SELECTIONS: CONTEMPORARY SYRIAN ART AUCTION

Welcome to ‘Selections’, the second iteration of Atassi Foundation auctions, organized in collaboration with our partner ArtScoops. 

The beauty of the art world lies in the opportunity to constantly challenge norms and push boundaries. A very dear friend (who happens to be a renowned artist) once said boldness was “the willingness to take chances” and that therefore being bold was also a choice. As a non-profit initiative, organizing auctions is not part of our original mandate, but after serious reflection, we felt that our role of promoting Syrian art and encouraging its appreciation required that we take a more active role in presenting our artists’ works to audiences around the world. After all, these auctions do not follow the model of a typical commercial auction. Rather, they aim to transcend the idea of commercial value and focus more on the artists, whose individual works weave a story of Syrian art today. 

Through our first auction we hoped to address some of the difficult realities of the pandemic and the tough economic circumstances endured by Syrian artists (both in Syria and beyond). While it has been more than a year since the first wave of lockdowns around the world, their ramifications remain present. The continuing state of restrictions and lockdowns in various parts of the world has created an environment of isolation and disconnection between artists and their audiences – a disconnect that Syrian artists specifically have been experiencing since 2011. As Syrians we share the desire to come together, to showcase our work and to celebrate each other. Atassi Foundation, with the help of our partners, wishes to provide the platform for such a celebration. 

Our auction series is committed to showcasing artworks that represent a wide range of artists and media. We are also committed to presenting young collectors with works that are within their reach, hoping that they will become the patrons of tomorrow. 

We are thankful to each and every participating artist. We are grateful to ArtScoops for being our partner. And we thank you, our supporters, for your ongoing faith in our work and in the artists. We hope you find your new art acquisition in this Auction. 

Mouna and Shireen Atassi 

May 2021