European-
American Post-Minimalist Art in a Bauhaus-inspired building – Jean-Paul Najar Foundation is situated on Alserkal Avenue. Presented in partnership with Alserkal Avenue, the heart of Dubai’s art quarter, the JPNF welcomed the public in 2016.
An economist, photographer and sculptor, Najar, began collecting art from the mid-1960’s and was in collaboration with many artists from that time. A prominent figure for abstract art, he curated many exhibitions, and published many works on the artists. His exceptional assemblage included works by Jene Highstein, Gordon Matta-Clark, Suzanne Harris, Marcia Hafif, and Linda Francis, among others.
To create a private museum for their collection, architect Mario Jossa designed the Bauhaus-inspired building. The foundation is focused to ensure and expand on Najar’s legacy through the mix of new acquisitions, educational programs, and temporary exhibitions. Jeni Fulton is a Berlin-based editor and writer who recently completed her PhD dissertation on the subject of ‘Value and Evaluation in 21st Century Art’ at the Humboldt University, Berlin.
JPNF is an ICOM registered private museum
that presents abstract European and American art from the 1960s through today. Presenting exhibitions, the JPNF is also home to a remarkable archive tracing forty years of artist-collector exchanges. The museum’s mission is to stay committed towards education and to present an educational program that promotes a spirit of discovery and inquiry that engages our diverse community. JPNF is designed by Mario Jossa, of Marcel Breuer and Associates and is presented in partnership with Alserkal Avenue in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. A non-profit private museum, and registered ICOM member, the Foundation presents its permanent collection, supports its artists and creates a link with the new generation of collectors. The Foundation is committed to educational programs, ongoing acquisitions, guided tours and Friends of the Foundation events, engaging the audience and opening a conversation.
In November 2015,
JPNF had the inaugural exhibition Jean-Paul Najar: Vision & Legacy, curated by Jessamyn Fiore, which reflected on the Founder’s immense care for, and understanding of the artists. “Presenting individual masterpieces from the last half century, as well as letters and ephemera from several artists throughout the decades, the show will provide an insightful look into Jean-Paul Najar’s lifelong friendships with artists” Jessamyn Fiore says.
The Collection has evolved through time, staying true to its anchor in abstraction while gathering conceptual works that still challenge and inspire contemporary art to this day. Artists include Martin Barré, Jene Highstein, Richard Nonas, Doug Sanderson, James Bishop, Gordon Matta-Clark, Suzanne Harris, Marcia Hafif, Christian Bonnefoi, and Linda Francis, to name a few. The Jean-Paul Najar Foundation displays solely Western modern and contemporary art. While artwork made by Middle Eastern artists has been largely the focal point of the region’s art scene over the past decade.
The features of such Twentieth-Century Western art adds to the development of an artistic dialogue between cultures, which seems to be more recent past as it does to the present.
The Foundation has been hosting private tours of the exhibition Vision & Legacy. Dubai-based curators also oversee the programming, which will include talks, workshops, as well as an apprenticeship for a UAE-based artists.
Hours:
Sat – Thurs: 11:00 – 18:00
Contact: Jean-Paul Najar Foundation Warehouse 45 Alserkal Avenue Dubai – United Arab Emirates. Tel.: +971 4 258 7078 e-mail: info@jpnajarfoundation.com Web: www.jpnajarfoundation.com
Photo courtesy: www.jpnajarfoundation.com
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