2023 for Art Historian Maie
In this article, the founder of the Art Historian Maie brand, Maie El-Hage, recaps 2023 and all she accomplished this year.
What a year! 2023 was definitely a leap for me, after having launched my website the previous annum, this year I established a stronger presence in Dubai. My family and I founded Sunrise Atelier LLC, and as Managing Partner I oversee all exhibitions and art activities in the city of Gold.
Artist Ralph Hage and curator Maie El-Hage at Beit Beirut Museum in August 2023 (photo courtesy of Matteo Montaldo)
Artist Mazen Khaddaj and curator Maie El-Hage at Urbanist Art Gallery in Dubai in September 2023
(photo courtesy of Ahmad Ardity)
Still maintaining my roots in Beirut, this year I curated two major exhibitions: ‘Chronicle of Three Wars’ by Ralph Hage opened at Beit Beirut Museum on 10 August 2023; and ‘New Self Found’ by Mazen Khaddaj opened at Urbanist Art Gallery in Dubai on 20 September 2023. Both exhibitions garnered regional and international acclaim. The latter exhibition was graced by the presence of the German Consul to Dubai, Her Excellency Mrs Sybille Pfaff, and the invitation was shared on the consulate webpage.
I also participated in 2 more exhibitions in Dubai. I curated art by Louma Rabah at Urbanist Art Gallery for their collective show (19 July – 8 August 2023), and I also curated art by Semaan Khawam at Fann A Porter for their Works on Paper exhibition (7 December 2023 – 5 January 2024).
Louma Rabah paintings in the collective show of Urbanist Art Gallery in Dubai (photo courtesy of Urbanist Art Gallery)
Semaan Khawam works on paper at Fann A Porter Gallery in Dubai (photo by the author)
I published over 16 articles this year, covering art shows in Beirut, Dubai, London and Venice. One particular piece that I am very proud of is a collaboration with Fiker Institute and Barjeel Art Foundation which will be published in January 2024.
Additionally, I gave a workshop at Artscoops Auction House in Beirut titled “Art in Lebanon Now & Late Modern Era”, which opened to a full house. And I gave a Curator Keynote speech at the School of Arts, University of Gloucestershire UoG, in the UK as part of their Annual Arts Week, titled “Navigating the Art Scene in Beirut and the Region”.
Invitation to the Artscoops Workshop by Maie El-Hage (April 2023)
University of Gloucestershire Curator’s Keynote speech by Maie El-Hage (March 2023)
I am very grateful to all my family, friends and colleagues who showed support in many diverse ways.
Beirut: you will always be my home. Dubai: thank you for welcoming me with open arms.
Stay tuned for 2024!
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