019); Atelier Stories, Paris, France (2018); Fann A Porter,
BALLAN
Dubai, UAE (2020, 2019, 2018), Mark Hachem Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon (2014); Arab Cultural
Centre (2010, 2007, and 2005); Ayyam Gallery, Damascus, Syria (2006); French Cultural
Centre, Damascus, Syria, (2004); among others. His works can be found in numerous private
and public collections.
(B. 1983, SYRIA)
23Houssam Ballan, A Composition of Three Children at Play, 2020, oil on canvas, 140 x 140 cm Houssam Ballan, Paradise, 2021, oil on canvas, 140 x 140 cm 24 USD 6,800 USD 6,800 25
Houssam Ballan, City Girls, 2021, oil on canvas, 80 x 100 cm Houssam Ballan, The Brother, 2020, oil on canvas, 70 x 100 cm 26 USD 3,300 USD 3,300 27
Houssam Ballan, Unified Rhythm, 2020, oil on canvas, 65 x 100 cm Houssam Ballan, Four Dancers, 2020, oil on canvas, 65 x 100 cm 28 USD 3,300 USD 3,300 29
Houssam Ballan, Three Children, 2020, oil on canvas, 65 x 100 cm Houssam Ballan, Casino, 2021, oil on canvas, 65 x 100 cm 30 USD 3,300 USD 3,300 31
Houssam Ballan, Rhythm of Movement, 2021, oil on canvas, 100 x 100 cm Houssam Ballan, Rhythm of Movement 2, 2021, oil on canvas. 80 x 100 cm 32 USD 3,600 USD 3,300 33
Houssam Ballan, Rest On The Flight Into The West, 2021, oil on canvas. 65 x 100 cm Houssam Ballan, We Are Two, 2021, oil on canvas. 65 x 100 cm 34 USD 3,300 USD 3,300 35
Houssam Ballan, Two Kids, 2020, oil on canvas, 100 x 70 cm Houssam Ballan, Three Dancers / ثالث راقصات, 2020, oil on canvas, 140 x 140 cm 36 USD 3,300 USD 6,800 37
38 Houssam Ballan, El Guernica | الجارنيكا, 2020, oil on canvas, 140 x 300 cm USD 13,600 39
Omar Najjar is known for his innovative style that he describes as “structured chaos.” His
paintings come across as a modern take on impressionism; their quotidian subject matter is
elevated to the sublime, providing a profound, if understated, view of the human experience.
Expertly manipulating oil, pastels, and charcoal, Omar’s instantly recognizable work is
characterized by broad brushstrokes that give a suggestion to the story without giving the
details fully.
Born in 1992 in Amman, Jordan, Omar Najjar graduated from Jordan University’s Fine Arts
Department. The artist group and solo exhibitions include The artist group and solo exhibitions
include Egypt INT’L Art Fair (2021, 2020); Manara Art & Culture, Amman, Jordan (2020,
2019); BBA Gallery, Berlin, Germany (2019), Manara Arts & Culture, Amman, Jordan (2019),
Zara Gallery, Amman, Jordan (2018), Wadi Finan, Amman, Jordan (2016); Al Bareh Gallery,
Bahrain (2016); Fann A Porter, Dubai, UAE (2015); Nabad Art Gallery, Amman, Jordan (2014).
Omar Najjar’s works are housed in various private and public institutions including the
Palestine Museum, USA.
OMAR
NAJJAR (B. 1992, PALESTINE)
41Omar Najjar, Epic of Black, 2020, oil on canvas, 165 x 270 cm Omar Najjar, Shredded, 2020, oil on canvas, 130 x 280 cm 42 USD 8,500 USD 7,500 43
Omar Najjar, Red, 2020, oil on canvas, 135 x 245 cm Omar Najjar, End of Summer, 2019, oil on canvas, 150 x 130 cm 44 USD 7,350 USD 5,200 45
Omar Najjar, Warm, 2020, oil on canvas, 90 x 190 cm Omar Najjar, Gleam, 2020, oil on canvas, 110 x 165 cm 46 USD 4,520 USD 4,600 47
Othman Moussa’s early paintings capture the often-overlooked poetics of the mundane in
realist still lifes that feature humble offerings, for example, a battered but polished cooking pot
alongside a lone pomegranate or a rusted teapot that glimmers as its exterior catches light.
Recalling the naturalism of Spanish still lifes, his initial series emphasises that which provides
sustenance with reflective detail and a spiritual sense of monumentality. As the artist’s
aesthetic progressed, his arrangements of inanimate objects began to take on allegorical
traits, evincing subjective themes such as love and desire.
Recently, the impact of the Syrian conflict has entered his compositions, turning everyday
objects into subjects of war. Although these works are accomplished with greater realism,
Moussa has simplified his compositions by not including the embellishments of classical
examples, such as the silken white cloth in Dutch still lifes that guides the eye across elaborate
table settings. Isolating his objects, he focuses on jarring pairings. In these latest works,
something as simple as food is now transformed into a weapon, reflecting the presence of
violence in the most minor details of life. Other paintings of the series utilise satire as a biting
form of social commentary as the thrones of absent monarchs are portrayed in an absurd
manner and symbols of power are stripped of their aura.
