Arab Image Foundation

Arab Image Foundation was created in 1997 by photographers Fouad Elkoury and Samer Mohdad, and artist Akram Zaatari as a reaction to the lack of photographic archives in the region and the rapid disappearance of the few that remained.{{cite journal|last1=Shape |first1=Emily |year=2011 |title=Preserving the photographic heritage of the Middle East |journal=The Art Newspaper |issue=222 |url=http://theartnewspaper.com/articles/Preserving-the-photographic-heritage-of-the-Middle-East/23279 |accessdate=21 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111104104421/http://theartnewspaper.com/articles/Preserving-the-photographic-heritage-of-the-Middle-East/23279 |archivedate=4 November 2011 }} Lucien Samaha was one of the original members of the Arab Image Foundation.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/05/arts/design/lucien-samaha-the-flight-attendant-years-1978-1986.html|title=Lucien Samaha: 'The Flight Attendant Years: 1978-1986'|newspaper=The New York Times|date=4 July 2013|access-date=2020-10-19|last1=Cotter|first1=Holland}}{{Cite web|url=https://hyperallergic.com/76733/the-camaraderie-of-living-in-the-skies/|title=The Camaraderie of Living in the Skies|website=hyperallergic.com|date=August 2013|access-date=2020-10-19}} The collections reveal a large aspect of the social history of the Arab World, including the picture that Arabs have constructed of themselves since the creation of photography.{{cite book |last1=Parr |first1=Martin |authorlink1=Martin Parr |last2=Badger |first2=Gerry |title=The Photobook: A History - Volume 2 |year=2006 |publisher=Phaidon |location=London and New York |isbn=0-7148-4433-0 |page=129 }}

The Foundation has become internationally and regionally recognized as the leading photographic institution in the Middle East. In addition to housing and conserving hundreds of thousands of photographs, the Foundation has spearheaded conservations and preservation projects in the Middle East, co-sponsoring workshops to disseminate the knowledge and skills needed to identify, restore, and conserve the Arab world's large photographic archive.{{cite web |url=http://www.meppi.me/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140103161157/http://www.meppi.me/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=January 3, 2014 |title=Home |website=meppi.me}}

In addition to on site facilities including a public space, a library, a research center and a laboratory, the AIF has organized multiple gallery and museum exhibits, and produced book publications, monographs, films, and collectible merchandise, such as postcards and posterbook publications and films.{{cite web|url=http://www.euromedalex.org/funding/arab-image-foundation |title=Arab Image Foundation |year=2010 |publisher=Anna Lindh Foundation |accessdate=20 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140103203827/http://www.euromedalex.org/funding/arab-image-foundation |archivedate=3 January 2014 }} The foundation also runs a prestigious residency program for artists and scholars.{{cite web |url=http://universes-in-universe.org/eng/nafas/articles/2010/news_tips/aif_call |title=Arab Image Foundation Residency Program 2011 |author= |year=2010 |publisher=Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations (ifa), Germany, Elke aus dem Moore, in cooperation with Universes in Universe - Worlds of Art |accessdate=20 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210040315/http://universes-in-universe.org/eng/nafas/articles/2010/news_tips/aif_call |archive-date=10 February 2012 |url-status=dead }}

The Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors and a General Assembly. The current Board of Directors (2021–2024) is composed of Vartan Avakian, Donald Choubassi, Yasmine Eid-Sabbagh, Fabiola Hanna, Kristine Khouri, and Hrair Sarkissian.{{Cite web |title=Arab Image Foundation |url=http://arabimagefoundation.com/getEntityFront?page=PageDetails&entityName=PageEntity&idEntity=1 |access-date=2022-03-02 |website=arabimagefoundation.com}}

The General Assembly includes Zeina Arida, Vartan Avakian, Negar Azimi, Lara Baladi, Karl Bassil, Donald Choubassi, Yasmine Eid-Sabbagh, Fabiola Hanna, Kristine Khouri, Khaled Malas, Sarah Morris, Issam Nassar, Hrair Sarkissian, and Tamara Sawaya.{{Cite web |title=Arab Image Foundation |url=http://arabimagefoundation.com/getEntityFront?page=PageDetails&entityName=PageEntity&idEntity=1 |access-date=2022-03-02 |website=arabimagefoundation.com}}

