Sfeir-Semler Downtown

Founded by Andrée Sfeir-Semler in 1985, Sfeir-Semler Gallery, with spaces in Beirut, Lebanon and Hamburg, Germany, focuses on international contemporary art with an emphasis on conceptual and minimal art. For the last fifteen years, the gallery has been at the cutting edge of art production in the Arab World, nurturing a unique cross-cultural link between Western and Middle Eastern contemporary art practices.

It has taken on an integral role in establishing and developing the careers of key artists from the Arab world such as Walid Raad, Akram Zaatari, Wael Shawky, or Etel Adnan, launching pioneer solo exhibitions, gaining global exposure through participation in international biennials and exhibitions, and facilitating acquisitions by major museums around the world. The gallery simultaneously nurtures a younger generation of artists and its roster includes some of the pillars of the Arab modern period such as MARWAN, Youssef Abdelké and Aref el Rayess, as well as covering the socio-politically charged works of contemporary artists such as Yto Barrada, Taysir Batniji, Khalil Rabah, Rabih Mroué or Marwan Rechmaoui.