Letitia Gallery is a new contemporary art gallery dedicated to facilitating discourse around culture in the Middle East, opening on the 1st of February 2018 in Beirut, Lebanon.

Founded by Mohamad al Hamoud and Annie Vartivarian, the gallery has evolved from years of private collecting within the Middle Eastern region. The 100 sq. metre gallery space is located within the vibrant Hamra neighbourhood of Beirut that is also home to a number of key contemporary galleries who seek to inform and develop the already active Lebanese gallery scene. The space offers an ideal location for both local audiences and international visitors to discover new artists, and to gain a deeper understanding of the breadth of their practice through curated exhibitions.

The gallery’s inaugural exhibition Under the Same Moon showcases a series of new and existing canvases and print works by British contemporary artist Eileen Cooper OBE RA opens on the 1st of February 2018. Cooper draws inspiration for her new works from her perception of Beirut’s position as a safe harbour and Lebanon’s history as a country with a depth of cultural heritage and rich natural beauty. Her canvases offer an exploration of Lebanese myths amidst a landscape bathed in the diffused light of the warm, visceral Middle Eastern sun. These new works sit in conversation with a selection of Cooper’s existing works that showcase her legacy as a magic realist artist exploring the transformative nature of a single moment. Her work comes from an unapologetically female perspective, resulting in work that is simultaneously bold and tender.

I feel very lucky to have met wonderful people who gave me the unexpected opportunity to visit Beirut. After a short but intense trip, I knew I wanted to make a group of paintings as a response to this experience. I was left with an overwhelming sense of the history and beauty of Lebanon. In particular the extraordinary landscape, the magnificent Cedars and ancient mythology, this seemed like a great place to start. I’m always looking for new subjects, new inspirations.

(Eileen Cooper, artist)

We are delighted to be welcoming Eileen Cooper to take part in our inaugural exhibition. With the opening of this new space we aim to widen Beirut’s already burgeoning art scene to include critically acclaimed international artists such as Cooper and later Ahmed Badry, Alejandro Ospina and Nathaniel Rackowe.

(Annie Vartivarian, the gallery’s founder comments)