In Bethlehem’s old city quarters, among the cozy alleys that take you back to the time when many centuries ago Bethlehem was nothing more than a small village, Bab idDeir Art Gallery debuted in April 2017. Its opening ceremony celebrated both the gallery’s inauguration and the opening of “Bethlehem, Kaman o Kaman,” its first art exhibition.
The vision behind this art gallery grew out of the desire to create a space to be used exclusively to exhibit artwork. The gallery functions as a place where artists who have enriched the Palestinian art scene over the years can exhibit their artworks; they enrich the gallery with a variety of art techniques. While the concept of an art gallery may seem new and modern, the space is meant to function as a place where older and upcoming generations can meet. The artworks exhibited are not limited to canvases but also encompass outstanding artworks made from other materials, such as wood and cement.
In 2016, Bethlehem was nominated to be the 2020 Capital of Arab Culture by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. Therefore, the opening of a gallery serves the purpose of reinforcing and reviving the cultural scene in Bethlehem – the touristic and vibrant city that has been known for its rich cultural content. Bab idDeir Art Gallery is an independent artistic hub that has a message to deliver: Palestinian artists can find beauty amongst all the brokenness in Palestine and reflect it in their artwork. The first art exhibition, “Bethlehem, Kaman o Kaman,” features more than 20 Palestinian artists who would like to pay tribute to Bethlehem; the city that the artists have loved and adorned, the city that has had a significant effect on them and inspired many of their artworks. In a series of individual and collective exhibitions, Bab idDeir Art Gallery displays these achievements that have come to hold a prominent place not only in Palestine but in other parts of the world as well. The gallery program will also include exhibitions of Arab and foreign artists to enrich the space of dialogue, reflection, and openness to what is new and vital in the arts scene.
The gallery will exhibit works of the late Jabra Ibrahim Jabra, Adnan Al-Zubaidy, and Hasan Hourani. Some of the artworks are not for sale but only exhibited in the gallery to enrich the artist’s participation and to pay tribute to this genuinely new idea. Even though you might have missed the opening of the gallery, you still can come to visit Bethlehem and “Bethlehem, Kaman o Kaman” till June 25.
» The gallery is open from Monday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm; however, tourist groups can arrange to visit at their convenience. For more information, please visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Bab-IdDeir-Art-Gallery-1752749495037769/?pnref=story. To schedule a visit, please contact us by e-mail at info@babiddeir.ps or by phone at 02-276 9888.
