Online gallery gives Beirut's diverse art scene exposure to world
As Syrian artists fleeing the civil war have found an arts haven in Beirut, some of them are gaining exposure to the wider world through the Artscoops website.
BEIRUT — Many Syrian artists, musicians and creatives have made Beirut their home since the outbreak of the uprising and ensuing civil war in Syria in 2011.
Artscoops, an arts platform originally set up by mother-and-daughter team May and Raya Mamarbachi in 2014, now aims to share Beirut’s artistic richness with the world.
The site functions as an online gallery and marketplace for handpicked Arab artists, painters and photographers from around the region, including Syria. Prospective applicants, usually mid-career or established artists, are evaluated by Artscoops’ board before being accepted. Artscoops takes a commission on sales — between 10% and 20% — while building partnerships between artists and galleries in the Middle East and beyond. The organization is now working on running live auctions on the site as well as a curated showcase of Iranian art.
The original idea emerged from a Syrian arts event in Beirut in the autumn of 2014. Raya said, “I noticed when they were doing the auction people were really buying, sight unseen, pieces of art.”