• Les Martyrs de Qana, Project by Doha Shams, curated by Samer Mohdad (1997)
• Liban Intime 1900-1960, Curated by Samer Mohdad and Fouad el Khoury (1998)
• Portrait du Caire: Alban, Armand and Van Leo, Curated by Akram Zaatari (1999)
• Albums Marocains 1900-1960, Curated by Yto Barrada (1999)
• The Vehicle. Picturing moments of transition in a modernizing society, Curated by Akram Zaatari (1999)
• Palestine before '48, Curated by Akram Zaatari (1999)
• Van Leo, Curated by Akram Zaatari (2000)
• Pratiques photographiques au Liban (1900–1960) Curated by Akram Zaatari (2001)
• Mapping Sitting. On Portraiture and Photography. A project by Walid Raad and Akram Zaatari (2002)
• Arts et couleurs .Curated by Lara Baladi (2004)
• Hashem el Madani: Practices, An ongoing project by Akram Zaatari (2004)
• Hashem el Madani: Promenades, An ongoing project by Akram Zaatari (2006)
• Hashem el Madani: Itinerary, An ongoing project by Akram Zaatari (2007)
• How beautiful is Panama! A photographic conversation from Burj al-Shamali camp, Initiated by Yasmine Eid-Sabbagh and Simon Lourié (2008)
• An Uncanny Impulse - The Mohsen Yammine collection at the Arab Image Foundation, curated by Marc Mouarkech and Clémence Cottard (2017)
• Against Photography - An annotated history of the Arab Image Foundation, curated by Akram Zaatari (2017)
• Des possibles de la photographie. La collection 0069FA : une archive à l'œuvre, curated by Clémence Cottard-Hachem and Marc Mouarkech, Rencontres d'Arles (2019){{cite web |url=https://www.rencontres-arles.com/fr/expositions/view/806/des-possibles-de-la-photographie |title=Des possibles de la photographie. La collection 0069FA : une archive à l'œuvre |author= |year=2019 |publisher=Arles Les rencontres de la photographie |accessdate=10 October 2019}}

• Histoires Intimes Liban 1900-1960 (Actes Sud, 1997)
• Portraits du Caire (Actes Sud, 1999)
• The Vehicle. Picturing moments of transition in a modernizing society. Edited by Akram Zaatari (Arab Image Foundation and Mind the Gap, 1999)
• Mapping Sitting. Edited by Karl Bassil, Zeina Maasri and Akram Zaatari in collaboration with Walid Raad (Arab Image Foundation and Mind the Gap, 2002)
• Review of Photographic Memory. Edited by Jalal Toufic (Arab Image Foundation, 2004)
• Hashem el Madani: Studio Practices. Edited by Karl Bassil, Lisa Le Feuvre and Akram Zaatari, (Arab Image Foundation, Mind the Gap and the Photographers' Gallery, 2004)
• Hashem el Madani: Promenades (Arab Image Foundation and Mind the Gap, 2007)
• A Lebanese Archive by Ania Dabrowska from the collection of Diab Alkarssifi (Book Works and Arab Image Foundation, 2015)
• Traversées photographiques. Le journal du docteur Cottard , edited by Gregory Buchakjian and Clémence Cottard Hachem (Arab Image Foundation, 2017){{cite web |url=http://buchakjian.net/publication/traversees-photographiques/index.html |title=Publication. Traversées Photographiques |author= |year=2018 |publisher=Gregory Buchakjian |accessdate=10 October 2019}}
• Building Index. Rifat Chadirji , edited by Akram Zaatari and Mark Wasiuta (Arab Image Foundation and Kaph Books, 2018){{cite web |url=http://www.lespressesdureel.com/EN/ouvrage.php?id=6812&menu= |title=Building Index |author= |year=2018 |publisher=Les presses du réel |accessdate=10 October 2019}}

• Jours tranquilles en Palestine (Fouad Elkoury and Sylvain Roumette, 1998)
• Her+Him Van Leo (Akram Zaatari, 2001)

• History of the Last Things Before the Last: Art as Writing History (a symposium proposed by Clément Chéroux and Akram Zaatari, organized by the Centre Pompidou and the Arab Image Foundation, 2012){{cite web|url=http://www.ashkalalwan.org/news.aspx?id=430 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130226015306/http://www.ashkalalwan.org/news.aspx?id=430 |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 26, 2013 |title=ashkal alwan: news and media |date=October 5, 2012 |publisher=ashkal alwan |accessdate=20 December 2012 }}
• Middle East Photograph Preservation Initiative (MEPPI){{Cite web|title=MEPPI – Middle East Photograph Preservation Invitiative|url=https://meppi.me/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130911045115/http://www.meppi.me/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=September 11, 2013|access-date=2020-08-27|language=en-US}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20190512201232/http://www.noorderlicht.com/en/archive/arab-image-foundation/ Noorderlicht / Archive / Arab Image Foundation]

{{coord missing|Lebanon}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arab Image Foundation}}

Category:Art museums and galleries in Lebanon

Category:Photography in Lebanon

Category:Photography museums and galleries

Category:Photo archives in Lebanon

Category:Education in Beirut

Category:Museums in Beirut

Category:Arts organisations based in Lebanon

Category:Non-profit organisations based in Lebanon

Category:1997 establishments in Lebanon

Category:Art museums and galleries established in 1997