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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, 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.
Sotheby's Celebrates a Summer of Middle Eastern Art | HAFLA
The Rise of Saudi Art and Heritage on the Global Stage | Firsts by Deena Podcast
For the very first time, a panel has come together on Deena Aljuhani’s ‘Firsts by Deena’ podcast, in collaboration with Deenathe1st.com, to speak on a subject that needed to be discussed: why art from Saudi Arabia is now in the spotlight. This is on the back of Hafla by Sotheby's, an ongoing exhibition celebrating art from the Middle East. On the panel we have Ashkan Baghestani, the Head of Contemporary Day Sales at Sotheby’s and Princess Nourah Al Faisal, the founder of Nuun Jewels and the CEO of Art of Heritage, a Saudi luxury fashion house. The panel explores the cultural richness and historical depth of Saudi Arabia, emphasizing the importance of preserving and promoting traditional crafts. Additionally, Princess Nourah shares insights on her jewelry design journey with Nuun Jewels and collaborations with Asprey, while Adhlal—the consultancy she founded—aims to nurture future Saudi designers. The episode delves into the challenges and potentials of the Middle Eastern art market, advocating for broader exposure and appreciation of the region's artistic heritage.
Exhibition Calendar
On View
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Aug12 Aug30 
On View in London
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Hours
Monday–Friday | 9:00 AM–4:30 PM
Location
34–35 New Bond Street, London, W1A 2AA
Events
The Story Café pays tribute to Middle Eastern courtyards and coffeehouses as cultural sanctuaries, blending artistry and heritage with the rich flavours cherished throughout the region and beyond, with an exclusive selection of cakes by Cake & Flowers at The Dorchester.
Sotheby's Dubai
See what’s on in Sotheby’s Dubai. Located in the Dubai International Financial Centre and presents an expanded programme of year-round events, including selling and non-selling exhibitions, events and talks, reflecting the spectrum of Sotheby's international sales and extensive client services.
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