After nearly 15 years of operating as a nomadic art dealer between London and New York, Finnish-Lebanese gallerist Taymour Grahne is establishing his first permanent location with a new project space in Dubai's prestigious Alserkal Avenue arts district. The move marks a significant shift for the dealer, who built his reputation through unconventional pop-up exhibitions around the world rather than maintaining traditional brick-and-mortar galleries.
Grahne, who is still in his thirties, has consistently championed an experimental program featuring more than 50 artists, including Amy Lincoln, Dominique Fung, Samira Abbassy, and Latifa Alajlan. Unlike many of his peers who participate extensively in art fairs, Grahne deliberately eschewed well-trodden paths to focus on his unique nomadic model. "It's interesting to kind of go back in time, because everything happened for a reason," he told Artsy about his decision to establish a permanent space.
The dealer's connection to art traces back to the Middle East through his Lebanese grandfather, Nuhad Es-Said, who was a passionate collector of Islamic metalwork. Born in London and raised across London, New York, and Beirut, Grahne recalls his earliest memory of art when his grandfather's collection was displayed at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. This early exposure to Middle Eastern art would prove formative in shaping his career trajectory.
While studying international relations in Boston, Grahne spent time with family in Beirut, where he explored the city's vibrant art scene. His encounters with prominent figures like longtime Lebanese dealer Saleh Barakat and veteran Lebanese painter Mouna Sehnaoui left a lasting impact. At age 19, these experiences inspired him to launch "Art of the Mid East," an influential blog that became his entry point into the art world. "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,'" Grahne explained.
For four years through his blog, which featured exhibition reviews and interviews with artists and collectors, Grahne built a reputation presenting notable Middle Eastern contemporary artists. His roster included 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."
Grahne's artist selection process relies heavily on intuition and personal connection. "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." This approach guided his choices throughout his nomadic years, during which he featured artists like American painters Maia Cruz Palileo and Gail Spaien, and South Korean artist GaHee Park.
By 2017, Grahne was ready for his next chapter. Missing life in London and proximity to family and friends in the United Kingdom, Lebanon, and the UAE, he relocated to the British capital. There he founded his eponymous art advisory and organized online and pop-up exhibitions in prestigious locations including Cromwell Place in South Kensington and various spaces in Fitzrovia. "It was great moving around and being flexible," he said. "I do believe the nomadic model will be the future."
The UAE has developed into an attractive ecosystem for the arts, featuring museums, galleries, biennales, auction houses, and other artistic establishments. Beyond Grahne's new home at Alserkal Avenue, which houses contemporary art galleries, modern restaurants, and boutiques, Dubai hosts Art Dubai, the region's most prominent international fair running for nearly two decades. Major auction houses including Sotheby's and Christie's have established bases in the city, promoting modern and contemporary art from the wider region, including Iran and Turkey.
Nearby emirates add to the cultural landscape, with Sharjah hosting its namesake biennial and the Barjeel Art Foundation, which displays works from across the Arab world. Abu Dhabi is emerging as the country's museum destination, home to the Louvre Abu Dhabi and upcoming projects including the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the Zayed National Museum.
With his new two-level space, Taymour Grahne Projects, the dealer is adopting a fresh approach and rejecting traditional art world language. Rather than "representing" artists, he prefers to "collaborate" with them, aiming to create an approachable project space rather than 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.
Grahne emphasizes his desire for personal engagement with visitors and a measured approach to art fairs, participating in perhaps 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." His goal is to introduce new artist names to Dubai audiences while maintaining an international focus with regional acknowledgment.
For his debut Dubai exhibition in mid-September, Grahne presented "Arranging Flowers," a solo show featuring serene New England-inspired works by American artist Gail Spaien, who draws inspiration from her coastal Maine base. "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.
Grahne offers sharp commentary on the current state of the art market, boldly stating that the typical gallery model is failing as notable galleries worldwide close due to rapid expansion 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 observed.
He believes smaller regional cities like Beirut and Dubai are somewhat insulated from these systemic issues. "The Middle East is kind of immune to the gallery model," he said. "I think the gallery model can only work in cities like Dubai, Beirut, and Mexico City; in spaces where there are fewer galleries and less competition." This perspective makes his Dubai venture potentially his most formative journey yet.
Looking ahead, Grahne will continue operating his advisory in London while building his Dubai presence. He sees the current period as transformational for the entire industry. "We're in a day and age where the whole gallery model is in flux," he said. "I think many more galleries will close. I think we're at the tip of the iceberg, and I think a new art world, a new model, is coming. It's a work in progress for all of us."
