“Artists are the last truth sayers.” Sunny Rahbar on having a front row seat to Dubai’s art scene propelling itself onto the global stage and the unlikely rise of The Third Line in its midst.

The Lighthouse Conversations with Hashem Montasser

Hashem catches up with Sunny Rahbar, co-founder of legendary Dubai-based art gallery The Third Line, which is celebrating its 18th year. Our episode quickly morphed into a gem of oral history as Sunny shared her story of growing in and around Dubai’s rapidly changing cultural landscape and contributing to the seismic shifts that propelled the evolution of Dubai’s art scene back in 2005. Hashem and Sunny also discuss The Third Line’s signing of an early roster of fresh, young regional artists and how The Third Line’s contribution to the scene catalyzed more collectors to invest in the region rather than simply look West.

Links:

• Gallerist Isabelle van den Eynde on her curatorial techniques
• Maya Allison on how she forged a successful artist-curator bond
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