Born in 1974 in Zabadani, Syria, Othman Moussa lives and works in Damascus. He received
his artistic training in painting from the Adham Ismail Center for Plastic Arts (1999) and the
Walid Izzat Sculpture Institute in Damascus (2000). Solo and group exhibitions include Fann
A Porter Dubai (2019); Ayyam Gallery London (2014); Ayyam Gallery DIFC, Dubai (2014,
2012); Ayyam Gallery Al Quoz, Dubai (2014, 2011); Ayyam Gallery Beirut (2014); Ayyam
OTHMAN
Gallery Damascus (with Assad Arabi, 2009).
Othman Moussa’s works are part of various private and public institutions including the Atassi
Foundation, Dubai, UAE.
MOUSSA (B. 1974, SYRIA)
49Othman Moussa, Five Quinces, 2017, oil on canvas, 120 x 100 cm Othman Moussa, Quince, 2017, oil on canvas, 100 x 100 cm 50 USD 12,000 USD 10,000 51
About Fann A Porter®
Fann A Porter is a contemporary art gallery that represents a diverse selection of emerging
international and regional artists, with locations in Dubai, UAE and Amman, Jordan. The
gallery aims to nurture the burgeoning and dynamic contemporary art scene through quality Exhibition History
exhibitions, non-profit events, auctions, and an active community program.
2009
The gallery’s exhibition program includes ten curated exhibitions a year, and features artists Sep - Oct: Recitations, Ismail Al -Rifai
Oct – Nov: Seductions in Color, Rino Valido - Italy
working across diverse media. Fann A Porter has established a series of dialogues and
Nov - Nov: Memorabilia Signature music, movies and celebration posters
collaborations with curators, writers, museums, governmental entities, and institutions to Nov - Dec: Donne in Art - Zahira Sultana Hussein, Anna Caser, Wafa Khasendar,
affirm its commitment to support the long-term development of young contemporary artists Nicoletta Burdisso, Simonetta Porazzo , Nilofar Mehrin
from the Middle East. Dec - Jan: Lyrics, Georges Bassil
In 2015, the gallery organized a charity auction Artists for the Kids of Syria under the
patronage of His Highness Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Culture 2010/2011
and in collaboration with the UAE Red Crescent. The charity auction helped raise over AED Jan - Feb: Ya3ni Maخloot,Lee Martin Ixer
500,000 to help the children in the refugee camps in Jordan. In 2019, the gallery launched Art Feb - Mar: Painting A Dress , Manisha Gawde, Gunjan Arora,
for All Collective (AFA) to provide a platform to make quality art accessible through bespoke Alka Raghuvashi, Shridhar Iyer – India
Mar -Apr: On The Wall, Baseem Rayyes
payment plans, a first of its kind initiative for the Middle East.
Apr - May: Foreign - Rashid Olasseri - India
May - Jun: Dreams Deffered, Altayeb Amer
By hosting a regular public programming including exhibitions, talks, non-profit initiatives, Jun - Jul: Mezzo - Georges Bassil
and by participating in fairs, Fann A Porter has established itself in forefront of the region’s Sep - Oct: On The Duality of Existence, Taha Al Douri
exciting arts landscape. Nov - Dec: Alone-Together, Maria B. Raunio
Founded in 2009 by collector Ghada Kunash, the gallery was initially known as Vindemia.art,
opened adjacent to and under the umbrella of Vindemia, an antiques and collectibles gallery 2011/2012
at Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai. In 2010, the gallery partnered with Kempinski Hotel Mall Mar - Apr: Life, Loai Salaheldeen
Apr - May: Mixtures,Silvio Vigliaturo
of The Emirates, for a dedicated space for the art. In 2014, under the same trade license of
May - Jun: Sensation, Fahad Kholaif
Vindemia Novelties LLC, the art gallery was rebranded to Fann A Porter. Jun - Aug: Flow, Georges Bassil
Aug - Sep: River Mermaids, Aboud Salman
In 2016, Ghada Kunash opened The Workshop Dubai, combining her two ventures – Vindemia Sept - Oct: Latest Works, Barry Wilson
and Fann A Porter, a unique community space consisting of a café and design space, providing Oct - Nov: A Growing Wall - Baseem Rayyes
visitors with a unique artistic and cultural experience. The Workshop Dubai, with its naturally Nov - Dec: Moon and Stars and Electric lights, Juri Morioka
Dec - Jan: Creer Pour Exister, Maurice Frido
bathed garden, is located in the heart of Jumeirah.
Jan - Feb: My World, Kamen Bonev
In 2020, with the vision to expand and provide a local platform, Ghada Kunash opened a
second Fann A Porter outpost, in Amman, located at Manara Arts & Culture, a creative hub
and social space in the heart of Jabal Al Lweibdeh.
