I n a natural extension to The Summer Season, celebrating London’s reputation as a multicultural melting pot for the arts and creativity, this August, Sotheby’s will transform its galleries into a hub of culture, art and craft dedicated to exploring myriad themes and media across the Middle East. From the early Islamic period to the modern and contemporary with a focus on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, this dynamic exhibition weaves together the rich threads of cultural heritage.

Over the course of three weeks, this programme will consist of selling exhibitions, loaned artworks and private sales. The exhibition will be further complemented by a dynamic programme of events in Sotheby’s New Bond Street galleries throughout the month including panel discussions, talks, screenings and gallery tours. 

The title of the exhibition, Hafla, is the Arabic word for celebration, but goes beyond the English definition, denoting the celebration of something that is truly deserving of special care and attention.