Being Ayman Baalbaki Issue #58

Welcome to Selections’ issue 58, a very special edition dedicated to Ayman Baalbaki who has been selected to represent Lebanon at the 59th Venice Biennale. Bringing a never-before-seen installation entitled Janus Gate, his work embedded with historical texture is represented at the Venetian Arsenal, a complex of former shipyards and armories clustered together in the city of Venice.

Throughout this issue we have invited key figures who have had a special relationship with the artist and his work. They have each written a personal piece about him. Founder of Dalloul art foundation and collector Basel Dalloul whose late father collected a large amount of his works. Basel developed a very close friendship to Ayman and documented a lot of his studio time.

Rose Issa, his first gallerist, who has exhibited him outside of Lebanon.

Saleh Barakat taking on his work at Agial gallery and was inspired by him to expand the size of his gallery in order to present Baalbaki’s larger works.

Art historian Nayla Tamraz, who has been following him closely for years and has written various essays, particularly through this latest period while he’s been working on Janus Gate.

Curator Stephane Sisco bringing together a show entitled Beirut Kaputt! featuring Ayman who explained to him, through some of his first sketches, the concept of his latest work.

A personal friendship with artist Serwan Baran. Serwan writes about their story as contemporaries and their close relationship with artist Abed Katanani.
His brother, renowned artist Said Baalbaki, takes us through shared childhood stories.

Theatre director, Oussama Ghanam, counts their adventures and lengthy conversations.

Selections has also gotten up close and personal with Ayman to relate his personal anecdotes, intimate stories, his process and renowned achievements. We hope you enjoy this issue as much as we did putting it together, and certainly hope to cross paths at the Venice biennale.