Atassi Foundation for Arts and Culture Collection

A collection of exhibition materials, including brochures, catalogs, and invitations, pertaining to exhibitions at Atassi Gallery in Damascus, Syria, between 1993 and 2010.

Established in 1986, the Atassi Gallery holds the distinction of being the first privately owned art gallery in Homs. Originally founded by the sisters Mouna and Mayla Atassi, the gallery initially operated in the attic of their bookstore before relocating to a more spacious area within the same building, which they transformed into a more suitable gallery space. Over the years, the gallery has been the venue for exhibitions featuring some of Syria's most prominent artists. Shortly after its inception, the gallery quickly evolved into a central hub within the Syrian art community, fostering vibrant interactions, discussions, and experimental collaborations among intellectuals, writers, filmmakers, and artists.

Image Courtesy of the Atassi Foundation website

After three decades of existence, and in response to the turmoil that has been impacting Syria, the Atassi Gallery embarked on a new chapter in its evolution by founding the Atassi Foundation for Arts and Culture in 2016. This non-profit arts initiative is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of modern and contemporary art and archives originating from Syria. Its objectives include encouraging critical thinking and research through the generation of knowledge, enhancing the Syrian artistic community through capacity-building efforts, and bridging the gap between the past and future of art production.

Digitized content will be made available to the public through the NYU Archival Collections repository in 2024.