Why Nomadic Art Dealer Taymour Grahne Is Betting on Dubai

Taymour Grahne is no longer a purely nomadic art dealer. After nearly 15 years of operating between London and New York, the Finnish Lebanese dealer is putting down roots with a new project space in Alserkal Avenue, Dubai’s leading arts district.

Although he’s operated at gallery spaces throughout his career, Grahne is known for doing things unconventionally. Over the last 15 years, he has operated with a nomadic model, hosting pop-up shows around the world rather than maintaining a single brick-and-mortar location. He eschewed the well-trodden paths of his peers, such as participating in numerous art fairs, and has consistently championed an experimental program of more than 50 artists, including Amy Lincoln, Dominique Fung, Samira Abbassy, and Latifa Alajlan.

Now, the intrepid dealer, who is only in his thirties, is returning to his roots. “It’s interesting to kind of go back in time, because everything happened for a reason,” he told Artsy.

Indeed, Grahne’s connection to art can be traced back to the Middle East. Born in London and raised there, New York, and Beirut, Grahne’s interest in and introduction to art began in the Arab region early on. His Lebanese grandfather, Nuhad Es-Said, was a passionate collector of Islamic metalwork. “I remember we were in Washington, D.C., because his collection was on view at the Smithsonian Museum. It was my earliest memory of anything related to the arts,” Grahne said.

Grahne later studied international relations in Boston, and he recalls visiting his family in Beirut and roaming around the city’s vibrant art scene during this time. His encounters with gallerists and artists, such as the longtime Lebanese dealer Saleh Barakat and the veteran Lebanese painter Mouna Sehnaoui, left a lasting impact on him. This was the genesis of his influential blog, Art of the Mid East, which he launched at the age of 19. “I went back to Boston and I was like, ‘Wow! There’s so much happening in the region, and there’s barely anything being written about it.’” Featuring exhibition reviews and artist and collector interviews, the blog became Grahne’s entry point into the art world.

For four years, Grahne earned a reputation for his presentations of notable Middle Eastern names in the contemporary art world, including French Algerian artists Zineb Sedira and Katia Kameli, Emirati artist Mohammed Kazem, and Moroccan photographer Hassan Hajjaj. “Maybe I’m biased,” he confessed, “but some of the best artists in the world are from the Middle East, because they’re really dealing with such important topics: the history of the region, the legacies, both socioeconomic and political.”

For Grahne, his selection of artists to work with was always based on an innate feeling. “They have to really speak to me,” he explained. “It has to connect to me on a visual level first to bring me in. Then comes the concept, thought, research, and process. For me, it’s really a combination of singularity, authenticity, research, and depth of work.”

But by 2017, Grahne was ready for his next journey. He missed living in London and being closer to his family and friends in the U.K., Lebanon, and the UAE, so he moved to the British capital. There, he founded his eponymous art advisory and set up online and pop-up exhibitions in locations including Cromwell Place in South Kensington and a number of spaces in Fitzrovia. Notable shows featured American artists Maia Cruz Palileo and Gail Spaien, and South Korean artist GaHee Park, among others. “It was great moving around and being flexible,” he said. “I do believe the nomadic model will be the future.”

In the bigger picture, the UAE has developed a unique and attractive ecosystem of museums, galleries, biennales, auction houses, and other artistic establishments. Aside from Grahne’s new home of Alserkal Avenue, lined with contemporary art galleries, modern eateries, and homegrown boutiques, Dubai is also home to the region’s most prominent and international fair, Art Dubai, which has been running for nearly two decades. Major auction houses, including Sotheby’s and Christie’s, have also set up bases in the city, promoting modern and contemporary art from the wider region, including Iran and Turkey.

Nearby, the emirate of Sharjah has its namesake biennale and the museum-like Barjeel Art Foundation displaying a wide and vibrant selection of artworks hailing from the Arab world. And not to mention, nearby Abu Dhabi is turning into the museum destination of the country, hosting the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the upcoming projects of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the Zayed National Museum.

With Grahne’s new two-level space, Taymour Grahne Projects, he is doing things his way and adopting a new mindset. He is, for instance, refraining from using the traditional language of the art world. He explains that he doesn’t want to “represent” artists but “collaborate” with them, and he aims to establish an approachable “project space” over a stereotypical gallery. “For me, it’s a project space. There will be artist talks and tours. I’m going to make a big effort to bring people to the gallery. Let’s have coffee and walk around the show, and let’s see what else is on view,” he said.

“I want to be present in my space and my shows. I want to spend time with people here,” he added. One way he hopes to do this is by taking a measured approach to art fairs, perhaps participating in up to two events per year. “I don’t want to be on a plane going to 10 art fairs a year every three weeks,” he said. “I don’t want that lifestyle. I want to be here to build.” He also aims to bring new artist names to new audiences in Dubai, making his space an international one with a nod to the region.

For his debut exhibition in Dubai, which opened mid-September, Grahne is showcasing a solo exhibition, “Arranging Flowers,” of serene artworks of New England charm by the American artist Gail Spaien, who draws inspiration from her coastal base in Maine. “She’s been doing these incredible interior scenes and quiet still lifes with so many different reference materials, from American furniture designs to adverts of the ’50s,” he noted.

One thing evident about Grahne is how sharp and assertive he is. He boldly states, for instance, that the typical gallery model is “dying,” as notable galleries around the world are closing. One reason, he notes, is due to quick expansion plans and high costs. “I think the art market at the moment is in a weird place. I think if a gallery has a lot of high costs, a lot of locations, a lot of staff members, and they’re doing a lot of fairs, they’re in big trouble because there’s definitely been a slowdown in the art market in general,” he added.