52 532014
May – Jun: Hazem Al ZubI
Jun: Abdul Raheem Salem - UAE - Dubai Speaks Art Initiative
2019
Jul: Fatma Lootah - UAE - Dubai Speak Art Initiative Jan: Totem - A Wall’s Jewelry, Sebastien Courty
Jul – Sep: Eric Peyret Feb – Mar: Poetics of Change, Silvia Binda Heiserova, Giulietta Coates,
Oct: Gerdine Duijsens Renata Kudlacek, Nele Ouwens, Susanne Piotter, Vishal Shah
Nov: Soile Yli-Mayry Feb - Mar: Narratives from The Middle East, Fadi Attoura, Majd Kurdieh,
Omar Najjar, Houssam Ballan, Berlin, Germany
Dec: Georges Bassil
Mar – Apr: Subconscious Reality, Houssam Ballan
Apr – May: Gust of Wind, Shereen Shalhoub
Jun – Jul: Works on Paper, Houssam Ballan, Monif Ajaj, Majd Kurdieh,
2015 Mariam Abbas
Jan: Marwa Al Najjar Sep – Nov: Art for All (AFA) Collective
Feb: Yasmin Sinai Oct: Group Exhibition curated by Safwan Dahoul featuring Houssam Ballan,
Mar: Mohammad Al Mazroui Majd Kurdieh, Omar Najjar, Shereen Shalhoub, Khaled Najad, Amman, Jordan
Apr: Omar Najjar Nov: Furniture Design for Sustainable Future
May: Mohammad Al Qassab Dec: Birute Brandt
Jun: Bader Mahasneh Dec: My Fat Lady, Ghida Younes
Jun: Artists for The Kids of Syria , Charity Auction
Aug: Mona Nahleh
2019/2020
2016/2017 Nov – Jan: Surrender to Love, Majd Kurdieh
Jan - Feb: Hold Onto The Flower, Majd Kurdieh - Fann A Porter Amman
Jan – Feb: Letters from The 5th Dimension, Mona Nahleh Feb: Soile Yli-Mayry
Feb: Fruitful Life, Juri Morioka Feb – Mar: The Tour, Barry Iverson
Mar: Reflections, Besher Koushaj Feb: Egypt Art Fair, Majd Kurdieh, Omar Najjar, Houssam Ballan
Apr: Open Eyes, Ghada Dehne Mar - Apr: Rhapsody, Omar Najjar - Fann A Porter Amman
May: Home Without Borders, Ajala Mar – Apr: Motif, Houssam Ballan
May: Loneliness Museum, Nouman Issa Aug – Sep: We Will Continue To Raise The Flag Of The Sun,
Jun – Aug: Collective Exhibition, Monif Ajaj, Majd Kurdieh, Mona Nahleh, Majd Kurdieh - Fann A Porter Amman
Juri Morioka, Besher Koushaji, Nouman Issa, Saad Rabaadi, Aug – Nov: We Will Continue To Raise The Flag Of The Sun, Majd Kurdieh
Akhil Ahmad, Oman Najjar, Marwa Najjar, Hazem Al Zubi Oct - Nov: S P A C E S, Laila Taweel, Lina Khaled, Sama Shahrouri, Tawfiq Dawi,
and Ismail Refai and Zeina Salameh - Fann A Porter Amman
Oct: Insights Into Nature, Fares Jammal & Wissam Moubarak
Nov: Between Light & Freedom, Ahmed Farid
2020/2021
2018 Dec – Jan: Believing in Light, Rana Raouda
Dec - Jan: Odyssey, Laith Qattan - Fann A Porter Amman
Mar – Apr: Stealing Sadness, Majd Kurdieh Jan – Feb: Works on Paper, Juri Morioka, Zeina Salameh, Houssam Ballan,
Apr – May: Beings, Houssam Ballan Omar Najjar and Majd Kurdieh
Jun – Jul: T’Alof, Fatma Lootah, Sundus Alibrahim, Najat Makki, Khawla Darwish, Feb: Egypt INT’L Art Fair, Majd Kurdieh, Houssam Ballan, Omar Najjar,
Sumaya Abdulghani, Fatimah Al Nemer, Dana Naser, Lina Kobeissi, Othman Moussa
Majida Nasreddine, and Dalia Ali. Mar – Apr: A Memory of Places, Mohamed Abdel-Moneim, Mohamed Abou Elwafa,
Sep: Spectrums in Memory, Nidal Khaddour Mohamed Banawy, Mostafa Sleem, Mhanny Yaoud, Ahmed Magdy
Nov – Dec: A Playful Path, Fadi Attoura
Dec: My Fat Lady, Ghida Younes
54 55Dubai Head Office
Villa 45, Street 23B, Jumeirah 2, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
fann@theworkshopdubai.com
+971 4 341 2595
P.O. Box 215457 Dubai, United Arab Emirates
www.fannaporter.com
Amman Branch
Manara Arts and Culture, Dirar Ben Al-Azwar, St. 56, Amman, Jordan
amman@fannaporter.com
+962 79 716 7022
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