Art Dubai 2025
Secci Gallery is pleased to announce its participation in this year’s Art Dubai with a solo presentation by the Lebanese artist Omar Mismar.
Mismar’s multifaceted practice spans video, performance, installation, and photography, and is rooted in a deep investigation of identity, memory, and the entanglements of personal and collective experience. Drawing from his background and the complex sociopolitical realities of the Middle East, he constructs works that challenge conventional narratives, navigating the space between fact and fiction with subtle irony and intellectual rigor.
A key element in his recent research is the revival of mosaic, a traditional craft tied to his Lebanese heritage. In these works, Mismar merges an ancient technique with a contemporary visual language, inserting figures from everyday life and modes of communication that reflect today’s social dynamics. By embedding modern references—such as casual dialogues, digital interfaces, and familiar gestures—into the slow, deliberate process of mosaic-making, he creates a striking contrast between historical form and present-day content.
This fusion not only bridges different time periods, but also underscores the evolving ways in which we construct and transmit cultural memory. The intricate surfaces of his mosaics confront themes such as loss, displacement, and the erasure of heritage, imbuing each fragment with a layered narrative that is both personal and political.
Mismar’s use of the mosaic transcends nostalgia; it becomes a conceptual tool to examine the fragility of cultural identity and the influence of technology on collective memory. His works invite reflection on how culture is archived, consumed, and reimagined—opening a space for dialogue on preservation, representation, and the role of art in shaping our contemporary realities.
With this presentation, Secci Gallery is proud to spotlight an artist who seamlessly bridges tradition and innovation, offering a nuanced reflection on the intersections between aesthetics, politics, and history.
Secci Gallery is pleased to announce its participation in this year’s Art Dubai with a solo presentation by the Lebanese artist Omar Mismar.
Mismar’s multifaceted practice spans video, performance, installation, and photography, and is rooted in a deep investigation of identity, memory, and the entanglements of personal and collective experience. Drawing from his background and the complex sociopolitical realities of the Middle East, he constructs works that challenge conventional narratives, navigating the space between fact and fiction with subtle irony and intellectual rigor.
A key element in his recent research is the revival of mosaic, a traditional craft tied to his Lebanese heritage. In these works, Mismar merges an ancient technique with a contemporary visual language, inserting figures from everyday life and modes of communication that reflect today’s social dynamics. By embedding modern references—such as casual dialogues, digital interfaces, and familiar gestures—into the slow, deliberate process of mosaic-making, he creates a striking contrast between historical form and present-day content.
This fusion not only bridges different time periods, but also underscores the evolving ways in which we construct and transmit cultural memory. The intricate surfaces of his mosaics confront themes such as loss, displacement, and the erasure of heritage, imbuing each fragment with a layered narrative that is both personal and political.
Mismar’s use of the mosaic transcends nostalgia; it becomes a conceptual tool to examine the fragility of cultural identity and the influence of technology on collective memory. His works invite reflection on how culture is archived, consumed, and reimagined—opening a space for dialogue on preservation, representation, and the role of art in shaping our contemporary realities.
With this presentation, Secci Gallery is proud to spotlight an artist who seamlessly bridges tradition and innovation, offering a nuanced reflection on the intersections between aesthetics, politics, and history.
Omar Mismar (b.1986 Bekaa Valley, Lebanon; based in Beirut, Lebanon) is an interdisciplinary artist whose work probes the entanglement of art and politics and the aesthetics of disaster. Using material interventions, formal deliberations and translation strategies, Mismar explores conflict and its everyday representations.
Omar Mismar, lives and works in Beirut, pursued a degree in graphic design from the American University of Beirut before furthering his studies in the U.S. through the Fulbright program. He earned two master’s degrees, one in Fine Arts, focusing on social practice, and another in visual and critical studies from the California College of the Arts.
Mismar has exhibited internationally, participating in prominent shows in cities like New York, Paris, Berlin, and Venice. His recent participation in the 2024 Venice Biennale, where he presented a series of contemporary mosaics blending ancient techniques with modern sociopolitical commentary, earned critical acclaim for its nuanced exploration of war and heritage.
He has also been involved in prestigious programs like the Whitney Independent Study Program and has served as a visiting professor at institutions such as the Pratt Institute. Mismar’s work, which often merges ancient and digital media, comments on the “aesthetics of disaster” and the ways in which crises are represented and memorialized in art, particularly in the Middle East. He has received numerous awards and fellowships, cementing his role as a significant voice in contemporary art, both within the Middle Eastern and global contexts.
Omar Mismar (b.1986 Bekaa Valley, Lebanon; based in Beirut, Lebanon) is an interdisciplinary artist whose work probes the entanglement of art and politics and the aesthetics of disaster. Using material interventions, formal deliberations and translation strategies, Mismar explores conflict and its everyday representations.
Omar Mismar, lives and works in Beirut, pursued a degree in graphic design from the American University of Beirut before furthering his studies in the U.S. through the Fulbright program. He earned two master’s degrees, one in Fine Arts, focusing on social practice, and another in visual and critical studies from the California College of the Arts.
Mismar has exhibited internationally, participating in prominent shows in cities like New York, Paris, Berlin, and Venice. His recent participation in the 2024 Venice Biennale, where he presented a series of contemporary mosaics blending ancient techniques with modern sociopolitical commentary, earned critical acclaim for its nuanced exploration of war and heritage.
He has also been involved in prestigious programs like the Whitney Independent Study Program and has served as a visiting professor at institutions such as the Pratt Institute. Mismar’s work, which often merges ancient and digital media, comments on the “aesthetics of disaster” and the ways in which crises are represented and memorialized in art, particularly in the Middle East. He has received numerous awards and fellowships, cementing his role as a significant voice in contemporary art, both within the Middle Eastern and global contexts.
- Kevin Francis Gray
