Art News

The Beirut Sale: Official Auction Results Totals Close to $750,000 at Ayyam Auctions

BEIRUT.- On July 15, Ayyam Auctions held its ninth public sale, resulting in just under $750,000 in sales. Offering nearly 60 lots of contemporary Arab art, the 2011 Beirut Sale included a solid mix of painting, sculpture, photography and prints by established and emerging artists. With a strong focus on art from the Levant, attendees had the opportunity to bid on masterworks by such prominent artists as painter Samia Halaby, sculptor Nadim Karam and photographer Nassouh Zaghouleh. Works that were emblematic of their long careers represented a number of pioneering figures such as Paul Guiragossian, Moustafa Fathi and Chafic Abboud, drawing a steady crowd of avid collectors. Highlights of the evening included the $96,000 sale of a large piece belonging to painter Safwan Dahoul’s ongoing “Dream” series, which went beyond estimate, and the $48,000 result for an abstract canvas by