LOCATION BEIRUT
Art platform curator19.90 has chosen to bring the 2nd edition of Urban Dawn to Beirut, Lebanon making it the largest urban art exhibition to take place in the region. The month-long show will feature a selection of curated artworks from both established and emerging young artists from around the globe. Much of the work on view will be immersively linked to the urban environment, drawing heavily on graffiti traditions and street art.
Lebanon is a small country with a strong personality developed through its diverse and rich culture, scenic landscapes and ancient spectacular beauty. It is one of the most developed countries in the Middle East with a long historical reach. In the 1950Тs its capital city, Beirut, experienced a renaissance turning the country into a global tourist destination and financial center. With its French influences, vibrant cultural and intellectual life, Beirut had fast become known as the "The Paris of the Middle East".
Despite the hardship the country faced after the 1975 civil war, Lebanon has been rebuilding itself and is once again a global hotspot, renowned especially for its nightlife and some of the best food, beaches and culture the world has to offer. It is a rejuvenation that is palpable in its people, for the Lebanese are welcoming and full of exuberance fueled by optimism about the future of their country. The art platform curator19.90 is honored to bring Urban Dawn vol II to the city of Beirut during this exciting period.
URBAN DAWN II
MISSION
Curator19.90 intends for Urban Dawn vol II to act not only as a platform to exhibit international urban and street art but to create as a place for the art community of Lebanon to engage, explore and discover like-minded individuals. Curator19.90 would also like to help break the cycle of negative media attention in Lebanon via an exhibition that celebrates the country through arts and culture. The platform includes many young Lebanese artists providing them the opportunity to work with other international artists and curators.
Urban Dawn II will engage in some of the social complexities that Lebanon faces today through various artistic projects. The artists Finok and Ethos will be creating two large-scale murals to be donated to the city whilst the artist Gilf will be creating a work on a woman's prison. The artists will also visit refugee camps and other charitable organizations throughout the month. The platform hopes to provide a rich program with various talks, master classes and artist-led tours that will be engaging to the visitors.
Urban Dawn II will include artworks by Ethos, Finok, Demsky, Base23, Frederik Nablaerod, Harif Guzman, superstars such as El Mac, Andrew Schoultz, ECB, Retna, Shepard Fairey and others from Europe and Russia, Asia, and North and South America. From Lebanon, Curator19.90 is proud to present the artists DEM183, Ashekman and EPS. On the eve of the public opening a famous artist from Europe will give a live performance, their entity will remain a mystery until the works reveals itself. This artwork will be sold during the evening and all the proceeds will go to the recycling program of Beirut city.
ALEX DIAMOND / ALEX SASTOQUE / ANTON SAVITSKY / ANDREW SCHOULTZ / ASHEKMAN / BASE23 / CAMILLE ADRA / CHAD MUSKA / СHAD THE MAD / DALEK / DANNO / DAN WITZ / DEM189 / ECB / ELLE / EL MAC / EPS / ETHOS / EXIST / FINOK / FRANS SMIT / GILF / GRINO / HARIF GUZMAN / ICY&SOT / JAV DEMSKY / JOHN NEWSOM / LORO VERZ / M3ALIM / MIKAEL TAKÁСS/ MORTEN ANDERSEN / NÆBLERØD / NOOTK / OLEK / PHAT2 / QUEEN ANDREA / RETNA / REPAS / RICHARD DUPONT / RICHIE CULVER / RUNE CHRISTENSEN / SANTE D`ORAZIO / SHELTER SERRA / SHEPARD FAIREY / SPAZ / STRØK / SUP-C / SWOON / TED LAWSON / TIM OKAMURA / VEXTA / YAZAN HALWANI / ZED
a major figure in Scandinavian street art scene, will curate the Urban Dawn show for the second time this year.
Being an art collector since 1992, Rasmus started to curate in 2012. With his eye to new, valuable art, Rasmus was nominated
to curate the shows around the globe - New York, Copenhagen,
Los Angeles, Hamburg..
He is working with major international and danish artists as
El Mac, Morten Andersen, Alex Diamond, Strøk and others, with Galerie Wolfsen, where Rasmus takes the role of the gallery director and partner, he grows young stars as Jay Ole and participates in art fairs such as Scope and Art Basel.
Being a part of curator19.90 team and an irremovable curator of Urban Dawn, Rasmus Ejaas Fischer is taking the responsibility of to present the most interesting art of the world to Lebanese audience, as well as to prove to the rest of the planet that Lebanon is a hidden pearl of the Mediterranean, with ambiguous history and open minded citizens
co-curator, has over 15 years experience in contemporary urban street art. She works with numerous galleries, museums, art fairs and brands worldwide. Melissa is recognized for discovering contemporary art talent and placing them at the forefront of her curatorial programs. She has presented artists recognized as pioneers of the new contemporary art movements including Swoon, Icy & Sot, Shepard Fairey, Dan Witz, Olek, Dalek, Vexta, Lady Pink, Gilf, Tim Okamura among others
CO-CURATORS
Rasmus Ejaas Fischer
Melissa McCaig-Welles
co-curator is a specialist of Latin American art. He has held posts as the Director of ArtNowNY/Joseph Gross Gallery in New York City and the Director of Zener Schon Gallery in
The Bay Area, Northern California.
Mateo works with established international artists but is also known for his ability to discover and present promising emerging artists into the larger international contemporary scene. Mateo has worked with a plethora of artists some of which include Harif Guzman, Shelter Serra, Ted Lawson, Banksy, Alison Mosshart, and Robert Rauschenberg
Mateo Mize
CURATOR
LOFT INVESTMENTS
Loft Investments has emerged confidently as a unique and professional player in the Lebanese real estate market. Specializing in creating and designing lofts and exclusive living quarters, Loft Investments offers a creative approach, relying on the input of the most endowed architects, designers and building consultants to produce exceptional landmark projects.
Ayad Nasser, the creator of Loft Investments and art — minded businessman is famous by making his country cultivated. Frustrated by the corruption and problems of his own country, Ayad Nasser decided to reduce his activities to concentrate, as of 2012, on giving back
and making Lebanon a better place.
“Lebanon needs us, it gave us a lot, it gave a lot to the old generations and the new. We can not grown bigger and bigger when our country is falling apart“ — the motto of mr. Nasser, which can be officially the manifest of